Top Lung Health

In this episode, tips to quit smoking FOREVER. You can also watch this as a video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/lagLuANUC5g Most long-term smokers want to quit but it is extremely difficult due to the addiction having multiple components: physical, psychological, and social. Understanding these components needs to be a first step towards overcoming them. Breaking some habits while fighting cra...

Answering a bunch of questions about COPD, emphysema and inhalers. You can also watch this as a video on the YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/ghNRzXhNhZ4 The questions and comments that I discuss cover some of the following topics: - side effects of inhalers - healthy living versus going on inhalers - explanation what is emphysema and chronic bronchitis - can you be addicted to / dependent on inh...

Answering a question about reducing corticosteroid treatment (prednisolone) in sarcoidosis. You can watch the video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/j4u7om2X1Ds Reductions in the dose need to be done gradually, as the body no longer produces its own steroids after a lengthy treatment. By gradually reducing the dose, we give the body a chance to resume it's own physiological steroid production...

Some words of encouragement if you have been diagnosed with a lung condition. A comment received on my channel summarizes the situation very well: there is a lot that you can achieve just with lifestyle changes in managing lung conditions. You can watch the video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/HjKKdqJFShE Of course, not all the problems can go away with just diet or exercise, but in some cases...

How to improve your life to be healthier and more fulfilled? Healthy living sounds easy on paper, and many books will try to sell you on the right diet, exercise program or smoking cessation strategy. Watch the video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/yyr-9w3Bs40 I personally feel everything starts with the "mental". If you are grounded, self-aware and happy in your own skin, you will nat...

What do you need to know if you have been diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)? See the video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/at9-kVqoay0 In this video I try to reassure you that the treatment for COPD can be effective, especially if you implement certain lifestyle changes to stop the progression of the condition. The main step to take is to stop smoking (if you are an act...

What to do if you are diagnosed with asthma? How to best manage asthma to control it long term. In this episode I go over important treatment and lifestyle tips to deal with having asthma. Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/er4Vc2YCwps With adequate treatment, support and a healthy lifestyle, most people who have asthma should have relatively normal lives. Chapters: (03:06) What treatmen...

What can you do if you receive a diagnosis of an interstitial lung disease (ILD)? How can you deal with this chronic lung disease? Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/t0V_hvpfack In this episode I cover what the diagnosis can mean for you, information your doctor and healthcare team may give you, how to better understand your diagnosis and treatment options. I talk about non-medication op...

In this episode - 12 reasons why your asthma is not controlled. You can watch the video on my YouTube channel, here: https://youtu.be/BnfdGKgmrsE Asthma is a variable condition with good and bad days. Asthma attacks and flare-ups are driven by increasing airway inflammation. To have better asthma control you may consider the following: 1. Having good Inhaler technique 2. Being on a controller medi...

This episode is about antifibrotic treatments for pulmonary fibrosis. You can watch the video on my YouTube channel, here: https://youtu.be/5FHP_EoX1NM Two medications are available (pirfenidone and nintedanib). These drugs may be prescribed for the following indications: 1. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - both pirfenidone and nintedanib Video about IPF: https://youtu.be/RNnVtCP3ae0 2. Progressive...

Reacting to a comment about never using antibiotics. You can watch the video on my YouTube channel, here: https://youtu.be/LyCejRAxA3w There is always a risk of selecting bacterial species which are resistant to antibiotics. However, it in many situations, antibiotic use has very clear guidelines. Most doctors actually are quite careful in prescribing antibiotics to prevent the emergence of "...

Familial pulmonary fibrosis means that there are several cases of pulmonary fibrosis in the same family (among blood relatives). You can watch the video on my YouTube channel, here: https://youtu.be/3wrvocYf0Ao I discuss this situation, genetic predisposition, telomeres and telomere related genes and what all these mean for families in which several people appear to have similar conditions (such a...

