Does a general practice perform spirometry?

Spirometry measures how much air you can breathe out and how quickly you can do so. A trained member of the healthcare team guides the test, checks the quality of the blows, and explains whether further assessment is needed.

You breathe through a mouthpiece connected to a machine. After a full breath in, you blow out as hard and as long as instructed. The test is usually repeated so the team can judge whether the results are consistent.

Your clinician may ask about cough, wheeze, breathlessness, smoking, allergies, and current inhalers. Some medicines or a recent chest infection can affect the result, so follow the practice’s instructions about preparation. Spirometry supports assessment; it does not by itself explain every breathing problem.

Ask the practice whether the test is available there, who will perform it, and whether you should use or pause any inhaler beforehand. Do not stop prescribed medicine without specific instructions.

Wear comfortable clothing and avoid a heavy meal immediately before the appointment if the practice advises this. Tell the team if you feel unwell, have chest pain, recently had an infection, or find forceful breathing difficult. Bring a list of medicines and describe your usual breathing symptoms, including when they occur.

Do not wait for a routine breathing test if you have severe breathlessness, blue or grey lips, chest pain, fainting, sudden confusion, or difficulty speaking in full sentences. Seek urgent medical help for these symptoms.

Contact the practice promptly if breathing symptoms are worsening, waking you repeatedly, or not settling with your prescribed reliever plan. The clinician can decide whether testing should be delayed and whether you need a different assessment first.

Ask what the test is intended to clarify, whether your inhaler routine needs adjustment before it, and when you should expect an explanation of the result. Ask which symptoms should lead you to seek help before the appointment.