EXPERT
Dr. Clark Thorpe Bishop, MD
Pulmonologist
<p>Dr. Clark Bishop practices Pulmonology in PROVO, UT. A pulmonologist is a physician who possesses specialized knowledge and skill in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary conditions and diseases. Dr. Bishop manages patients who need life support and mechanical ventilation, and is specially trained in diseases and conditions of the chest, particularly pneumonia, asthma, tuberculosis, emphysema, and complicated chest infections.</p>
<p>Dr. Bishop is semi-retired and not accepting new patients </p>
<p>Dr. Bishop is semi-retired and not accepting new patients </p>
44 years
Experience
Dr. Clark Thorpe Bishop, MD
- PROVO, UT
- Univ of Ut Sch of Med, Salt Lake Cty Ut
- Accepting new patients
No results found
Chronic bronchitis, asthma, vocal cord dysfunction?
The images are too fuzzy for me to read clearly. What I can see looks like a normal configuration for air flow. It looks like the FEV1/FVC ratio is 77 percent as best I can READ MORE
The images are too fuzzy for me to read clearly. What I can see looks like a normal configuration for air flow. It looks like the FEV1/FVC ratio is 77 percent as best I can read. This again is normal. I don't see anything to be concerned about on your tests.
There are many reasons to clear one's throat. It is good you have stopped smoking tobacco. However, mariuana smoke is also loaded with toxins including oxidizing tar. Other things can cause irritation in the throat. Sinus drainage with post nasal drip, Reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus can also irrigate the throat. Reflux can also cause chest pain.
I am not sure whether to call your throat to clear a cough or not. It does sound like there is some irritation. Looking into post-nasal drip or reflux might be helpful for that irritation. Eliminating potential irritants, like marijuana could also help. Vaping is also potentially very irritating to the lungs and airways and should be strictly avoided.
There are many reasons to clear one's throat. It is good you have stopped smoking tobacco. However, mariuana smoke is also loaded with toxins including oxidizing tar. Other things can cause irritation in the throat. Sinus drainage with post nasal drip, Reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus can also irrigate the throat. Reflux can also cause chest pain.
I am not sure whether to call your throat to clear a cough or not. It does sound like there is some irritation. Looking into post-nasal drip or reflux might be helpful for that irritation. Eliminating potential irritants, like marijuana could also help. Vaping is also potentially very irritating to the lungs and airways and should be strictly avoided.
How does the spirometer work?
A spirometer measures the total amount of air you can blow out and how fast you can expel air from your lungs. This gives providers information about the size of the lungs as READ MORE
A spirometer measures the total amount of air you can blow out and how fast you can expel air from your lungs. This gives providers information about the size of the lungs as well as the function of the airways. Airway narrowing in obstructive lung diseases like asthma and COPD can be monitored to see response to treatment. Obesity, pulmonary fibrosis and other conditions limit the size of the lungs which is reflected in a measurement called the vital capacity.
Can repeated cold and cough cause lung collapse?
If someone has an underlying lung condition like emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis, they may be more likely to have a collapsed lung. For someone with healthy lungs who gets frequent READ MORE
If someone has an underlying lung condition like emphysema or pulmonary fibrosis, they may be more likely to have a collapsed lung. For someone with healthy lungs who gets frequent colds, that is unlikely. You can strengthen your immune system to resist colds by eating whole plant-based foods, exercising regularly, spending time outdoors, avoiding stress, and getting at least 7-8 hours of good sleep.
My mother's ECG looks abnormal. Could this be the reason for her heavy breathing?
Heart problems can cause heavy breathing. She should talk with her primary care doctor about getting her heart evaluated and considering pulmonary function tests to evaluate her READ MORE
Heart problems can cause heavy breathing. She should talk with her primary care doctor about getting her heart evaluated and considering pulmonary function tests to evaluate her breathing. A chest X-ray, echocardiogram and other tests could also help clarify the cause of her heavy breathing.
