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Dr. Ruby Risal, MD is a pulmonologist in Gettysburg, PA specializing in adult pulmonology. Dr. Ruby Risal, MD is affiliated with WellSpan Health, WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital and WellSpan Medical Group.
40 V TWIN DRIVE SUITE 205
Gettysburg, PA 17325
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.
Lung Issues
Every cell in the body requires oxygen to function and produces carbon dioxide as a waste product. In order to keep the body's tissues constantly supplied with fresh oxygen and to keep waste from building up, the lungs pump air in and out, even while sleeping or unaware. Unfortunately, diseases and disorders affecting the lungs are some of the most common medical problems afflicting people around the world. Some of the most common lung problems include asthma, COPD, pneumonia, and lung cancer.
Asthma is a chronic disease where swollen, inflamed airways make it hard to breathe. It is often brought on by specific triggers. While asthma is a common condition, affecting millions of people, it can also be serious and even fatal in severe cases. Treatment involves avoiding triggers and using inhaled corticosteroid medications.
COPD, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, is the name given to two illnesses that both cause difficulty breathing: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. In emphysema, the air sacs of the lungs become damaged, while with bronchitis they become clogged with mucus. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States. It is almost always caused by breathing irritants into the lungs, such as smoking or heavy pollution.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, a virus, or fungi. Most healthy people recover from pneumonia in a week or two, but for some people pneumonia can be fatal. There are treatments available for pneumonia, but the best treatment is to prevent getting sick in the first place. People who are at risk should make sure they get a flu shot every year. There is also a vaccine available for the type of bacteria that causes pneumonia.
Lung cancer occurs when abnormal cells inside the lung grow into a tumor, destroying healthy tissue. Because it is so difficult to detect lung cancer in early stages when it has few symptoms, it is the deadliest form of cancer, responsible for the most cancer deaths both in the U.S. and worldwide. Most lung cancer is caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, but between 10-15% of cases are not linked to smoking.
Some problems with the lungs are minor and are not cause for concern. However if symptoms have lasted for a month or more, even if they are minor, it is worth checking with a healthcare professional. A cough, shortness of breath, or excess mucus production that lingers for weeks are all worth getting looked at.
She completed residency at Interfaith Medical Center. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine | Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine | Pulmonary Disease and has a state license in Pennsylvania.
Residency: Interfaith Medical Center
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine | Internal Medicine American Board of Internal Medicine | Pulmonary Disease
Licensed In: Pennsylvania
Dr. Ruby Risal, MD is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
Dr. Ruby Risal, MD appears to accept the following insurance providers: Medicare Advantage, AmeriHealth, Highmark Blue Shield, United Healthcare, Aetna, TRICARE, Medicare, Railroad Medicare, Cigna, Capital BlueCross, Centene, Geisinger Health Plan, WellSpan Financial Assistance Program participant, Gateway Highmark Wholecare, UPMC Health Plan, HPP/Jefferson Health Plan, Preferred Health Care, John Hopkins Health Care, InterGroup/Prime Health Services and South Central Preferred.
According to our sources, Dr. Ruby Risal, MD accepts the following insurance providers:
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Dr. Ruby Risal's specialty is adult pulmonology. These areas are among her clinical interests: sleep disorders, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Her hospital/clinic affiliations include WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital and WellSpan Medical Group. Dr. Risal trained at Interfaith Medical Center for her residency. Capital BlueCross, Blue California, and Aetna appears to be the insurance carriers that Dr. Risal takes. WellSpan Health reports that Dr. Risal is accepting new patients at her office in Gettysburg, PA.