Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common lung condition that makes it difficult to breathe. Spirometry is a simple, painless test that plays a vital role in diagnosing and managing COPD.
What is COPD?
COPD is a progressive disease that damages your lungs, causing inflammation and narrowing of the airways. This makes it harder to breathe in and out. Symptoms of COPD include:
- Breathlessness, especially during activity
- Frequent coughing, with or without mucus
- Chest tightness
- Wheezing
What is Spirometry?
Spirometry is a test that measures how well your lungs are working. During the test, you will be asked to take a deep breath and then blow out as hard and fast as you can into a mouthpiece connected to a machine called a spirometer. The spirometer measures the amount of air you can expel from your lungs and how quickly you can exhale it.
How can Spirometry Help with COPD?
Spirometry is the gold standard test for diagnosing COPD. It can help your doctor:
- Confirm a diagnosis of COPD
- Assess the severity of your COPD
- Monitor your COPD over time
- Track the effectiveness of your treatment plan
What to Expect During a Spirometry Test?
A spirometry test is a simple and painless procedure. It usually takes about 15 minutes. Here’s what you can expect:
- Your doctor or nurse will explain the test to you and answer any questions you may have.
- You may be asked to not smoke for a few hours before the test.
- You will be seated comfortably and asked to wear a nose clip to prevent air from escaping through your nose.
- You will be given a mouthpiece to hold in your mouth and instructed to take a deep breath and then blow out as hard and fast as you can for several seconds.
- You may be asked to repeat the test a few times to ensure accurate results.
- Your doctor will review the results of your spirometry test with you and discuss what they mean for your health.
If you have any concerns about COPD or would like to schedule a spirometry test, please call The Grange Medical Practice to schedule an appointment.
Here’s an additional link for more information Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: https://goldcopd.org/