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Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD is a pediatric pulmonologist in Chapel Hill, NC specializing in pediatric pulmonology and general practice. She graduated from University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2002 and has 24 years of experience. Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD is affiliated with UNC Health and UNC Health Rex UNC Hospitals UNC Health Children's.
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic lung disease where the tissue and airways of the lungs become extremely sensitive to certain substances. When these substances are breathed in, the lungs become inflamed. The muscles around the airways tighten and squeeze the lungs, and passages within the lungs swell and tighten. The airways themselves produce mucus, which further clogs the tightened, swollen airways. A person having an asthma attack finds it very difficult to breathe, and a severe attack can even be fatal.
Asthma affects people of all ages, but people with asthma are most often diagnosed as children. Symptoms can include wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest, shortness of breath, and coughing. Some people have mild symptoms all the time, and some people have no symptoms at all, but everyone with asthma is susceptible to occasional severe attacks or flare-ups of symptoms when they are exposed to triggers. Triggers vary widely but can include:
Treatment for most asthma patients involves three steps. Patients learn what their asthma triggers are and avoid them. They take a daily control medication, usually an inhaled corticosteroid, to reduce inflammation in the lungs. Also, they have rescue medication with them at all times to take in case of a severe attack. These quick-acting inhaled medications relax the muscles around the airways and allow the lungs to open up for air.
There is no cure for asthma, but with treatment it should not interfere with daily life and activities.
Bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy is a procedure in which a thin tube with a camera, called a bronchoscope, is inserted in the mouth or nose and slowly advanced to the lungs. This allows doctors to see the respiratory tract, which includes the throat, larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), bronchi (airways), and lungs. Doctors may recommend those who have or show signs of lung problems - for example, lung cancer or difficulty breathing - to undergo a bronchoscopy.
In performing a diagnostic bronchoscopy, doctors may only wish to visualize the respiratory tract, or doctors may also collect samples of tissue or fluid. The samples can help diagnose patients' conditions or, if patients have cancer, they can be used for staging purposes. One method for sample collection is bronchoalveolar lavage. In a bronchoalveolar lavage, doctors inject saline (salt water) through the bronchoscope and then suction it out of the airways. The washout collected is tested for lung disorders. Doctors can also insert a biopsy tool to collect tissue or mucus samples. The following are biopsies that can be performed by bronchoscopy:
For visualization, bronchoscopy can be done alone, or it can be combined with ultrasound. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) allows real-time imaging of the airway and is used for diagnosing and staging lung cancer, as well as for determining where the cancer has spread. EBUS can be performed with TBNA, a procedure known as endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA).
Doctors can also use bronchoscopy as a treatment for lung problems. For example, if a foreign body is trapped in the airway, doctors can insert forceps through the bronchoscope to remove it. If the airway has become narrowed - which may occur if patients have an infection, cancer, or some other inflammatory issue - bronchoscopy can be used to place a device called a stent in the area of constriction. The stent will keep the airway open, allowing the patient to breathe properly.
During a bronchoscopy, patients will be given medication (sedative) to help them relax. If it is only a diagnostic bronchoscopy, patients will be kept awake, but if the bronchoscopy is for therapeutic purposes, patients will be put to sleep by general anesthesia. After the procedure, patients will need to stay in the hospital for a few hours. They will not be able to eat or drink for about 2 hours. Some patients may experience discomfort, such as a sore throat or pain while swallowing. Throat lozenges and gargling may help alleviate these symptoms, which should go away after a few days. Patients will need to have someone drive them home once their doctor determines that they are ready.
Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD graduated from University of Maryland School of Medicine in 2002. She completed residency at Johns Hopkins University Affiliated Hospitals. She is certified by the Pediatrics, Board Certified and has a state license in North Carolina.
Medical School: University of Maryland School of Medicine (2002)
Residency: Johns Hopkins University Affiliated Hospitals (2005)
Board Certification: Pediatrics, Board Certified (2006)
Licensed In: North Carolina
Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Veterans Affairs, AmeriHealth Caritas, WellCare, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Carolina Complete Health, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (BCBSNC), Humana, Liberty Advantage, MedCost, Contigo Health, Cigna, Centene, WellCare, AmeriHealth, Medicare Advantage, Group Health Plan (GHP), OptumHealth Behavioral Solutions (United Behavioral Health), United Healthcare, Medicaid, Humana, Cigna, CHAMPVA, Longevity Health Plan I-SNP, HealthTeam Advantage, Aetna Whole Health (Tier 2), MedCost PPO, FirstCarolinaCare FirstMedicare Direct, Meritain Health, an Aetna Company, Aetna Premier Care Network Plus (APCN+) (Tier 2), Atlantic (Packaging) Corporation, Inc. (administered by Lucent Health), North Carolina State Health Plan, FirstCarolinaCare Insurance Company Group Health Plans, Contigo Health Plan (WakeMed employees only) (out-of-network beginning January 1, 2026), Veterans Affairs Community Care Network, BCBSNC Group Health Plans (except for Blue High Performance Network (BlueHPN)) and BCBSNC Blue Home with UNC Health Alliance (Blue Home with Novant Health is out of network).
According to our sources, Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD accepts the following insurance providers:
Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD has an exceptional overall rating with an average of 4.97 out of 5 stars based on 5 ratings. We collect ratings and reviews of Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD from all over the web to help you find the right in Chapel Hill, NC.
These charts describe general payments received by Dr. Ceila E. Loughlin, MD. Doctors may receive payments for a number of reasons, including meal compensation, travel compensation, and consulting.
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Dr. Ceila Loughlin works as a general practice and pediatric pulmonology. The average patient rating for Dr. Loughlin is 5.0 stars (out of 5). Dr. Loughlin has indicated that her clinical interests include cystic fibrosis (CF), bronchoscopy, and asthma. She seems to honor Coventry, Group Health Plan (GHP), CHAMPVA, and more. Dr. Loughlin's education and training includes medical school at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and residency at a hospital affiliated with Johns Hopkins University. She is affiliated with UNC Health. She has an open panel in Raleigh, NC according to UNC Health.
