Emphysema is a form of lung disease called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that makes it difficult for you to breathe. If you have emphysema the air sacs, which are called alveoli, are slowly destroyed causing you to be short of breath. You may have emphysema and not even realize it because the symptoms are so gradual in effect. These symptoms include shortness of breath, mental fogginess, and the turning blue of your fingers or lips when they are being used. Those who smoke are more likely to suffer from emphysema because of the damage that smoke does to the air sacs. If you are a smoker or you are experiencing these three symptoms you want to seek help from a pulmonologist, such as Dr. Miller in Washington, DC.

Dr. Miller is a pulmonologist serving the greater Washington, DC area. As a pulmonologist, he is a specialist in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of pulmonary diseases. By going to a pulmonologist you are going to receive the most advanced level of care for lung disease including emphysema and other forms of pulmonary disease.

Pulmonary disease and lung disease are one and the same and include dozens of conditions. For example, if you have emphysema, cystic fibrosis, silicosis, or sleep apnea, these are all pulmonary diseases. If you are suffering from shortness of breath, a nagging cough, or a slight wheeze these are warning signs of lung disease as noted by the American Lung Association. As we get older our lungs are more prone to pulmonary disease, which means you want to take more precautions. This includes going to an internal medicine doctor, such as Dr. Miller, to get tested for lung disease. At the very least you will be able to get a peace of mind, along with preventative advice, on how to protect your lungs from pulmonary diseases.