A pulmonologist is a medical professional who specialize in diagnosing and treating lung-related conditions.

Pulmonologists treat the following respiratory conditions:
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Pulmonary hypertension
• Emphysema
• Lung cancer
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Tuberculosis
• Obstructive sleep apnea

You should visit a pulmonologist when you experience the following symptoms:
• Problems in exercising due to difficulty in breathing
• Unexplained weight loss with cough since over 4 weeks
• A persistent cough
• Smoking habit
• Bloody mucus with pus
• Shortness of breath

Pulmonologists typically recommend pulmonary function tests or PFTs. They are a group of tests which generally include spirometry, lung volume tests, arterial blood gas test, lung diffusion capacity, and pulse oximetry estimates. They might even order a chest X-ray or CT scan, based on your individual needs.

Chest surgeons perform surgical procedures on the lungs and heart. Pulmonologists may perform specialized procedures to obtain samples from the lung or chest but do not perform surgeries.e.g. bronchoscopy