What happens when one lung collapses?
The collapse sometimes resolves itself. Sometimes the medical team places a tube between the lung and chest wall so the air can escape and the lung inflate.
Are there any natural medicines to treat asthma?
There are many lifestyle practices that can benefit general health, including respiratory health. Ultraprocessed foods and red meat are not good for the immune system. Focusing READ MORE
There are many lifestyle practices that can benefit general health, including respiratory health. Ultraprocessed foods and red meat are not good for the immune system. Focusing the diet on whole, plant based foods provides a diet rich in nutrients to fight disease. This kind of diet also helps to avoid obesity, which complicates all disease, especially asthma. Getting adequate sleep 7-9 hours, regular exercise, avoiding stress, maintaining good social connections also help the immune system fight disease. Air pollution, including dust and other indoor pollution damage the lungs and aggravate asthma. Meditation and Tai Chi are good practices to focus on healthy breathing. Sometimes cardiovascular exercise causes exercise induced asthma. Exercise induced asthma can usually be prevented by using an inhaler.
What kind of treatments are currently recommended for cystic fibrosis?
Cystic fibrosis is a life long condition caused by genetic mutations. There are over 1900 known mutations, some with mild disease and others with serious progressive disease. READ MORE
Cystic fibrosis is a life long condition caused by genetic mutations. There are over 1900 known mutations, some with mild disease and others with serious progressive disease. Treatment is best administered at a Cystic Fibrosis treatment center. A multidisciplinary team including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dietitians, social workers, provide treatment plans based on current guidelines tailored to individual patient and family needs. Somewhat new therapies help the body overcome deficiencies of defective genes.
My son has a lung disease. How will this condition impact him?
Because I don’t know the specific disease I cannot give you a precise answer. Many lung conditions of childhood are temporary and do not affect adult life. Others, like cystic READ MORE
Because I don’t know the specific disease I cannot give you a precise answer. Many lung conditions of childhood are temporary and do not affect adult life. Others, like cystic fibrosis, are chronic and life long. Recent advances in treatment of chronic conditions like asthma and cystic fibrosis have improved these disease outcomes.
My child suffered a chronic lung infection as a child. Will there be traces of this as he grows up?
There are childhood conditions which resolve and have no long term consequences. However there are some conditions which can persist or get worse. Childhood asthma resolves some READ MORE
There are childhood conditions which resolve and have no long term consequences. However there are some conditions which can persist or get worse. Childhood asthma resolves some of the time although even that occasionally returns in mid life. Cystic Fibrosis results in chronic infections and is a life long condition. If the infections came from sinus drainage or acid reflux, they will be recurrent unless the underlying condition which caused the infections is treated.
PFT and COPD
All really good questions and I can’t really answer them without seeing the tests. Generally COPD waxes and wanes, but never completely returns to normal pulmonary function. READ MORE
All really good questions and I can’t really answer them without seeing the tests. Generally COPD waxes and wanes, but never completely returns to normal pulmonary function. If you are still short of breath but have normal pulmonary function tests then perhaps your care team should look for other causes, like heart problems or blood clots.
Ddimer
The d-dimer test is helpful if normal. Blood clots are very rare with a normal d-dimer. But an elevated d-dimer does not atomically mean there is a pathological blood clot in READ MORE
The d-dimer test is helpful if normal. Blood clots are very rare with a normal d-dimer. But an elevated d-dimer does not atomically mean there is a pathological blood clot in the legs or lungs. Minimal trauma, bruises, surgery can all give an elevated d-dimer. One that is normal or close to makes a blood clot unlikely.
Most allergies to contrast can be safely treated by pre medicating with steroids and antihistamines. Doppler ultrasound can also detect clots in the arms or legs if there is swelling on one side or the other. A nuclear medicine lung scan can also detect blood clots without the use of contrast. Not all medical facilities have the capability to do the nuclear medicine scans.
