Spirometry is a test used to check your lung function, says Dr. Iftikhar Hussain, a Tulsa allergist at the Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center, P.C. in Tulsa. Dr. Hussain explains that Tulsa spirometry is used as a screening tool to look for asthma and to see the progress of asthma in an individual.
Dr. Hussain says that most patients, who may think they have asthma, complain of having these reoccurring symptoms:
- Coughing
- Tightness of chest
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- In children - A once very active child has no desire to play anymore
A Tulsa spirometry can help determine if a patient has asthma and to what degree. This information then helps the doctor administer the medication that will be the most effective for the patient suffering from asthma.
Dr. Hussain says if you already know a patient has asthma and you want to monitor their lung function, you can do so with a Tulsa spirometry. If their lung function is dropping, you can adjust the medication for them, he says. If they are doing well, you can take a step down on the medication. Medications given to people with asthma include inhalers (rescue and preventative) and oral medication given in a pill form. Injections can also be given in an emergency situation.
Dr. Hussain says that many children with allergies have a very high risk of developing asthma. On the contrary, through the use of spirometry to monitor a child’s lung function and allergy testing to find out what things he or she is allergic to, asthma can be prevented. If you start noticing nose symptoms in your child and you begin allergy shots (allergy immunity therapy), it can stop asthma from developing, he says.
For those that may think they have exercised-induced asthma, the spirometry is a very valuable tool. Dr. Hussain says he can test a patient’s lung function with the spirometry before having him or her run on a treadmill for a period of time. Afterward, he can test the patient’s lung function again to see if they truly have exercise-induced asthma.
Dr. Hussain says that spirometry is also used with patients that have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD). For patient suffering from COPD, it is a very good test to monitor a person over a period of time to see how they are doing with the disease, says Dr. Hussain. The spirometry monitors the lung function of COPD patients, to see if it’s dropping or going up. That way, you can alter the COPD patient’s medication when needed, says Dr. Hussain.
For more information on spirometry, asthma and COPD, contact the Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center, P.C. in Tulsa today.