Asthma, a very common breathing problem, is triggered by allergies, more often than not. In fact, over 26 million Americans suffer from allergies. Of those, about 14.6 million suffer from asthma. Understanding why you have breathing problems, combined with a medical diagnosis can make treatment methods more effective. It is important that you know what causes breathing problems and how they are diagnosed. These are the first two steps in gaining control of your issues with breathing, allowing you to live an active and fulfilled life.
What Causes Breathing Problems?
Breathing issues can be chronic, which means they are long-term, and are a part of daily life. Some of the most common breathing problems include allergies, sinusitis, and asthma. Furthermore, symptoms can include more than just breathing issues, including things like runny nose, chest congestion, coughing, nasal congestion, labored or heavy breathing, and wheezing. Breathing problems are often associated with having a cold, getting sinusitis, having allergies, and asthma. Many other breathing issues stem from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This disease includes having chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. Other breathing problems could come from lung cancer, pneumonia, lung disease, and tuberculosis.
How Are Breathing Problems Diagnosed?
There are many different ways doctors can diagnose your breathing problems. Most often, this will begin with a physical exam, which includes your health history, as well as your family’s health history. During the exam, the physician will often conduct lung function tests, also referred to as pulmonary function tests. Two of the most common tests of this kind are called spirometry and methacholine challenge. The spirometry is the most common of the pulmonary function tests. It is a breathing test which will measure measuring lung function, specifically the amount (volume) and/or speed (flow) of air that can be inhaled and exhaled. It is used to figure out whether you have an obstruction in your airway. If your doctor is looking to diagnose you with asthma, he or she would use the Methacholine challenge test. It is primarily used to diagnose bronchial hyper-reactivity, which is the hallmark of asthma and also occurs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. There are situations where you may need an x-ray of your chest to help rule out or diagnose pneumonia. In addition, CT scans can be used to take more detailed images of your lungs, and even your sinuses. Based on your symptoms and the physical exam, your doctor will be able to determine if more testing is need, and which types of test should be used.
Another way to learn more about your breathing problems is to check out our Self-Test on our Breathing Center web site, where you can check your breathing and receive a free health report. Here you will find a tool, two types of breathing measurements, to measure our breathing at any given time. These measurements allow us to determine the degree of hyperventilation, as well as the status of our health.
If you suffer from breathing problems, contact the Breathing Center, Holistic Health Improvement. Call to schedule your appointment today at 800-520-3450. Visit us online for more details Website URL.
