Clinical History
Diagnosis of asthma: Asthma is a disease with a variable evolution, sandwiching other asymptomatic periods of worsening symptoms intensity. It is very characteristic and persistent dry cough, which usually appears at night, the feeling of tightness in the chest that impairs breathing, shortness of breath when exercising, or wheezing during a common cold. Also, you need to ask about the family history of asthma or allergy, exposure to toxic substances in the work environment, or the known history of previous allergies.
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| Via: asthma.ca - asthma symptoms |
Chest X-ray
To evaluate the presence of complications and rule out other diseases with similar symptoms, such as respiratory infections, foreign body aspiration, or malformations of the bronchi.
Pulmonary function tests or spirometry
It is a crucial test for the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma, and measures the amount and speed of air outlet during expiration (when the bronchi are obstructed the air takes longer to leave). The parameter used is the amount of air expelled in the first second (PEF or FEV1), and determines the degree of airway obstruction. Normal value was considered as 100%. The test is complete by administering a drug that increases airway caliber (bronchodilator) and then repeating the test (in this way shows that the obstruction is reversible, since in asthmatics spirometry results improve after medication).
If the diagnosis is not clear you can make a bronchial provocation test, a controlled inhaling a substance (usually methacholine or histamine) that decreases the caliber of the bronchi, and then repeating the test.
Monitoring at home
It uses a device similar to a portable spirometer, simple management, and peak expiratory flow measured or FEM (amount of air expelled during expiration). Housing consists of a board with a spring that moves to pass the air leaving a mark. Serves to detect a deterioration at an early stage, measuring the response to a treatment, or identify substances that trigger symptoms.
Prick Tests in the Diagnosis
It is used for the diagnosis of allergic diseases. Is performed by injecting into the anterior forearm small quantities of substances called allergens, and then measuring that produce skin reaction (usually in the form of redness or wheal)
