Testing for Asthma

How do doctors test for Asthma before treating asthma?

Some common questions asked when testing for asthma tend to be geared towards questions such as, do you have trouble breathing when you exert your self from doing things such as manual labor or other activities which require physical exertion? If so, is this what caused you seek asthma treatment or seek asthma testing? There are many similar questions used for testing for asthma. Prior to Asthma treatment doctors will ask many questions related to daily activities. Many of the questions are trying to detect if you have issues breathing. Another method for testing for asthma is using X-rays of the chest or an X-ray for the sinuses. However, questions before treating asthma revolve around questions geared towards your difficulty breathing. Additional questions address the following symptoms such as: wheezing, difficulty breathing, coughing or discussing issues like difficulty sleeping because of the symptoms of have you awaken because of wheezing, coughing or difficulty breathing? Common Asthma tests used prior to asthma treating are tests such as, Spirometry, Pulmonary Function Testing. All these tests could be used prior to starting an asthma treatment program if the doctor concludes you have a history of asthma.

Spirometry testing involves a person breathing into a tube to attempt to measure the individual’s lung volumes. Most spirometry tests are conducted in hospitals or doctors offices. The spirometry testing unit is about the size of a laptop with unique card that attaches to a flow sensing device.

Pulmonary Function Testing is more far-reaching spirometry which requires the person being tested to sit in “body box” which is basically a closed booth which provides superior accuracy and provides an assortment of measurements. The point of being in enclosed space is to accurately measure the actual amount of air in your lungs. Otherwise, doctors are only able to measure what you are able exhale. Pulmonary function tests are normally performed by a licensed Respiratory Therapists.A pulmonary function test with methacholine is a challenge is where the patients has been measured using the all the tests and questions described above, and then doctors administer a drug named methacholine which can cause an asthma attack. You would be given a predetermined dosage of methacholine through a special nebulizer increasing dosages until a 20% decrease in lung volume is detected (in order for it be a positive test). A person that does not have Asthma shouldn't react to methacholine. The pulmonary function test with methacholine is one of the more accurate asthma methods for testing for asthma prior to asthma treatment.