Lung & Chest Conditions and Treatments

The Lung & Chest team at Columbia treats a wide variety of thoracic diseases and disorders. We’ve put together educational guides to help you learn about common lung and chest conditions and treatments, to help you make informed decisions about care.

If you’d like to speak to our team about any of these conditions or treatment options, call (212) 305-3408 for existing patients, (212) 304-7535 for new patients, or request an appointment online today.


Our team is now seeing patients in New Jersey at our New Jersey Lung & Esophageal Center. Learn more »


Lung and Chest Conditions

  • ARDS – is an acute respiratory distress syndrome, a life-threatening condition involving fluid buildup in the air sacs of the lungs, causing breathing to be difficult or impossible. Read more »
  • Asthma – A chronic condition where the airways in the lungs become inflamed and spasm, causing temporary occlusions of airflow. Read more »
  • Autoimmune Interstitial Lung Disease – Inflammation and scarring in the lungs caused by autoimmune disorders. Read more »
  • Bronchiectasis – Bronchiectasis is a condition that results from chronic bacterial infections in the lungs. It causes the walls of the lungs to thicken and can make breathing difficult. Read more »
  • COPD – Group of diseases that cause inflammation and thickening of the lung tissue, limiting airflow in and out of the lungs. Read more »
  • Cystic Fibrosis – A progressive genetic disease that causes inflammation of the lung membranes, leading to increased mucus secretion and persistent infections. Read more »
  • Diaphragm paralysis and weakness – A breakdown of communication between the nervous system and the diaphragm cause the diaphragm to function inefficiently or not at all. Read more »
  • Diaphragm eventration – The diaphragm is elevated to an abnormal position in the chest cavity, usually due to a muscle or nerve issue. Read more »
  • Diaphragmatic hernias – Rare birth defect where an abnormal opening in the diaphragm causes organs to move into the chest cavity. Read more »
  • Emphysema – Damaged air sacs in the lungs lose elasticity, reducing oxygen absorption and making breathing difficult. Read more »
  • GERD – Gastroesophageal reflux disease, a backup of stomach acid causes inflammation that commonly causes persistent heartburn and indigestion. Read more »
  • Hyperhidrosis – Excessive sweating in the underarms or hands and feet. Read more »
  • Interstitial Lung Disease and Pulmonary Fibrosis – a group of disorders that cause persistent scaring of the lungs, causing lung stiffness and difficulty breathing. Read more »
  • Lung Cancer – one of the most common form of cancer in the United States. It is the leading cause of death from cancer. When lung cancer is advanced, surgery in combination with chemotherapy or radiation therapy may still be curative. Read more »
  • Lung Cancer in Women – The second most common cancer diagnosis in women and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality. The rates of lung cancer have been increasing over the past several years for women, particularly adenocarcinoma. Read more »
  • Mesothelioma – Form of cancer that covers the mesothelium, or linings, of/conditions-and-treatments/thymus-cancer organs. Read more »
  • Myasthenia Gravis – Chronic condition wherein the muscles of the body tire and weaken quickly. Can affect the muscles that control respiratory function, causing breathing to be inefficient. Read more »
  • Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Infections – Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung infections describe a group of diseases caused by a type of bacteria called mycobacteria. Infections are typically limited to people who already have a lung condition, such as COPD. Read more »
  • Pectus Excavatum – Condition where the sternum, or breastbone, is sunken into the chest, giving it a concave appearance. Read more »
  • Pulmonary Embolic Disease – A blockage, usually from a blood clot, prevents oxygen from reaching sections of the lung, causing shortness of breath and chest pain. Read more »
  • Pulmonary Hypertension – Abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. Read more »
  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – Group of disorders that occur due to compression of blood vessels or nerves between the collarbone and rib. Read more »
  • Thymus Cancer – An abnormal growth of cells in the thymus gland in the upper chest. Read more »

Lung and Chest Treatments


For more information, call (212) 305-3408 for existing patients, (212) 304-7535 for new patients, or request an appointment online today.


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