Bangalore: Bangalore often called the "allergy town" has more than its share of people with respiratory disorders. Respiratory problems also affect the quality of sleep, essential to good health.

Manipal Hospital has introduced a full-fledged department of respiratory medicine, the latest addition to the existing 43 specialities.

The new department will be under three consultant pulmonologists, Padma Sundaram, Isaac Mathew and Mahesh Babu, the last named being a paediatric pulmonologist.

The Respiratory of Pulmonary Medicine addresses problems that affect breathing and assists in improving respiratory functions and thus the quality of life.

Role of pulmonologist

Pulmonologists are trained to diagnose, treat and provide continuing care to patients with challenging range of diseases.

Range of diseases

These include asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, tuberculosis, pneumonia, bronchitis and allergic lung disorders. They also help in the management of chronic and acute respiratory failure, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary haemorrhage, cystic fibrosis and genetic lung disorders.

The hospital says it has invested in advanced facilities such as a Pulmonary Function Laboratory and one of the region's first "Sleep Labs".

Asthma treatment

Dr. Padma Sundaram said: "The department will focus on treatment of asthma, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary fibrosis and conduct `oxygen consumption exercise' studies. We also have Bronchoscopy units for both children and adults with facilities to conduct transbronchial biopsies whenever needed. Bronchoscopy procedures are routinely done in our various intensive care units when needed."

Dr. Isaac Mathew elaborated on "sleep studies". "Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, more commonly called snoring, is common in male population. This becomes important when it occurs in patients with cardio-vascular diseases.

Sleep studies

The only way to diagnose and start appropriate treatment is through sleep studies and prevent any serious complications, including unexplained death during sleep.

Cases of insomnia

Patients with chronic insomnia and sleep behaviour disorders need to be tested while asleep for proper treatment, he said.

While sleep disorders including difficulty in falling asleep even hours after being in bed, suddenly waking up in the early hours and then unable to go back to sleep and insomnia have become more common due to a stressful lifestyle, there were very few labs dealing with these problems in this region.

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