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Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
About me
Loudi Central Hospital, Department of Respiratory Medicine, attending physician, has been engaged in clinical work in respiratory medicine for many years, and has rich clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory system diseases.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in common respiratory diseases such as upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and tuberculosis.
Voices
What department should I go to for pneumonia?
Pneumonia, as the name suggests, is inflammation of the lungs and belongs to the category of respiratory diseases. Therefore, the primary department to consult is Respiratory Medicine. In places where there is no Respiratory Medicine department, such as community health service centers or township health clinics, patients would have to consult the general internal medicine department instead. Of course, if the symptoms of pneumonia are severe and the condition is critical, and it happens outside of regular outpatient hours, then the patient must be seen by the emergency medicine department. The emergency medicine department will manage and triage pneumonia patients, and then decide their next steps, such as whether to transfer them to the ICU, a regular Respiratory Medicine department, or keep them for observation in the emergency department.
The difference between silicosis and pneumoconiosis.
The difference between silicosis and pneumoconiosis. First, let's understand pneumoconiosis. Pneumoconiosis is a systemic disease characterized primarily by diffuse fibrosis of lung tissues, caused by the inhalation of occupational dusts during production activities. There are many types of dust that can cause pneumoconiosis, such as silica dust, coal dust, asbestos, talc, and some dusts produced during the manufacturing and transportation of cement. Silicosis is the most common type of pneumoconiosis. It is caused by the long-term inhalation of substantial amounts of free silica dust, and it primarily presents as extensive nodular fibrosis in the lungs. Silicosis belongs to the category of pneumoconiosis, and it is the most common, fastest progressing, and most dangerous type of pneumoconiosis. In simple terms, silicosis is a type of pneumoconiosis, but not all pneumoconiosis is silicosis.
Causes of Chronic Bronchitis
The causes of chronic bronchitis are not yet very clear. It is currently speculated that it may be the result of multiple factors interacting over a long period. The factors most closely associated with the occurrence of chronic bronchitis primarily include smoking, cigarette smoke, dust, and irritants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, chlorine, ozone, etc. Additionally, some infectious factors may also be somewhat related to the occurrence of chronic bronchitis, with the most common possibly being infections by mycoplasma, bacteria, or viruses. Furthermore, chronic bronchitis may be related to age, climate, and other factors. Overall, the triggers of chronic bronchitis are not very clear at present, and it is advised to eliminate these risk factors as much as possible if present.
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a disease where the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects the lungs. It is a persistent bacterium that grows slowly. Tuberculosis is an infectious disease and quite common historically, often referred to as consumption in the past, as mentioned in the novels of Lu Xun. In modern times, tuberculosis is relatively manageable if the infection has not developed resistance to drugs. Proper anti-tuberculosis treatment can result in a cure rate exceeding 90% on the first attempt. However, if the treatment is not adhered to correctly—if the patient stops taking the medication prematurely or does not follow the prescribed regimen—the bacteria may develop resistance, reducing the effectiveness of the treatment. This is particularly problematic in elderly patients, who might also experience adverse reactions to tuberculosis medications, making treatment difficult. Thus, while tuberculosis is generally treatable, infections with drug-resistant strains can be fatal if not managed properly.
Do people with asthma cough?
The asthma commonly referred to is bronchial asthma, which is primarily characterized by recurrent episodes of breathing difficulty. This difficulty in breathing is mainly manifested as chest tightness and shortness of breath. Additionally, asthma is often triggered by upper respiratory tract infections. Therefore, most asthma patients experience coughing and expectoration during acute attacks. There is also a special type of asthma known as cough variant asthma, which, as the name suggests, is primarily characterized by coughing. This type of cough is generally dry with little to no sputum, or it involves a small amount of mucous sputum. The coughing can occur during the day but is generally more pronounced at night.
Does tuberculosis cause fever?
Does tuberculosis cause fever? Certainly, fever can occur. Fever is one of the most common clinical manifestations of tuberculosis, which can be mild or high fever. Most cases of tuberculosis mainly present as afternoon febrile flushes, or say, an evening low-grade fever. In a few cases, such as infectious pneumonia or more severe infections like tuberculous pleurisy, there can be high fever, and these fever episodes may last a long time and be recurrent, making them difficult to control.
Upper respiratory tract infection complications
Upper respiratory tract infections, also known as URIs, refer to acute inflammation occurring from the external nostril to the lower edge of the cricoid cartilage, commonly affecting the nasal cavities, pharynx, and larynx. Most patients with upper respiratory infections experience mild symptoms and a short disease course, generally having a good prognosis with self-recovery. However, a small subset of upper respiratory tract infections can lead to complications such as sinusitis, otitis media, and tracheobronchitis. Some infections that manifest primarily as pharyngitis can lead to secondary conditions like rheumatic fever and glomerulonephritis caused by Streptococcus. In these cases, the prognosis may not be as favorable. Additionally, a small number of patients might develop more severe illnesses, such as viral myocarditis, which significantly affects the prognosis. Therefore, upper respiratory tract infections should not be underestimated, and proactive prevention and treatment are essential.
Is bronchiectasis dangerous?
Whether bronchiectasis is dangerous depends on the extent of the patient's bronchiectasis and whether they have other comorbidities. If the patient's bronchiectasis is relatively limited and actively treated, they can still survive for a long time. Clinically, we often see elderly people in their seventies or eighties with bronchiectasis, but their medical history can often span decades and even trace back to childhood. In such cases, bronchiectasis does not pose a significant danger to their lifespan. However, if the bronchiectasis is more extensive and has damaged lung function, it can lead to respiratory failure, pulmonary heart disease, and other dangerous conditions, possibly resulting in death. Additionally, bronchiectasis can cause severe hemoptysis. If severe hemoptysis occurs suddenly, it is generally difficult to rescue in time, severely affecting their prognosis and can cause death within a short time, within minutes.
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
Pneumonia can have many manifestations, and each person's symptoms can be different. It is highly heterogeneous, varying from mild to severe and can last for short or long durations. The main factors depend on the type of pathogen involved and the state of the body. The most common symptoms of pneumonia are coughing and producing sputum. The cough can be mild or severe and may be accompanied by sputum. The amount of sputum can vary and may be yellow, green, red, or rust-colored. Other possible symptoms include chest pain, difficulty breathing, respiratory distress, and most cases of pneumonia also involve fever. The duration and severity of the fever are somewhat related to the course of the illness. However, a small portion of patients may have atypical symptoms, especially older adults, who may not show direct respiratory symptoms but instead exhibit consciousness disturbances such as coma, confusion, fatigue, and more.
Asthma attack symptoms
The most common manifestation of an asthma attack is inspiratory difficulty breathing, occurring repeatedly. This respiratory difficulty can present as sitting up to breathe, dry cough, and may include white frothy sputum. Some patients, due to severe hypoxia, may develop cyanosis. Besides these typical symptoms, some patients may have cough-variant asthma or chest tightness-variant asthma. Cough-variant asthma can sometimes involve only coughing, which is mostly severe, dry, and more noticeable at night, unresponsive to antibiotic treatment. Additionally, there is a type of asthma characterized by chest tightness, primarily presenting as chest discomfort, and some patients may also experience nausea or other discomforts.