3 Common Asthma Tests

Posted on

If you have experienced frequent bouts of shortness of breath, or you find that you are becoming exhausted with greater ease, it could be the case that you suffer from asthma. If you believe this to be the case, it is imperative that you contact your trusted doctor, or make an appointment at an asthma testing center. Throughout the course of this brief article, you will learn about a few common asthma tests that are used to determine whether or not you suffer from asthma.

Exhaled Nitric Oxide Test

There's an easy way to determine the amount of nitric oxide gas in your breath. An excess of nitric oxide gas can be indicative of the fact that your airways are inflamed, which is a sign of asthma. A nitric oxide test involves simply breathing into a tube that is connected to a mechanism which measures the amount of nitric oxide in your breath.

Spirometry

Spirometry is perhaps the most common asthma test that is performed in the United States. This test involves measuring your pulmonary function by requiring that you take a deep breath and then forcefully exhale into a tube connected to a mechanism known as a spirometer. A spirometer, unlike the nitric oxide testing machine, does not test your nitric oxide levels, but rather, it records the aggregate of air, as well as how quickly you exhaled the content of your lungs. There are base measurements that a person must meet, according to their age. Falling below these requirements could be indicative of the fact that you are suffering from asthma.

Asthma Tests In Small Children

Lung tests are rarely performed on young children, especially those under the age of five. However, there are some tests that can be performed on your child that can determine whether he or she has asthma. One of the most common ways is that your doctor will prescribe a bronchodilator to your child. This is a drug that will open up his or her airways if he or she is suffering from asthma. This is usually a good indicator of whether he or she is actually suffering from asthma.

If you believe that you or your child is suffering from asthma, you should take the time to find an asthma testing center in your area. Hopefully, this brief guide has given you some idea of some of the tests that can judge whether or not you suffer from asthma.


Share