If your physician has advised you to see an asthma specialist, you must be wondering, should I see a pulmonologist or allergist for asthma? To answer this question, we need to understand what every specialist does:
Pulmonologist
A pulmonologist specializes in treating the respiratory system, but it’s not out of the ordinary to find some pulmonologists specializing in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), making them the best specialists to go for specialized care.
Pulmonologists work in hospitals with patients suffering from serious or chronic breathing problems.
A pulmonologist might not be the perfect professional to visit when you are suffering from asthma, but your pulmonologist can connect you with an asthma specialist that will provide you with the best medical care.
Allergists-immunologists
These often dig deeper into your breathing problems. For example, they will help you know whether you have inflammation, and as you can guess, these are the best specialists to go for when you are suffering from complicated asthma.
How do you know you should visit an asthma doctor?
If you have mild or well-controlled asthma, you don’t have to see an asthma specialist but if you are experiencing persistent asthma attacks or your symptoms are recurring frequently, you may have to see a specialist.
You should see an allergist-immunologist if any of these scenarios apply to you:
- Your condition isn’t well controlled, you aren’t getting better with the treatment, or the treatment negatively affects your quality of life.
- You have been hospitalized or taken to the emergency room for asthma at least three times a year.
- You are experiencing the side effects of asthma medications. The most common side effects include: growth suppression, oral thrush, weight gain, osteoporosis, and emotional changes.
How will the allergy specialist help you?
There are plenty of ways the allergy specialist can help in managing your condition. Some of these ways include:
Finding the triggers
The professionals will test you to help determine the asthma triggers. These can be pollen, dust, mold, animal dander, and others. After finding the triggers, they will educate you on how to avoid them.
Advice on the medication
Since the asthma specialist knows the best asthma medication, he will advise you on the best one to take for your condition. The expert will also prescribe mepolizumab and omalizumab that come in handy at modulating the immune system and suppressing the body’s response to asthma triggers.
Give you access to the latest diagnostic tools.
Since they are experts, allergist immunologists have access to advanced tools to measure lung health. These tools can assess the current lung function, track how responsive the rungs are to the medications, and help you predict the best future treatment.
Work with you in managing asthma.
If you have been visiting your general doctor for some time, you will notice that they often try to manage the symptoms. It’s a completely different ball game with allergy experts—they not only help you manage the symptoms, but work with you to control the condition, so you live your best life.
For example, instead of avoiding going outside, so you don’t have flare-ups due to pollen exposure, the allergist will administer allergen immunotherapy. Here the specialist administers a series of injections or allergen doses to boost your tolerance to the allergen.
What should you consider when visiting an asthma specialist?
Even if you need an asthma doctor Manassas VA, it doesn’t mean you should go to anyone. Take your time to research and find an experienced professional certified to work in your local area. The professional should also have the necessary certifications.