Pulmonary Diseases

Wheezing, persistent cough and shortness of breath can be symptoms of serious conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or interstitial lung disease.  Pulmonary medicine refers to diagnosing and managing various pulmonary (lung) disorders.

We provide evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment for various pulmonary disorders such as:

We also provide a number of in-house tests such as:

• Pulmonary Function Testing
• Oxygen Measurement
• Simple Pulmonary Stress Test
• Nitric Oxide Tests for Asthma
• Alpha-1 Genetic Tests for COPD

Dr. Nair has expertise in various pulmonary procedures including bronchoscopy and interventional bronchoscopies like EBUS, Navigational bronchoscopy, and airway stenting.

At The Lung and Sleep Center of North Texas, we will determine which tests and treatments will be appropriate to manage your pulmonary care after a thorough initial assessment.

Patient Education:

• Asthma
• COPD
• Pulmonary Function Tests
• Pulmonary Fibrosis

Critical Care

Patients with life-threatening illnesses or injuries need attention from an intensivist, a physician with training in providing critical care. Dr. Nair has the experience and expertise required to make decisive decisions involving the care of patients with highly complex medical issues.  Critial care is generally provided in the intensive care unit (ICU).  Disorders that may require critical care services include:

• Severe infection (sepsis and septic shock)
• Acute respiratory failure (severe breathing problems)
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
• Acute renal failure
• Acute gastrointestinal bleeding
• Complications from surgery
• Serious cardiac disorders

The Lung & Sleep Center of North Texas provides critical care consultation services at:

• Medical City Fort Worth
• Medical City Alliance

Sleep Medicine

Sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, can exist with other medical conditions that are difficult to recognize. A thorough medical assessment and sleep study can help identify the origin and severity of sleep issues. Following the recommended treatments can bring quality, restorative sleep back to your life.

At The Lung & Sleep Center of North Texas, we treat a number of sleep disorders including:

• Snoring
• Sleep apnea
• Insomnia
• Narcolepsy
• Circadian rhythm disorders (shift work-related, etc.)

We provide in-home sleep studies and partner with sleep labs in the area.  After a sleep study has been completed, we may prescribe a CPAP machine to help improve your breathing and quality of sleep.

Patient Education

• Obstructive Sleep Apnea
• Sleep Studies
• CPAP Therapy

Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.  It will claim more lives this year than breast, prostate, and colon cancers combined.  It is one of the most preventable and treatable types of cancer when caught early; therefore, immediate evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment pulmonary nodules or masses is necessary.  At The Lung and Sleep Center of North Texas, our goal is early detection with minimal procedures and consistent monitoring.

Lung cancer screening is recommended for people who are between 55-80 years old, have a 30 pack year smoking history or greater, are a current smoker or have quit within the past 15 years, and have no current symptoms of lung cancer.

Pulmonary nodules are small spots or abnormalities seen on chest x-rays or CT scans.  These spots need to be monitored and at times treated.  We offer priority appointments for evaluation and coordinate care with other specialist providers.

Patient Education Links:

• Pulmonary Nodules
• Lung Cancer
• Smoking and Cancer

Interventional Pulmonology

An emerging field in pulmonary medicine, interventional pulmonology is a minimally invasive endoscopic technique that can diagnose and treat conditions of the lungs and chest with less trauma. This can result in faster recovery and reduced risk for complications over traditional biopsy and treatment methods.  Dr. Nair has expertise in various pulmonary procedures including bronchoscopy and interventional bronchoscopies like EBUS, Navigational bronchoscopy, and airway stenting.

These procedures are usually done in an outpatient hospital surgical center, under conscious sedation, to:

• Evaluate lung mass and lymph nodes
• Remove foreign body
• Evaluate pneumonia and other infections
• Place fiducial markers for stereotactic radiotherapy
• Open narrowed airway

Allergy & Asthma

Shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing are common in an asthma attack. Nearly 25 million people in the U.S. have asthma and more than half are diagnosed with allergic asthma. Fortunately, this type of asthma can come under control with medical treatment.  Some of our allergy and asthma services include:

Some of our allergy and asthma services include:

• Asthma management. We help manage your asthma by monitoring your lung function, understanding items that may trigger an asthmatic episode, and recommending treatments such as inhalers, steroids, and anti-inflammatory medications.
• Allergy skin tests. Skin tests are used to confirm an allergy diagnosis. The most common type is the percutaneous (skin prick) test, where allergen extracts are placed onto the top layer of skin and evaluated for reaction.
• Allergy blood tests. During a blood test, blood is drawn and then tested for antibodies that indicate an allergy diagnose. Blood tests are most commonly used for food allergies.
• Sublingual Immunotherapy. Patients can self-administer allergy drops that contain allergen extracts to reduce the effect of specific allergens over time.     
• Subcutaneous Immunotherapy. Allergy shots are administered by injection in our office over the course of several months.  This method of treatment is considered most effective for symptoms caused by exposure to specific allergens.