Methods for treating airways

1. In a patient diagnosed with asthma, a method for locating and treating one or more treatment sites within an airway of the lung of the patient, the method comprising:

applying a diagnostic electrical stimulation to the lung;

locating treatment sites in a plurality of airways of the lung by evaluating a reaction to the diagnostic electrical stimulation;

positioning a treatment device at the located treatment sites in the airways; and

thermally altering the treatment sites via the treatment device to alter the airways in a manner that reduces the ability of the lung to produce a symptom of asthma.

2. The method of claim 1 where applying energy comprises selecting a modality from the group consisting of radio frequency, heat, ultrasound, radiant, laser, or microwave.

3. The method of claim 1 , where electrically stimulating the lung comprises exposing airway tissue to an electrical field stimulation.

4. The method of claim 1 , where locating the treatment sites comprises use of a non-invasive imaging technique.

5. The method of claim 4 , where the non-invasive imaging technique comprises a technique selected from the group consisting of a bronchogram, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, radiography, and ventilation perfusion scans.

6. The method of claim 1 , where locating the treatment site by evaluating comprises visually evaluating the effect of the stimulating step on the airway using a bronchoscope with a visualization system.

7. The method of claim 1 , where locating the treatment site by evaluating comprises measuring pressure changes in the airway before and after the stimulating step.

8. The method of claim 7 , where measuring pressure changes comprises measuring pressure changes within the entire lung.

9. The method of claim 8 , where measuring pressure changes comprises measuring pressure changes within an airway or alveolar sac.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein locating the treatment sites comprises measuring the electrical properties of the tissue before and after the stimulating step.

11. The method of claim 1 , where applying energy further comprises adjusting a treatment parameter based upon the results of the evaluating the reaction.

12. The method of claim 11 , where the treatment parameter comprises a duration of treatment, an intensity of treatment, a temperature, an amount of tissue, and a depth of treatment.

13. The method of claim 1 , where locating the treatment sites comprises evaluating a reaction selected from the group consisting of an increase in the resistance to airflow within the lung, constriction of airways within the lung, inflammation of airway tissue, irritation of airway tissue, increase edema of the airway, and increased mucus plugging of the airway.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising testing the lung for a pre-treatment pulmonary value prior to applying energy to the treatment site.

15. The method of claim 14 , where the pulmonary values comprise a value selected from the group consisting of forced expiratory volume, forced vital capacity, forced expiratory flow, maximum flow, peak expiratory flow rate, functional residual capacity, residual volume, and total lung capacity.

16. The method of claim 14 , where stimulating the lungs occurs prior to the act of testing the lung for a pre-treatment pulmonary value.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising testing the lung for a post-treatment pulmonary value.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sub-mucosal sensing of the energy during the treating act.

19. The method of claim 18 , where the sub-mucosal sensing is invasive and measures temperature, impedance, and/or blood flow.

20. The method of claim 18 , where the sub-mucosal sensing is non-invasive and comprises infra-red sensing.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the diagnostic electrical stimulation comprises producing at least one artificially induced symptom of reversible obstructive pulmony disease.