What should you know about a MedGraphics spirometer?

The device is used during spirometry, a breathing test. You usually breathe through a mouthpiece while a clip helps keep air from escaping through the nose. The test may include relaxed breaths and forceful breaths after filling your lungs. Results can help a clinician investigate cough, wheeze, breathlessness, or suspected airflow limitation. A reading is interpreted alongside your symptoms, examination, age, height, smoking history, and other relevant details; the device alone does not provide a diagnosis.

Wear comfortable clothing that does not restrict your chest. Follow the testing centre's instructions about meals, smoking, exercise, and inhalers, because some medicines may need specific timing. Tell the clinician if you feel unwell, have chest pain, recently had surgery, or find forceful breathing difficult. During the test, make a firm seal around the mouthpiece and follow the technician's instructions. Coughing, poor effort, or a leak can affect a reading, so the test may be repeated. Learn more about the [Spirometer](/technology/spirometer/) and the [Spirometry](/treatments/diagnostics-and-screening/spirometry/) process.

Seek urgent help for severe breathlessness, blue or grey lips, fainting, new confusion, severe chest pain, or rapidly worsening breathing. Contact a clinician promptly if breathlessness is new, occurs at rest, limits ordinary activity, or comes with coughing blood or a high fever. Do not delay urgent care while waiting for a spirometry appointment or trying to interpret a home reading.

Ask what the test is checking, whether to change inhaler timing, how reliable the result was, and what follow-up is needed if the measurement does not match your symptoms.