Dr. Charles Thomas Ivester MD

A cough is described as a sudden explosive exhalation of air. It is basically a body's defense mechanism to protect and clear the airways from inhaled foreign materials. People may also voluntarily or spontaneously cough. Coughs often vary and may be characterized by productive (chesty or wet) or...

Pneumonia is an infection of the lung tissue, which can be caused by bacteria, viruses, and fungi. There are two types of pneumonia: lobar pneumonia and bronchopneumonia. Lobar pneumonia is when an entire lobe or more than one lobe of the lung gets involved. Bronchopneumonia happens when the bronchi...

Atypical Pneumonia: What is it?Atypical pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by organisms other than the ones that usually cause pneumonia. The organisms responsible for atypical pneumonia include Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydia Pneumoniae. Atypical pneumonia is...

What is Symbicort?Symbicort is a combination drug used for the management of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) symptoms. The two active ingredients of Symbicort are budesonide and formoterol. This combination helps relax the airways and makes breathing easier.Budesonide can be...

What is rapid shallow breathing?Rapid, shallow breathing, also medically called as tachypnea, is a term used to describe a breathing that is too fast, particularly when people have it due to a lung disease or other health conditions. Sometimes, rapid, shallow breathing and hyperventilation...

Sue Britton, a 47-year-old woman has cystic fibrosis. In her 20s, she became tired of being known and labeled as the ‘sick girl’, so she left her home to embark on a 7-month journey around the world. The fact that she had cystic fibrosis and needed medication on a daily basis did not stop her....