Emphysema Center - Belleville, IL
Belleville Pulmonologist Doctors for EmphysemaType of Physician: Pulmonologist What is a Pulmonologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on diseases of the lungs and airways. The pulmonologist diagnoses and treats pneumonia, cancer, asthma, occupational diseases, sleep disorders, emphysema, and other complex disorders of the lungs. Pulmonologists evaluate lung function, examine the bronchial airways, and prescribe and monitor mechanical ventilation. Many pulmonary disease experts are also expert in critical care. Specialty: Pulmonary Disease Common Name: Lung Doctor Pulmonologist Doctors in Belleville * Southern Illinois Pulmonary Consultants  Southern Illinois Pulmonary Consultants  Southern Illinois Pulmonary Consultants  Pulmonary Physicians of Southern Illinois  Pulmonary Physicians of Southern Illinois  Pulmonary Physicians of Southern Illinois  Alton MultiSpecialists  Sadig Mohyuddin MD  Aziz Rahman MD  Taylorville Medical Associates  Physicians Group Associates  Central Illinois Allergy & Respiratory Clinic Ltd  Central Illinois Allergy & Respiratory Clinic Ltd  SIU Pediatric Specialty Clinic  Central Illinois Allergy & Respiratory Clinic Ltd  Springfield Clinic Respiratory Associates  Springfield Clinic Respiratory Associates  SIU Physicians & Surgeons Inc  SIU Physicians & Surgeons Inc Belleville, IllinoisUpcoming Local Events2012-06-09
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EmphysemaIntroduction to emphysemaThe lungs are a pair of organs in the chest that are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. The lung is composed of clusters of small air sacs (alveoli) divided by thin, elastic walls or membranes. Capillaries, the tiniest of blood vessels, run within these walls between the alveoli and allow blood and air to come near each other. The distance between the air in the lungs and the blood in the capillaries is very small, and allows molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide to transfer across the membranes. Air reaches the alveoli via the bronchial tree. The trachea splits into the right and left mainstem bronchi, which branch further into bronchioles and finally ends in the alveolar air sacs. When we breathe in, air enters the lung and the alveoli expand. Oxygen is transferred onto hemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells to be transported to the rest of the body for use. As oxygen attaches to the red blood cell, carbon dioxide, the waste product of metabolism, detaches and crosses into the alveoli to be exhaled. When we breathe out, the alveoli get squeezed by the elasticity in their walls and air is pushed out of the lungs.
What is emphysema?Emphysema is a long-term, progressive disease of the lung(s) and occurs when the alveolar walls are destroyed along with the capillary blood vessels that run within them. This lessens the total area within the lung where blood and air can come together, limiting the potential for oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer. In early emphysema, there is associated inflammation of the small airways or bronchioles that limits the amount of air that can flow to the alveoli. In more severe emphysema, there is also loss of elasticity in the alveolar walls that have not been destroyed. When the patient breathes out, th... Recommended Reading Related to EmphysemaWhat Is Heart Failure?Heart failure does not mean the heart has stopped working. Rather, it means that the heart's pumping power is weaker than normal. With heart failure, blood moves through the heart and body at a slower rate, and pressure in the heart increases. As a result, the heart cannot pump enough oxygen and nutrients to meet the body's needs. The chambers of the heart respond by stretching to hold more blood to pump through the body or by becoming more stiff and thickened. This helps to keep the blood moving for a short while, but in time, the heart muscle walls weaken and are unable to pump as strongly. As a result, the kidneys often respond by causing the body to retain fluid (water) and sodium. If fluid builds up in the arms, legs, ankles, feet, lungs or other organs, the body becomes congested, and congestive heart failure is the term used to describe the condition. What Causes Heart Failure?Heart failure is caused b... Other Related Emphysema ArticlesEmergency Contact for Belleville
Nearby Belleville Hospitals *St Elizabeth's Hospital Belleville Memorial Hospital Belleville Touchette Regional Hospital Kenneth Hall Regional Hospital St Alexius Hospital Broadway Campus Gateway Regional Medical Center SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center Anderson Hospital Saint Louis University Hospital St Louis VA Medical Center John Cochran Division St Louis VA Medical Center Jefferson Barracks St Louis Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center The Rehabilitation Institute of St Louis St Louis Children's Hospital Barnes-Jewish Hospital South Campus Barnes-Jewish Hospital North Campus Kindred Hospital St Louis Forest Park Community Hospital Select Specialty Hospital St Louis  Metropolitan St Louis Psychiatric Center  SSM Rehab  SSM St Mary's Health Center  Red Bud Regional Hospital  Hawthorn Children's Psychiatric Hospital  St Anthony's Medical Center  Kindred Hospital St Anthony's  Christian Hospital NE  St Joseph's Hospital of Highland  Shriners Hospital for Children  St Luke's Urgent Care Center in Fenton  Des Peres Hospital  Missouri Baptist Medical Center  St Joseph's Hospital Breese  Northwest HealthCare  SSM St Clare Health Center  St John's Mercy Medical Center  Ranken Jordan Pediatric Rehabilitation  St Clare's Hospital  Alton Memorial Hospital  Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital  Dubuis Hospital of St Louis  Jefferson Regional Medical Center  St Anthony's Health Center  SSM DePaul Health Center  St Luke's Hospital  St John's Mercy Rehabilitation Hospital  Sparta Community Hospital  SSM St Joseph Health Center  St Luke's Urgent Care Center on Clarkson Road  Washington County Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Emphysema by Our Doctors
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Related Diseases & Conditions
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Congestive Heart Failure
- Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition in which the heart's function as a pump is inadequate to meet the body's needs. A poor blood supply resulting from congestive heart failure may cause the body's organ systems to fail, leading to a weakened heart muscle and fluid accumulation in the lungs and body tissue. There are many diseases that can impair pumping efficiency and symptoms of congestive heart failure including fatigue, diminished exercise capacity, shortness of breath, and swelling. Treatments include lifestyle modifications, medications, heart transplant, and therapy.
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Pneumonia
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Angina
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Acute Bronchitis
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Chronic Cough
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)
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Marfan Syndrome
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Pulmonary Hypertension
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Chronic Bronchitis
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Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
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Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
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Bronchiectasis
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Smoker's Lung: Pathology Photo Essay
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Heart Failure
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Chagas Disease
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Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
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Nicotine
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Asthma Complexities
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Lung Anatomy
- The lungs are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. Eliminating carbon dioxide from the blood is important, because as it builds up in the blood, headaches, drowsiness, coma, and eventually death may occur. The air we breathe in (inhalation) is warmed, humidified, and cleaned by the nose and the lungs.
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Secondhand Smoke
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Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, and Colds
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Medications
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