What should you know about spirometer and spirogram?

During spirometry, the device detects how air moves while you breathe in and out through a mouthpiece. The spirogram is the output: it may show curves or values that describe the breath being tested. A clinician considers the pattern, the quality of the effort, your symptoms, and your medical history together. One curve should not be interpreted in isolation.

Follow the clinic's instructions about meals, smoking, exercise, and inhalers because these can affect the test or your safety. Wear comfortable clothing, sit or stand as directed, and make a tight seal around the mouthpiece. The technician may coach you through several efforts and ask you to repeat them so the tracing can be checked for consistency. Tell them if you feel chest pain, faint, or unable to continue.

Seek emergency help for severe breathlessness, blue or grey lips, fainting, confusion, or strong chest pressure. Contact a clinician promptly for breathing that is worsening, new chest pain, coughing blood, or symptoms that do not settle after the test. A report needs professional interpretation, especially when symptoms and the graph do not match.

Ask which parts of the spirogram were reviewed, whether the effort was technically acceptable, and how the result relates to your symptoms. Clarify whether you need repeat testing, treatment review, or another assessment.