During your assessment your RespiriCare clinician may use a piece of equipment known as a spirometer to help assess your lungs. This allows us to accurately and objectively assess the condition of your lungs. This device allows us to tell the difference between asthma and the different types of chronic lung disease and determine how much your lungs are affected. It can also be used to monitor the effects of your treatment.
During the examination you will be asked to perform a series of forceful blows into a tube starting from a deep breath. You will not be asked to perform this more than six times and you will be allowed rest periods between each blow. This allows us to measure the total volume of air that you can get into your lungs, known as total lung capacity and your ability to force this air out of your lungs quickly.
We may also conduct a test called “reversibility testing” whereby we can assess the responsiveness of your lungs to medication. This does not hurt or cause any discomfort, it is performed in a sitting position and at your own pace.
If you would like to book an appointment or you have any further questions about your condition then please do not hesitate to contact us.