Respiratory Issues Management
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Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C.
Sports Medicine & Primary Care Practice located in Lawrenceville, NJ
Respiratory issues can sometimes be short-term, but chronic or lifelong conditions like asthma require careful medical supervision. At Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C. in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, the team of caring providers skillfully evaluate problems like chronic cough and breathing difficulties to diagnose and treat the underlying respiratory issues. Schedule your appointment by phone or use the online booking tool.
Respiratory Issues Q & A
What is a respiratory issue?
A respiratory issue is a problem with your lungs and breathing. Most respiratory issues are chronic conditions, but you can also experience breathing difficulties when you have a short-term illness like a common cold or influenza.
Whether your respiratory issues are temporary or lingering, it’s important to see the experienced medical team at Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C. any time you’re having difficulty breathing.
What are the different types of respiratory issues?
Asthma is one of the most common respiratory issues. It affects 235 million children and adults in the world today. When you have an asthma attack, airways in your lungs get irritated and swell to grow too narrow.
This makes it hard to breathe and may cause symptoms like painful chest constriction, coughing, and wheezing. Asthma attacks can be very dangerous because they can potentially interrupt your air supply, or block it completely.
If you have asthma, you need to manage the disease with help from the caring experts at Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C.
Two other respiratory issues that can occur in both children and adults can include bronchitis and pneumonia. Some conditions, like cystic fibrosis, can cause respiratory problems as well. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) almost always occurs in adults.
Coughing often goes along with influenza and colds, and it can make breathing harder. But, normal breathing typically returns once you recover .
What causes respiratory issues?
The causes can vary considerably. Some of the most common include:
- Infections
- Smoking
- Air pollution
- Secondhand smoke
- Poor immune system function
- Incomplete lung development early in life
Some respiratory issues are preventable. For example, cigarette smoking causes 80% of deaths among patients with COPD. Stopping smoking can reduce your respiratory issues and even save your life.
How do you treat respiratory illnesses?
The treatment depends on the root cause of your respiratory problems. For asthma, you likely need a rescue inhaler to use when you have attacks. This opens your lungs quickly to ease symptoms.
Most patients need long-term asthma control medication as well. This may include daily inhalers or oral medications.
If your respiratory illness is caused by bacteria, your medical team may prescribe antibiotics. But, most cases of respiratory illness like bronchitis are caused by a virus, which means antibiotics won't help.
Your medical care team may prescribe medication to soothe your throat, suppress your cough, and help you rest.
Get respiratory issue rescue now by calling Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C., or clicking the online appointment booking tool.