Dr. Richard W. Ashburn MD

Pneumonia as a disease was once dreaded, since most of the cases would turn out to be fatal. This was many years ago, and with medical advances, times have changed. However, in some severe cases of pneumonia, especially in people with weakened immune systems, the disease can still be fatal. If the...

In the not-so-distant past, researchers believed that asthma was a condition that always developed during childhood, and one that merely worsened in later adulthood. That theory has since been proven wrong, as asthma has begun to affect problem-free individuals in their thirties and later adult...

Charles Michael Duke is a 22-year-old video blogger who blogs on YouTube about living with cystic fibrosis. He's always singing or joking about his life, and posts comedic videos about his experience living with cystic fibrosis.A talented musician and actor, Charles has even created his own song...

A cough is described as a sudden explosive exhalation of air. It is basically a body's defense mechanism to protect and clear the airways from inhaled foreign materials. People may also voluntarily or spontaneously cough. Coughs often vary and may be characterized by productive (chesty or wet) or...

What is RSV?RSV or respiratory syncytial virus is a common virus that usually affects the respiratory tract. It can cause colds in adults and older children, but may cause serious lung infections, such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis in babies and immunocompromised individuals. CausesRSV is only...

Many people live life without realizing that they have COPD – the umbrella term for emphysema and bronchitis – even though it is a common disease.Long-term smokers will most likely have scars on their lungs that will become inflamed and irritated due to COPD. Patients tend to complain, but fail...