12 Memorial Medical Milestones • 2026 Issue 2 Most of the time, you probably don’t think about breathing. But with lung disease, breathing can become harder and symptoms may worsen over time. Knowing the warning signs can help you avoid serious illness or even death. Don’t ignore the signs Asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer are some common types of lung disease. Symptoms can be hard to notice at first. Stay alert for: • Chronic cough. If you’ve had a cough for eight weeks or longer, get it checked out, even if it doesn’t seem like a big deal. • Chronic mucus production. If it feels like you have more mucus than usual and it’s been going on for a month or more, it could be lung disease. • Chronic chest pain. Don’t ignore chronic pain in your chest, especially if it hurts worse when you breathe or cough. • Shortness of breath. If you get out of breath even when you aren’t exercising, this is a red flag. Any time you feel that inhaling or exhaling is hard for no reason, it could signal lung problems. • Coughing up blood. This is a clear sign there’s some kind of health problem. The blood could be coming from your lungs or respiratory tract. • Wheezing. When you hear a wheezing sound as you breathe, it means something is blocking the airways in your lungs or making them too narrow. An ounce of prevention Thankfully, there are things you can do to help prevent lung disease. Here are some of the most important: • Don’t smoke. • Exercise. • Do breathing exercises. • Get regular checkups. If you experience any symptoms of lung disease, a healthcare provider can rule out something serious. Source: American Lung Association John Bercier, DO Pulmonology 2770 3rd Ave., Suite 350 Lake Charles, LA 70601 337-284-8443 R. Craig Broussard, MD Pulmonology 2770 3rd Ave., Suite 350 Lake Charles, LA 70601 337-245-2997 Clifford Courville, MD Pulmonology 2770 3rd Ave., Suite 350 Lake Charles, LA 70601 337-245-2996 Fidencio Davalos, MD Pulmonology 2770 3rd Ave., Suite 350 Lake Charles, LA 70601 337-245-2994 Gary Kohler, MD Pulmonology 2770 3rd Ave., Suite 350 Lake Charles, LA 70601 337-245-2989 Know the signs of lung disease Memorial Pulmonary Associates physicians Have questions about lung health? If you’d like to schedule a well exam, make an appointment with one of our providers by visiting lcmh.com/pulmonary or calling 337-245-2984.
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