Lung Association: Have Questions About Your Breathing or Lung Health? Call the Lung HelpLine

ALBANY, NY (06/16/2011)(readMedia)-- As the first day of summer draws near and higher temperatures and air quality advisories become more frequent, the Lung Association is reminding New Yorkers who have questions about their breathing or lung health that they can call the Lung HelpLine – the Association's free telephone hotline regarding lung health issues. The Lung HelpLine is reachable by calling 1-800-LUNG-USA and choosing option two. Questions can also be submitted online and the public can even chat directly with a specialist. To learn more about the Lung HelpLine, visit www.alany.org

"When temperatures rise, ozone levels also rise which makes it more difficult for some New Yorkers to breathe," said Irwin Berlin MD board chair of the American Lung Association in New York, who noted that air quality advisories were already issued in some areas of the state earlier this month. "This can spur questions and concerns about breathing and overall lung health and our LungHelpLine can be a great resource."

Berlin explained that the Lung HelpLine connects callers with specially trained nurses and respiratory therapists who can accurately answer questions about a variety of lung health topics, including asthma and quitting smoking.

"With more than 2.5 million New Yorkers suffering from lung disease, it's important to us that all New Yorkers have the information they need to keep their lungs as healthy as possible," said Dr. Berlin."We're proud to be able to continue to offer this free service."

The Lung HelpLine's mission is to provide detailed and accurate answers to the public's questions about lung cancer, asthma, allergies, emphysema, smoking cessation, and environmental health.

The HelpLine's Call Center is staffed by Registered Nurses and Registered Respiratory Therapists who have extensive experience in the healthcare industry. Their areas of expertise include: education, smoking cessation, respiratory therapy, lung disease, nursing, physician referral, respiratory home care, neonatal, pediatric, and adult intensive care, Medicare, Medicaid, private insurance, medication counseling, patient advocacy, health care insurance, and nursing case management.

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