Respiratory Medicine

Breathing symptoms can be worrying – whether it's breathlessness, a persistent cough, or a known respiratory condition that needs specialist input. We're here to help you understand what's going on and guide you toward the right treatment.

Respiratory Conditions

Explore and learn about the range of respiratory conditions we diagnose and treat.
Meet our team of specialists
A Specialist Sleep Physiologists conducting a test

Asthma

A chronic condition where the airways become inflamed and reactive.

    • Wheeze

    • Breathlessness

    • Chest tightness

    • Spirometry

    • Bronchodilator response

    • Exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO)

    • Trigger assessment

    • Inhaled preventers

    • Relievers

    • Trigger management

    • Personalised action plans

COPD

A long-term lung condition causing airflow limitation.

    • Breathlessness

    • Chronic cough

    • Sputum production

    • Frequent infections

    • Spirometry

    • Imaging when needed

    • Inhaled therapy

    • Pulmonary rehabilitation

    • Vaccinations

    • Oxygen assessment

Chronic Cough

A cough lasting longer than eight weeks.

    • Persistent cough lasting more than 8 weeks

    • Spirometry

    • Exhaled nitric oxide

    • Imaging

    • Sleep assessment if OSA is suspected

    • Identifying and treating the underlying cause

    • Inhaled therapy

    • Reflux management

    • Upper airway treatment

    • Referral to ENT, respiratory physiotherapy, or speech and language therapists

Breathlessness

A symptom that can arise from respiratory, cardiac, metabolic, or sleep-related causes.

    • Shortness of breath

    • Difficulty taking a deep breath

    • Chest tightness

    • Reduced exercise tolerance

    • Spirometry

    • Full lung function testing

    • FeNO

    • Oximetry

    • Sleep assessment

    • Inhaled therapy

    • Pulmonary rehabilitation

    • Optimising sleep

    • Managing co-morbidities

    • Respiratory physiotherapy

Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)

A group of conditions causing inflammation and scarring of lung tissue.

    • Breathlessness

    • Dry cough

    • Fatigue

    • Full lung function testing

    • High-resolution CT

    • Blood tests

    • Exposure assessment

    • Anti-fibrotic therapy

    • Immunosuppressive treatment

    • Pulmonary rehabilitation

    • Oxygen assessment

Breathing Pattern Disorder

Breathing pattern disorder occurs when the normal rhythm and mechanics of breathing become disrupted

    • Air Hunger

    • Chest Tightness

    • Difficulty taking a deep satisfying breath

    • Breathlessness

    • Often diagnosed when symptoms are present, but testing is normal

    • BPD can develop alongside asthma, anxiety, chronic cough, or after illness.

  • We work closely with specialist respiratory physiotherapists who provide targeted breathing retraining and techniques to restore efficient, comfortable breathing. This collaborative approach helps patients regain control of their breathing and significantly improve day-to-day symptoms.

Respiratory Testing

Explore and learn about the range of Respiratory testing we offer.
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Spirometry

A breathing test measuring how much air you can move in and out of your lungs.

    • Asthma

    • COPD

    • Chronic cough

    • Breathlessness

  • A deep breath in, then a forceful breath out into a mouthpiece – repeated for accuracy.

    • Any patient presenting with breathing symptoms

    • Monitoring of known respiratory conditions

Full Lung Function Testing

A detailed assessment of lung volumes, airflow, and gas transfer.

    • COPD

    • Asthma

    • ILD

    • Restrictive lung disease

  • Includes spirometry, lung volumes, and gas transfer (DLCO).

  • Patients needing detailed respiratory assessment beyond spirometry.

Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO)

A quick, non-invasive test measuring airway inflammation.

    • Asthma

    • Eosinophilic inflammation

  • A slow, steady exhale into a handheld device.

  • Patients with suspected or known asthma.

Bronchial Provocation Testing

Bronchial provocation testing helps us understand how sensitive or 'reactive' your airways are. During the test, you breathe in a controlled substance such as saline, that can gently tighten the airways in people with asthma. We then measure your breathing to see how your lungs respond. It is a safe, supervised way to diagnose asthma when standard tests are normal or unclear.

Nasendoscopy

A quick, well-tolerated procedure performed in the clinic that allows us to look at the nose, throat, and upper airway using a thin, flexible camera. It helps us assess issues such as snoring, nasal blockage, voice changes, or upper-airway symptoms.

Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is a procedure that allows us to look directly inside the breathing tubes using a thin, flexible camera. It helps diagnose causes of persistent cough, infections, airway narrowing, bleeding, or unexplained changes on scans. Most people tolerate it very well – you’ll receive local anaesthetic to numb the throat, and light sedation to help you relax while we carefully examine the airways and take samples if needed.

Chest X-ray & CT Scanning

Imaging plays an important role in understanding lung and airway symptoms. A chest X-ray provides a quick overview of the lungs, heart, and airways, helping identify infections, fluid, or structural changes. CT scanning offers a more detailed, three-dimensional view, allowing us to assess conditions such as bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease, nodules, or unexplained breathlessness with greater accuracy.

Ready to take the next step?

Respiratory problems can feel overwhelming, especially when you've been struggling for a long time. We're here to make the process easier.

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Where You'll Find Us

Milford Chambers & Leinster Road

Christchurch

Marinoto Clinic

Dunedin

MacMurray Centre

Queenstown

Wānaka Lakes Health Centre

Wānaka

Telehealth appointments are available for patients throughout Aotearoa.