Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAt-Home TestingPhysical ExamLung Function TestsImaging TestsDifferential DiagnosesFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Asthma GuideAsthma Attack: Steps to Take in the Moment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
At-Home Testing
Physical Exam
Lung Function Tests
Imaging Tests
Differential Diagnoses
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Asthma Guide
Asthmais diagnosed based on your symptoms, a physical exam, and various tests, includinglung function teststo evaluate breathing. Because the telltalesymptoms of asthmaare common in other respiratory conditions, testing may also be necessary to rule out causes other than asthma.
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This article will discuss the various types of tests that may be part of a diagnostic workup for asthma.
Ask an Expert: Should I Get Checked for Asthma?
Self Checks / At-Home Testing
Asthma is not a disease that can be self-diagnosed. But becoming familiar with the most common symptoms can alert you to the possibility you or your loved one might have asthma, in particular:
If you develop these symptoms and they become persistent, make an appointment to see your healthcare provider, an allergist, or apulmonologist(a physician who specializes in respiratory diseases).
Try to keep a record of your symptoms, including when and where they occur. This may help reveal a pattern of asthma flare-ups that can help pin down your diagnosis and potential asthma triggers.
Physical Examination
Your family health history will be important as well, as asthma tends to run in families.
The next step in diagnosing asthma will likely be a physical exam that focuses on your breathing. The healthcare provider will listen carefully for wheezing, which isn’t present all the time in people with asthma, but if it happens to occur during your appointment it will provide a strong clue as to your diagnosis.
Identifying Allergic Asthma Triggers
If your healthcare provider finds signs of asthma, they will likely run a lung function test to get more information about the type and severity of your condition.
Spirometry
Spirometryis the most common lung function test. To do this test, you put a mouthpiece in your mouth and a clip on your nose. You then breathe into a tube connected to a small device called a spirometer.
Two of the important things that this device measures are:
If your results show reduced lung function, your technician may give you a medicine called a bronchodilator to open your airways. You’ll then take the test again to see if your lung function improves. If the medication brings about an increase in airflow of 12%, it is an indication that asthma is the cause of symptoms.
Spirometry is the main test for detecting and measuring airway obstruction associated with asthma.
What to Expect From a Spirometry Test
Peak Expiratory Flow Meter Test
Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is a measurement of how powerfully you can blow air out of your lungs. This is measured with a simple hand-held device called a peak flow meter.A normal PEFR is 80% or greater than the baseline for an individual.
The best way to use a peak flow meter when having acute symptoms is to first use it regularly for a couple of weeks to establish a baseline when otherwise well.
Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) Test
If after routine testing, an asthma diagnosis isn’t certain, a fractional exhaled nitric oxide test may be performed.This test is often simply referred to as a FeNO test.
A FeNO test uses a handheld device to measure the amount of nitric oxide you exhale. Having a high level of nitric oxide in your exhaled breath often means your airways are inflamed (swollen).
Requirements for Asthma DiagnosisAn asthma diagnosis requires:Presence of symptoms compatible with asthma such as cough, wheezing, or shortness of breath.Objective measurement of decreased airflow in your lungs that either partially or completely improves spontaneously or with treatment.
Requirements for Asthma Diagnosis
An asthma diagnosis requires:Presence of symptoms compatible with asthma such as cough, wheezing, or shortness of breath.Objective measurement of decreased airflow in your lungs that either partially or completely improves spontaneously or with treatment.
An asthma diagnosis requires:
Provocation Tests
If your doctor wants to see how sensitive your lungs are, they may have you do a provocation test. These tests are also calledbronchoprovocationchallengesor tests.
If your airways tighten during any of these tests, you’ll be given a fast-acting bronchodilator to re-open them.
Most people with asthma have normal chest X-rays, but some healthcare providers order them for patients who are experiencing wheezing for the first time. This is because some conditions other than asthma can cause wheezing and a chest X-ray can help rule them out.
Because wheezing can be symptomatic of diseases other than asthma, your healthcare provider may need to rule them out to definitively diagnose asthma:
Summary
If you have persistent symptoms of wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness, you should see a healthcare provider to get checked out. They will likely take your medical history, do a physical exam, and give you a series of breathing tests to see how well air can move in and out of your lungs. This is usually enough to diagnose asthma, but in some cases, imaging tests such as an X-ray might be done as well.
Because asthma is a progressive disease—one that can worsen without treatment—it’s imperative to see a healthcare provider as soon as symptoms arise. An early diagnosis is key to effective treatment and preventing the disease from interfering with your quality of life.
Frequently Asked QuestionsAbout 80% of asthma develops before the age of 6.Yes. In fact, as many as half of adults with asthma develop it after childhood. Unlike childhood asthma, remission is rare.Inexercise-induced bronchoconstriction(EIB), people experience airway constriction only when they exercise. In contrast, asthma is a chronic condition.An allergist can help you determine whether the symptoms you experience during physical activity are related to allergies (such as pollen or grass), irritants in the air (such as pollution), EIB, or underlying asthma.
About 80% of asthma develops before the age of 6.
Yes. In fact, as many as half of adults with asthma develop it after childhood. Unlike childhood asthma, remission is rare.
Inexercise-induced bronchoconstriction(EIB), people experience airway constriction only when they exercise. In contrast, asthma is a chronic condition.An allergist can help you determine whether the symptoms you experience during physical activity are related to allergies (such as pollen or grass), irritants in the air (such as pollution), EIB, or underlying asthma.
Inexercise-induced bronchoconstriction(EIB), people experience airway constriction only when they exercise. In contrast, asthma is a chronic condition.
An allergist can help you determine whether the symptoms you experience during physical activity are related to allergies (such as pollen or grass), irritants in the air (such as pollution), EIB, or underlying asthma.
How Asthma Is Treated
8 Sources
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