Do you need inhaler therapy after spirometry?

Spirometry measures how much air you breathe out and how quickly you can do so. The pattern may help a clinician assess airflow limitation, but it is not the only part of diagnosis. Symptoms such as wheeze, cough, chest tightness, and breathlessness, along with triggers, examination findings, smoking or vaping history, and other conditions, also matter. An inhaler may be recommended to relieve symptoms, reduce airway inflammation, or prevent flare-ups, depending on the individual plan. A result that does not support inhalers does not make breathing symptoms unimportant.

Ask the clinician to explain the spirometry pattern and whether the test was technically satisfactory. If an inhaler is prescribed, learn which device is for quick relief and which is for regular control, how often to use each, and how to clean or store it. Demonstrate your technique at the appointment; small errors can reduce the medicine reaching the airways. Keep a record of symptoms, night waking, activity limits, and reliever use so treatment can be reviewed. Do not borrow an inhaler or alter the schedule without advice.

Seek emergency help for severe breathlessness, difficulty speaking because of breathing, blue or grey lips, confusion, collapse, or symptoms that are rapidly worsening despite your reliever plan. Contact your healthcare team promptly if you need a reliever more often than advised, symptoms disturb sleep, or the inhaler causes troublesome effects. Follow any written action plan you have been given.

Ask: What did spirometry show? Do I need a reliever, a regular controller, or neither? Can you check my technique? What should I do during a flare-up, and when should the diagnosis be reviewed?