Expert Pulmonologist Care in Mt. Airy and Kernersville, NC
If breathing problems are affecting your daily life, our board-certified pulmonologists offer advanced diagnostic testing and treatment for conditions ranging from asthma and COPD to lung nodules and pulmonary hypertension, all close to home in the Triad.
Request an AppointmentLung Conditions We Diagnose & Treat
Our pulmonology team evaluates and manages a full range of respiratory conditions, including:
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) – a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs.
- Asthma – a chronic condition that intermittently inflames and narrows the airways in the lungs.
- Lung Nodules – small round or oval-shaped growths in the lung that require monitoring or further evaluation.
- Emphysema – a type of COPD involving damage to the air sacs (alveoli), commonly caused by smoking, that can cause chronic cough and trouble breathing during exercise.
- Bronchiectasis – a condition in which the lungs’ airways become damaged, making it hard to clear mucus.
- Sarcoidosis – the growth of tiny collections of inflammatory cells in different parts of the body.
- Pulmonary Hypertension – a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and heart.
- Interstitial Lung Diseases – a group of disorders that cause progressive scarring of lung tissue.
- Chronic Bronchitis – inflamed bronchial tubes that produce excess mucus, most often caused by smoking or long-term exposure to air pollution, fumes, or dust.
- Lung Cancer – a cancer that begins in the lungs, most often in people who smoke.
- Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis – lung inflammation triggered by an allergic reaction to inhaled dust, fungus, mold, or chemicals.
- Pneumonia – an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, which may fill with fluid.
Pulmonary Function Testing & Diagnostics
Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs), including lung volumes and diffusion capacity, are noninvasive tests that show how well your lungs are working by measuring lung volume, capacity, rates of flow, and gas exchange. Your results are compared to expected values for your age, height, sex, and race, as well as to your own previous test results, helping your provider diagnose and guide treatment for lung disorders.
Spirometry is a common office test used to assess lung function by measuring how much air you inhale, how much you exhale, and how quickly you exhale. It’s used to help diagnose asthma, COPD, and other breathing conditions, and can also be repeated over time to monitor a chronic lung condition or check whether treatment is working.
Six Minute Walk Test: Described by the American Thoracic Society as a measure of functional status and fitness, this simple aerobic exercise capacity test has you walk at your normal pace for six minutes. It’s commonly used for patients with pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung disease, COPD, or those being evaluated for a lung transplant, and results may guide further heart and lung testing.
Overnight Pulse Oximetry monitors and records the oxygen level in your blood as you sleep at home, using a sensor clipped to your finger connected to an oximeter, to evaluate nocturnal hypoxia. Patients with sleep-related breathing concerns may also benefit from our full range of sleep studies.
Methacholine Challenge Testing, performed at Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center, uses Provocholine (methacholine chloride), a cholinergic drug that causes wheezing and shortness of breath, to help determine whether you may have asthma. This test is administered only in a clinical setting for diagnostic purposes.
Bronchoscopy & Advanced Procedures
Diagnostic and Therapeutic Bronchoscopy, performed at Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center, lets our pulmonologists look directly at your lungs and airways. A thin, flexible tube called a bronchoscope is passed through your nose or mouth, down your throat, and into your lungs to help identify tumors, infection, excess mucus, bleeding, or blockages. It can also allow your doctor to collect samples for lab testing or place small airway stents to keep an airway open.
Flexible bronchoscopy is more common than rigid bronchoscopy and typically does not require general anesthesia. You’ll be given medicine to relax you and numb your nose and throat before the procedure, and if your blood oxygen level drops during the test, you’ll be treated with oxygen therapy. Afterward, you’ll be monitored to watch for complications; a sore throat, cough, or hoarseness may occur but should resolve with time. Because of the medicine or anesthesia used, you’ll need someone to drive you home.
Bronchial Thermoplasty, delivered by the Alair™ System in three outpatient sessions, is an FDA-approved treatment for severe asthma. A carefully controlled device delivers mild, therapeutic heat to the smooth muscle of the airway wall, reducing excess smooth muscle without any incision. Dr. Javaid is one of the few physicians in the state who performs this procedure. Each session treats a different part of the lung to ensure safety, and once treatment is complete, you’ll return to your regular asthma-treating physician for ongoing management.
Smoking Cessation Support
Cigarette smoking causes more than 480,000 deaths each year in the United States, including tens of thousands from secondhand smoke exposure, and on average, smokers die about 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. Smoking is linked to heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, COPD, lung cancer, and other cancers. Other tobacco products, including chewing tobacco, cigars, and pipes, carry similar risks, and vaping is not an FDA-approved method for smoking cessation. Quitting tobacco is hard, but our team is here to help you kick the habit and take one of the best steps you can take for your long-term health.
Related Care at Our Practice
Breathing problems often overlap with other conditions we treat. If poor sleep is also affecting your health, explore our sleep medicine services, including home sleep testing and Inspire therapy. If allergies may be contributing to your symptoms, learn more about allergy testing and treatment. New to our practice? Visit our New Patients page to prepare for your first visit, or read about our team on the Meet Our Providers page.
Pulmonology FAQs
When should I see a pulmonologist?
You should consider seeing a pulmonologist if you experience ongoing shortness of breath, chronic cough, wheezing, chest tightness, or an abnormal chest X-ray or lung function test that your primary care provider wants evaluated further.
What happens during a pulmonary function test?
You’ll breathe into a device that measures lung volume, airflow, and gas exchange. The test is noninvasive and typically takes just a few minutes, with results compared to expected values for someone your age, height, and sex.
Is a bronchoscopy painful?
Most patients tolerate bronchoscopy well. You’ll be given medication to relax you and numb your throat, so discomfort is minimal. Some patients experience a sore throat or mild hoarseness afterward that resolves on its own.
What is bronchial thermoplasty used for?
Bronchial thermoplasty is an FDA-approved treatment for severe asthma that hasn’t responded well to standard medications. It reduces excess airway muscle using controlled heat delivered through a bronchoscope, without any incisions.
Can COPD be reversed?
COPD is a chronic, progressive condition and cannot be fully reversed, but with the right diagnosis and treatment plan, including medications, pulmonary rehabilitation, and smoking cessation, symptoms can often be managed effectively.
Do you help patients quit smoking?
Yes, our team offers guidance and support for patients ready to quit smoking, an important step for improving lung health and reducing the risk of COPD, lung cancer, and heart disease.
How do I schedule a pulmonary evaluation?
You can request an appointment online or call our Mt. Airy or Kernersville office directly, and our team will help coordinate any testing you may need.
Breathe Easier with the Right Diagnosis
Our pulmonology team is here to help you understand what’s affecting your breathing and build a treatment plan that works.