Using Spirometers For Beneficial Purposes

By Debra Cooley


Patients afflicted with respiratory disorders frequently benefit from the use of a medical testing device called a spirometer. Spirometers are designed to measure a person's breathing function in a highly detailed manner. This is especially helpful to individuals suffering from respiratory problems such as asthma or emphysema. Devices of this type measure the volume of air one is able to inhale, as well as the force of his or her respirations.

In the use since the dawn of the 19th century, devices of this kind are essentially always used to assist doctors to make accurate diagnoses of lung problems. The science used to create such devices has been perfected resulting in the now commonly used digitized models. Although not all devices provide digital readings, most contemporary humans have this feature. Practitioners can choose from various models when performing the aforementioned tests.

Giving an accurate prognosis can only be accomplished when the doctor can isolate one's lung capacity and respiratory strength. For this reason, devices of this type are found in virtually all medical facilities, such as hospitals and nursing homes. In numerous instances, they are used on post surgery patients, even if the latter do not have lung conditions. Physicians may still use them to discover whether or not a person's lung capacity has returned to normal after having been placed under anesthesia.

To evaluate the result of a specific medication or medical treatment, doctors often use the aforementioned devices. Spirometers can also indicate whether or not a person's condition is getting better or progressing. If the individual's airflow is decreased or disrupted, the severity of the obstruction can be determined through the use of a spirometer. Therefore, essentially all lung doctors and pulmonologists use equipment of this type.

Such units are made from disposable tubing that is attached to a mouthpiece and a measuring device. The person must usually close his or her lips snugly around the mouthpiece and then proceed to breathe in and out in a normal pattern. His or her respiratory patterns are then recorded digitally and displayed on a graph.

The results are printed and given to the person's pulmonologist or physician. Such professionals can then evaluate the results and create an appropriate plan of care for the patient. Devices of this type also help doctors to determine whether or not medication adjustments are necessary.

In addition, spirometers are helpful for individuals who have rare disorders of the lung, such as mesothelioma. This is because they can monitor function in both the upper and lower regions of the lung, which is not something other testing devices can do. This particular function allows physicians to zero in on specific issues with ideal accuracy.

It can take anywhere from an hour to merely a few minutes to test a person's lung capacity with a spirometer. The amount of time necessary will depend on what kind of data the physician requires. However, it rarely takes longer than an hour to measure lung function with such a machine. Due to the numerous benefits they provide, spirometers will likely remain a favorite diagnostic tool among physicians, pulmonologists, and other medical practitioners.




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