Your doctor may be able to deduce a diagnosis if you have symptoms typical of asthma. Your doctor will ask about when and how often you have these symptoms, and if you know about something that may be a trigger. Your doctor will perform a number of tests to confirm the diagnosis.
Spirometry test to check lung conditions
To measure how well your lungs work, was performed in a breathing test called spirometry. Through this test, you will be asked to breathe into a machine called a spirometer.
There are two measurements performed by the machine spirometer, which is the volume of air you can exhale in one second (also known as forced expiratory volume in one second, or FEV 1) and the total amount of air that you exhale (also known as forced vital capacity or FVC ). Usually you are asked to breathe several times in the machine in order to get consistent data.
To find out whether your airways are blocked, the data obtained is then compared with the average measurement for people your age.
Sometimes the initial measurements carried out beforehand. After that the doctor will give you medicine to open your airways (reliever inhaler) in order to know whether the drug can recover your breath. After the data collection took place. If the result is higher after you are given medication, then the data can confirm the diagnosis.
Test current levels to measure the peak expiratory airflow
To measure how fast you can exhale air from the lungs in one breath, the doctor may also use a tool called a peak flow meter (PFM). This test is usually called a peak flow peak flow test or tests in order to obtain data on grade or peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR).
Doctors usually advise you to buy a PFM for use at home, and make a note PEFR every day. You usually well advised to take note of any symptoms that doctors can know when your asthma worsens.
Tests the diagnosis of asthma others
Several other asthma tests may be needed some, such as tests to measure airway responsiveness, test for inflammation of the airways, as well as allergy tests. The tests can confirm the diagnosis of asthma or help diagnose other diseases. Of course the results will help you and your doctor in making a treatment plan.
1. Test the responsiveness of the airways through mannitol challenge
This test is used to ascertain how your respiratory tract reacts when exposed to triggers. Usually you will be required to undergo a mannitol challenge test, in which you are asked to inhale a dry powder that number could be increased as the test is in progress. By doing so, these tests deliberately trigger asthma symptoms and causes respiratory tract becomes narrower. In children, in addition to the dry powder mannitol, media asthma triggers can also be used is a sport.
You are then asked to exhale into spriometer to measure how much you FEV1 and FVC change after exposure to a trigger. If the measurement of a drastic decline, then your chances of developing asthma.
2. Tests for the presence of inflammation in the airways
The concentration of nitric oxide. The doctor will measure the levels of nitric oxide in the breath when you breathe. If these high levels of nitric oxide, then perhaps it is a sign of inflammation in the airways.
Sputum samples. Your doctor will take a sample of your sputum to check whether your lungs are inflamed.
3. Allergy testing by blood tests or skin
To find out if your asthma symptoms caused by allergies, such as allergies to foods, dust mites or pollen, a doctor may do a blood test or a skin test.
Asthma caused by work
If you feel that your symptoms recover when you are not working or on leave, chances are you suffer from "occupational asthma". This type of asthma can be diagnosed if you are working in the field or industry in which there is a high risk of asthma, such as:
- Nurse
- Paint sprayers
- Chemical workers
- Welder
- Animal caretaker
- Cake or bread maker
- Woodworker
- Food processing workers
To facilitate the diagnosis of occupational asthma, the doctor will usually ask you to test the peak expiratory flow (PEFR) using a peak flow meter (PFM), either at your place of work and outside.
Through this test, the doctor can see whether you have contracted occupational asthma due to allergic or sensitive to certain substances. Furthermore, your doctor may refer you to a specialist to confirm the diagnosis results.
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