Pulmonary Medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases that affect the lungs. Pulmonary medicine is also called pulmonology and the physicians who specialize in pulmonary medicine are called Pulmonologists.
A pulmonologist deals with many diseases and conditions like shortness of breath, chronic cough, asthma, COPD (chronic obstructive lung disease), pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, pulmonary hypertension, sarcoidosis etc.
Various tests like a chest x-ray, CT scan of the chest and pulmonary function test may be performed to diagnose lung diseases.
A pulmonologist may also perform various procedures like Bronchoscpy and thoracentesis ( also known as thoracocentesis or pleural tap is an invasive procedure to remove fluid from the space between lung and chest wall for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes).
You may download and print the patient pdf handouts below:
Links:
American Lung Association
American Thoracic Society
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
American College of Chest Physicians
Global initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease
Sleep Medicine is a medical sub-specialty devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disturbances and disorders. Sleep medicine is also sometimes called somnology and the physicians who specialize in diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders are sometimes called Somnologists.
A somnologist deals with many diseases and conditions like OSA (obstructive sleep apnea), snoring, insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, restless leg syndrome, parasomnias (sleep walking, sleep talking, and various movement disorders during sleep).
A sleep study or polysomnography is usually performed to diagnose various sleep disorders.
Links:
Sleep Education
American Insomnia Association
The Restless Leg Syndrome Foundation