Most allergies to contrast can be safely treated by pre medicating with steroids and antihistamines. Doppler ultrasound can also detect clots in the arms or legs if there is swelling on one side or the other. A nuclear medicine lung scan can also detect blood clots without the use of contrast. Not all medical facilities have the capability to do the nuclear medicine scans.
Can honey cause respiratory infections?
Children under the age of 1 should not have honey because of the risk of getting infantile botulism, a rare, but serious and life threatening disease that causes paralysis. This READ MORE
Children under the age of 1 should not have honey because of the risk of getting infantile botulism, a rare, but serious and life threatening disease that causes paralysis. This does not seem to be a problem for older children and adults.
I have a persistent cough at night which causes severe breathing issues while sleeping. What should I do?
There are many reasons to have a cough at night. Post nasal drip from above and reflux from the stomach up into the esophagus are common causes of nocturnal cough. Asthma is READ MORE
There are many reasons to have a cough at night. Post nasal drip from above and reflux from the stomach up into the esophagus are common causes of nocturnal cough. Asthma is also often worse at night. Diagnosis and treatment of these causes is important to prevent long term damage to the lungs.
What causes water accumulation in the lungs?
There are many causes of fluid in the lungs or in the chest cavity, between the lungs and the chest wall. Sometimes the fluid backs up from heart problems, kidney failure, liver READ MORE
There are many causes of fluid in the lungs or in the chest cavity, between the lungs and the chest wall. Sometimes the fluid backs up from heart problems, kidney failure, liver failure, cancer, pneumonia, blood clots, autoimmune diseases. The key is to have a good diagnosis and treat the underlying condition.
Does running at high speed on the treadmill weaken the lungs?
The lungs have tremendous capacity to increase or decrease ventilation to meet the body’s oxygen demands. But the small airways and alveoli are also fragile, so too much ventilation READ MORE
The lungs have tremendous capacity to increase or decrease ventilation to meet the body’s oxygen demands. But the small airways and alveoli are also fragile, so too much ventilation can cause turbulent air flow that can traumatize those sensitive structures. Chest pain, cough, or coughing up blood suggests that one should slow down a bit. Monitoring your heart rate during exercise can also help you to know if you are overdoing it. In general you should to cardiovascular exercise about 60-80% of your maximum possible heart rate. A simple way to calculate maximum heart rate is 220-current age. So a 20 year old’s max heart rate is about 200 beats per minute. A good training zone for the heart rate is 120-160 beats per minute.
Heavy chest
One of the most common symptoms of panic attacks is shortness of breath. It is important to make sure that you don’t also have something like asthma, vocal cord dysfunction, READ MORE
One of the most common symptoms of panic attacks is shortness of breath. It is important to make sure that you don’t also have something like asthma, vocal cord dysfunction, some other condition. But often times there is no lung problem causing the shortness of breath, just the panic. Anxiety causes one to breath fast, which makes you feel weird, which makes you breath faster. The faster you breath the worse you feel. This is because the body blows out carbon dioxide which upsets the body’s acid base balance. The key is to reset the carbon dioxide. Breathing into a paper bag can help to rebreath carbon dioxide and break the cycle. Meditation can also help to relax and slow the breathing down
Treating a paralyzed diaphragm?
Paralyzed diaphragms can be treated but it should only be done by a surgeon who is familiar with the technique. Conservative management is usually fine. Since we have 2 lungs, READ MORE
Paralyzed diaphragms can be treated but it should only be done by a surgeon who is familiar with the technique. Conservative management is usually fine. Since we have 2 lungs, a healthy diaphragm can compensate for a weak one. It is important to have a healthy weight, especially if you have a weak or paralyzed diaphragm. Extra weight makes the lungs work harder to move the chest wall. If someone has a paralyzed diaphragm and is over weight, they will likely get more benefit from weight reduction than from any surgical procedure.
Why do I get cough every month?
Episodic coughing often comes from either post nasal drip or acid reflux into the esophagus which irritates the airways.
