Asthma is a breathing condition which causes restriction to the airway due to inflammation. Often those with asthma will feel tightness in the chest or will wheeze when trying to take deep breaths, particularly when they are around one of the main triggers for asthma attacks, such as smoke or air pollution. Some will also feel the symptoms when participating in physical activity, which could be a sign of exercise-induced asthma. However, a breathing test is necessary for a physician to properly diagnose asthma and get the patient onto an effective treatment program.

When a doctor is diagnosing asthma, he or she will often get a medical and family history on the patient, since asthma is known to be genetic. If a patient’s family has a history of asthma, it is much more likely that the patient will also be afflicted. From there, the doctor can check for symptoms that might determine an allergy or other viral illness is causing the asthma-like symptoms. Many sinus infections or upper respiratory infections can cause difficulty breathing, cough, and tightness in the chest. Certain symptoms, such as congestion and colored nasal discharge, will point to an infection and asthma treatments will not help. If no other symptoms are present, the doctor will usually perform a spirometry test, in which the patient breathes into a tube that measures the flow of oxygen and the rate of respiration. Another test that can be done is called a peak flow meter, which measures how much air can be pushed out of the lungs in a quick exhalation. Sometimes patients will also have a chest X-ray to be certain that pneumonia or other similar condition is not present. If no other illness can be detected, these patients will usually be diagnosed with asthma and given inhalers, beginning a life of being able to breathe easier.