What should you know about a thor spirometer?

During spirometry, you breathe into a mouthpiece connected to the instrument. The device records how much air you move and how fast you move it. A clinician may ask you to repeat the manoeuvre so the readings can be compared for consistency. Results can help assess asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other problems that narrow the airways or reduce the space available for breathing. The reading is interpreted alongside your symptoms, examination and medical history; the device does not identify a diagnosis by itself.

Wear comfortable clothing and follow the clinic's instructions about medicines, meals and smoking before the test. Tell the clinician if you have chest pain, feel unwell, recently had surgery, or find forceful breathing difficult. Sit upright, seal your lips around the mouthpiece and follow the instructions for a deep breath followed by a hard, sustained exhalation. Pause if you become dizzy and tell the tester. You may need several attempts because technique affects the result.

Seek urgent help for severe breathlessness, blue or grey lips, fainting, new confusion or chest pain that does not settle. Contact a clinician promptly if breathing symptoms are worsening, waking you repeatedly, or limiting ordinary activity. A spirometry result that seems abnormal should be discussed with the clinician who ordered it rather than interpreted alone.

Ask what each measurement means, whether your technique was acceptable, if medicines should be changed before another test, and what follow-up is planned. You can also ask whether bronchodilator testing or another lung assessment is appropriate.