Asthma Tests

Most individuals, either children or adults, that have asthma have a family history of asthma or respiratory problems. A physician will ask questions about respiratory problems on both the mother’s and father’s side of the family. Since many older adults may never have been diagnosed it is important to discuss issues relating to chronic coughing, shortness of breath, bronchitis or cold symptoms in families.

The doctor will want to have information on when breathing or respiratory problems have occurred throughout the patient’s life. Issues relating to when the problem was first noted, the environment that it happened in, and when the problems are not occurring is very important to the physician.

Pulmonary Function Tests

These specific asthma tests are used to establish how well the lungs and respiratory system are functioning. The doctor will use a specialized measuring device called a spirometer that will measure the volume or amount of air that is breathed in and out of the lungs. From these measurements the physician can determine overall lung volume, the force of exhalation or peak flow, and the expiration volume, which is the amount of air that can be forced from the lungs in one second.

If these measurements are below the average for other individuals of the same age and physical condition the doctor will then have the patient use a bronchodilator to clear the air passageways. The tests are repeated again. If the results are significantly better, the bronchodilators, a medicine used for asthma patients, has cleared the airways and allowed better functioning. This is the most conclusive of the asthma tests.

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Allergy Tests

An allergy test is usually completed to make sure that the asthma is not allergy related. If the asthma usually happens only at changes in seasons or when specific environmental factors are present, the condition is usually allergy-related asthma. Skin or blood tests can often confirm this finding.

Rule Out Other Health Conditions

The final asthma test it is make sure that the symptoms of asthma are not related to another disease or condition. Some of the conditions that have the same symptoms of asthma include pneumonia, bronchitis, tumors, cancers, heart conditions or panic attacks or anxiety disorders.

Additional asthma tests may be required, especially if the patient has other health conditions that may have the same symptoms as asthma.