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Examination at the Surgery
When the doctor examines you at the surgery he may
not always find any signs that asthma is present. This is because
asthma has such a variable nature as explained in the page What
is Asthma? You may be wheezy and breathless in the night but fine
by the time you visit the surgery the next day! This is why asthma
can be missed as there may be no sign at all of any problem when you
visit your doctor. |
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Peak Flow Measurement
Your doctor may ask you to blow down a peak flow meter.
This instrument measures how fast you can blow air out of your lungs.
If this peak flow reading is low compared to your predicted peak flow,
he may give you some reliever medication. The doctor will then get
you to repeat your peak flow 15-20 minutes later. If it has improved
by 15% or more over the original reading you may have asthma. This
is called a reversibility test. This test cannot be performed by everyone.
Children of 5 and under are generally too young to use a meter reliably
and some adults cannot master the technique either. You can find out
more about peak flow in Understanding
Peak Flow. |
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Spirometry
Some doctors have a spirometer which is an instrument
similar to a peak flow meter. It also measures how fast you can blow
out but gives additional information compared to the peak flow meter.
It can sometimes be useful in people who do not show an improvement
in their peak flow of 15% or more following a reversibility test carried
out using a peak flow meter as outlined above. |
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Taking a History
This can play a key part in diagnosing asthma. Your
doctor will ask a number of questions. You are more likely to have
asthma if:
(a) You have close relatives such as parents or brothers or sisters
with asthma or who are atopic (have a tendency to be allergic).
(b) You are atopic (which means you have an allergic constitution).
Other atopic conditions are hay fever and eczema.
(c) Your symptoms tend to come and go and are not present all the
time.
(d) Your symptoms are brought on by exercise.
(e) Your symptoms are brought on by one or more common trigger factors.
(f) Your asthma is worse at night and in the early morning, then starts
to improve by the middle of the day. |
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Monitoring Your Condition at Home
If your doctor suspects asthma, s/he may get you to
monitor your condition at home. This can confirm the diagnosis of
asthma. Monitoring usually involves a combination of peak flow readings,
symptoms experienced and triggers encountered on a daily basis over
a period of two to three weeks.You can use the Asthma
Assistant Application to make these recordings. Go to the sub-topic
Getting to Know Your Asthma for
more information on home monitoring. |
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Trial of Medication
Sometimes the only way to conclude that asthma is
the problem is to try the patient on one of the medications for asthma.
This is particularly true in young children or some adults who cannot
use a peak flow meter. If the medication works and there is an improvement
in symptoms this can mean asthma. |
