Welcome back. Today we're going to talk about how asthma is diagnosed. We've talked about signs and symptoms, pathophysiology and etiology, but still haven't answered how one knows when they have asthma, verses a different pulmonary disease. Wheezing, or shortness of breath may also be signs of emphysema, or COPD for example. So, how do we know it's asthma? Well, if you're having difficulty breathing and visit a doctor, he or she will most likely have you do a spirometer test. This measures how much air you can blow out of your lungs and how fast you can do it. The results will be lower than normal, if you're experiencing signs of asthma including inflamed airways, or muscle constriction. You may be given medication, such as an inhaler, to see if this helps improve the spiromter reading. If your spirometer test is normal, but you're still having difficulty breathing, your provider will likely order other tests to find out what is causing the difficulty in breathing.
Here's a good video that shows what a spirometer looks like and how it's used:
In addition to spirometer use, your provider will also look at your medical history noting any family history of asthma and when you experience symptoms, for example after a run, or when exposed to tobacco smoke. He or she will also do a physical exam, looking at your nose and throat and listening to your lung sounds. Crackles, or wheezing are signs of asthma and experiencing these from a trigger such as exercise, or exposure to allergens will also lead the provider to a diagnosis of asthma.
In summary, looking at the medical history, performing a physical exam and using a spirometer are the basics for how asthma is diagnosed. This video gives a more detailed look at how asthma could be diagnosed:
And this website also lays out details on asthma diagnosis:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/diagnosis
How Is Asthma Diagnosed? (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/diagnosis
Here's a good video that shows what a spirometer looks like and how it's used:
In addition to spirometer use, your provider will also look at your medical history noting any family history of asthma and when you experience symptoms, for example after a run, or when exposed to tobacco smoke. He or she will also do a physical exam, looking at your nose and throat and listening to your lung sounds. Crackles, or wheezing are signs of asthma and experiencing these from a trigger such as exercise, or exposure to allergens will also lead the provider to a diagnosis of asthma.
In summary, looking at the medical history, performing a physical exam and using a spirometer are the basics for how asthma is diagnosed. This video gives a more detailed look at how asthma could be diagnosed:
And this website also lays out details on asthma diagnosis:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/diagnosis
How Is Asthma Diagnosed? (n.d.). Retrieved January 31, 2015, from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/diagnosis
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