Physical exam. If your doctor thinks you have asthma, they will do a physical exam. They will look at your ears, eyes, nose, throat, skin, chest and lungs. This exam may include a lung function test to detect how well you exhale air from your lungs.
You may also need an X-ray of your lungs or sinuses. A physical exam then allows your doctor to review your health. Lung function tests. To confirm asthma, your doctor may have you take one or more breathing tests known as lung function tests. These tests measure your breathing. Lung function tests are often done before and after inhaling a medicine known as a bronchodilator brahn-ko-DIE-ah-lay-tor , which opens your airways.
If your lung function improves a lot with use of a bronchodilator, you probably have asthma. Your doctor may also prescribe a trial with asthma medicine to see if it helps.
Asthma is often categorized into different types based on the triggers identified by the doctor and the patient that cause breathing problems and make asthma symptoms worse.
They include:. Some people have asthma that is very difficult to treat that does not respond well to inhaled corticosteroids.
Depending on the type of asthma, there are different management steps and treatment options that can help. Researchers have started to look deeper at the role that inflammation plays in asthma. They believe that all people with asthma have some degree of inflammation of the airways. They have categorized these into four biological pathways of inflammation, or endotypes:. You will be asked for some medical history, which should include family members with asthma, allergies, smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke, and exposure to pollutants in your workplace.
There are also several breathing tests your healthcare provider may perform. The most common lung function test is called spirometry. This lung function test uses a device called, a spirometer, to measure the amount and speed of the air you blow out.
This helps your healthcare provider see how well your lungs are working. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Asthma: Steps in testing and diagnosis.
Products and services. Asthma: Steps in testing and diagnosis Diagnosing asthma generally includes a medical history, physical exam and lung tests. By Mayo Clinic Staff. Open pop-up dialog box Spirometer Close. Spirometer A spirometer is a diagnostic device that measures the amount of air you're able to breathe in and out and its rate of flow. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again.
Show references Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma EPR-3 — National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Accessed March 20, Fanta CH. Asthma in adolescents and adults: Evaluation and diagnosis. Asthma diagnosis. Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Accessed March 23, Asthma testing and diagnosis. American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
Sawicki G, et al. Your doctor will ask questions such as whether there is any family history of asthma, eczema or hay fever. They will also try to understand if there are any other reasons for your symptoms before making a clinical diagnosis of asthma. In people older than 5 years, a lung function test that measures airflow in and out of the lungs will help your doctor to diagnose asthma. Your doctor will monitor the effect this medicine has on your child and will use the results as part of their diagnostic process.
If you or a family member have breathing difficulties, keep a diary of symptoms to discuss with your doctor. You could also make a video or audio recording of the wheezing, using your mobile phone. The diary may include:. A lung function test spirometry can help to diagnose asthma in adults and children 5 years and older.
Spirometry measures air flowing in and out of the lungs to give a measure of how well your lungs work. Other conditions, such as having a cold, can also affect lung function. To do the test, you will blow into a tube as hard as you can for a few seconds. The spirometer measures the amount of air pushed through the tube, as well as other lung measurements. Most adults and children older than 5 years are able to do this test. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:.
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