What are some common causes for breathlessness? Why do you get short of breath on exertion? The video is available on my Youtube channel, here: https://youtu.be/V3d6iTuu0CU I talk about deconditioning, anxiety, lung diseases, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, anemia. If you are breathless, try to see your doctor to understand what is going on, in case there may be a medical explanation, and t...

What is pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of the lungs)? In this episode I provide a thorough overview and highlight the difference between progressive and non-progressive lung fibrosis, causes, getting a clear diagnosis, follow-up over time and treatment.  Causes of pulmonary fibrosis may include: severe lung infections, such as tuberculosis (TB); systemic/autoimmune diseases; environmental facto...

How to improve cough at home after a cold or a chest infection. Get rid of your cough faster by allowing your airways to recover faster:  1) use soothing lozenges, honey or tea  2) keep well hydrated  3) avoid very dry air in your home  4) get rid of excessive nasal secretions (ex. saline nasal wash)  5) control acid reflux by being careful with your diet  6) stop smo...

Asthma Q&A session about some of the questions I received on my YouTube channel. Remember you can watch most episodes as videos on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrStefanCristianStanel Find more information on the website: https://www.toplunghealth.com/ Twitter: Stefan Cristian Stanel (@scstanel) / Twitter

Inhalers cause weight gain? It is a common question and search topic online. Many inhalers do contain a low dose of corticosteroids, however this dose is usually too low to cause any significant side effects throughout the body. Inhalers allow the medication to be delivered directly to the airways, where it acts directly. Most inhaled medication is not absorbed at a significant level in the rest o...

A live explanation about familial pulmonary fibrosis (FPF) or familial interstitial pneumonia (FIP). Familial cases can be caused by variants in something called telomere-related genes. Telomeres are repetitive sequences of DNA at the end of chromosomes which protect the DNA during cell division. Chromosomes are structures in the nuclei of cells which contain the DNA in a tightly packed form. &nbs...

In this episode, I discuss some commonly asked questions about pneumonia treatment. Simple episodes of pneumonia normally do not require a lot of treatment and can be safely managed at home. Typically, an antibiotic is prescribed, with or without some other treatments to help manage symptoms.    The antibiotic is the main treatment for the bacterial pneumonia and should be taken as presc...

A comment about persistent cough and taste abnormalities after COVID. How long to wait until seeing a doctor about the cough?  A residual cough is very common after chest infections including COVID. Normally if the cough lasts for more than 6-8 weeks with no sign of improvement it may be a good idea to ask for a medical opinion in your case. Most often there may be some ongoing inflammation t...

What can be done if despite a theoretically correct asthma treatment there are still many symptoms? This is common, as current asthma inhalers are usually given based on international guidelines (such as GINA Asthma - https://ginasthma.org/). Therefore, even non-specialist doctors are usually able to prescribe the right inhalers.  If there are still symptoms present or many asthma attacks, se...

This is a discussion and guide for those who may be suffering from COPD or know someone who is. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a condition affecting the airways and the lungs, marked by shortness of breath on exertion and chronic productive cough. These symptoms tend to get worse over time and this leads to much suffering. COPD is a combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. ...

In this episode I discuss about using corticosteroids (such as prednisone / prednisolone etc.) for asthma exacerbations (flare-ups). Based on a question I received on the YouTube channel I talk about reasons for using steroids and if this treatment would result in complete improvement of symptoms during a worsening of asthma control. I also explain why the effect of these corticosteroid burst last...

When are inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) used in the treatment of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)? Inhaled corticosteroids are normally a treatment for asthma, however they are useful for people who have many COPD flare-ups (exacerbations) and more severe COPD.  The question in the video specifically talks about using Flovent (fluticasone) in addition to Anoro Ellipta (a combinatio...

Ep. 7 - Using saline nebulizers and other forms of salinity to treat respiratory conditions. I discuss normal saline (0.9%), hypertonic saline, going into salt mines and if salt pipes serve any purpose. Some salt-based inhaled therapies have proven efficacy (saline nebulizers). Salt pipes don't seem to be worth it in my opinion. Also I would be wary of dubious health claims regarding unusual benef...