Diagnosing Asthma
Diagnosing Asthma
1. Can you describe your asthma symptoms?
(Check the following asthma signs and symptoms that apply to you)
____Shortness of breath
____Wheezing, possibly triggered by allergies, a cold, sinus infection, or bronchitis
____Frequent cough or just coughing at night
____Severe wheezing when breathing both in and out
____Rapid breathing
____Chest pain or pressure
____Difficulty talking
____Feelings of anxiety or panic
____Pale, sweaty face
____Blue lips or fingernails
2. When do you experience these asthma symptoms?
____ All the time; unpredictable
____ Only with exercise
____ At nighttime
____ Early morning hours while sleeping
___ During pollen season
___ When you feel stressed or anxious
___ When you smell smoke
___ When you smell fragrance
___ When you’re around dogs or cats
___ When you’re in air-conditioning or breathe cold air
___ When you laugh or sing
___ Associated with allergies, a sinus infection, or postnasal drip
___ Associated with heartburn or GERD
___ When you take aspirin, other anti-inflammatory drugs, or other medication
3. Do you have a family history of asthma or allergy?
4. Do you get bronchitis frequently?
5. Have you been diagnosed with asthma previously?
6. Have you been in the ED for asthma or been on prednisone for asthma?
After talking with you about your asthma symptoms and possible asthma triggers, your doctor will do a physical exam, laboratory testing, and other possible asthma tests. This will allow you to have a firm understanding of your breathing problems and will be the basis for the suggested plan of asthma treatment.
For more detail, see WebMD’s article Asthma Tests.
Your doctor may use one or more of the following asthma tests in diagnosing asthma. These tests are used to assess your breathing and to monitor the effectiveness of asthma treatment.
Spirometry -- a lung (or pulmonary) function test that measures how much air you can exhale. This asthma test confirms the presence of airway obstruction that improves with treatment, which is very characteristic of asthma, and can accurately measure the degree of lung function impairment. This test can also monitor your response to asthma medications and is recommended for adults and children over age 5.
In this article
- Problems With Diagnosing Asthma
- Diagnosing Asthma and Your Doctor
- Diagnosing Asthma and Asthma Tests
- Diagnosing Asthma Accurately
- Be Ready to Ask Questions About Asthma
Diagnosing Asthma and Your Doctor continued...
1. Can you describe your asthma symptoms?
(Check the following asthma signs and symptoms that apply to you)
____Shortness of breath
____Wheezing, possibly triggered by allergies, a cold, sinus infection, or bronchitis
____Frequent cough or just coughing at night
____Severe wheezing when breathing both in and out
____Rapid breathing
____Chest pain or pressure
____Difficulty talking
____Feelings of anxiety or panic
____Pale, sweaty face
____Blue lips or fingernails
2. When do you experience these asthma symptoms?
____ All the time; unpredictable
____ Only with exercise
____ At nighttime
____ Early morning hours while sleeping
___ During pollen season
___ When you feel stressed or anxious
___ When you smell smoke
___ When you smell fragrance
___ When you’re around dogs or cats
___ When you’re in air-conditioning or breathe cold air
___ When you laugh or sing
___ Associated with allergies, a sinus infection, or postnasal drip
___ Associated with heartburn or GERD
___ When you take aspirin, other anti-inflammatory drugs, or other medication
3. Do you have a family history of asthma or allergy?
4. Do you get bronchitis frequently?
5. Have you been diagnosed with asthma previously?
6. Have you been in the ED for asthma or been on prednisone for asthma?
Diagnosing Asthma and Asthma Tests
After talking with you about your asthma symptoms and possible asthma triggers, your doctor will do a physical exam, laboratory testing, and other possible asthma tests. This will allow you to have a firm understanding of your breathing problems and will be the basis for the suggested plan of asthma treatment.
For more detail, see WebMD’s article Asthma Tests.
Your doctor may use one or more of the following asthma tests in diagnosing asthma. These tests are used to assess your breathing and to monitor the effectiveness of asthma treatment.
Spirometry -- a lung (or pulmonary) function test that measures how much air you can exhale. This asthma test confirms the presence of airway obstruction that improves with treatment, which is very characteristic of asthma, and can accurately measure the degree of lung function impairment. This test can also monitor your response to asthma medications and is recommended for adults and children over age 5.