Golden Box Book Publishing Asthma Relief with Grandmas Remedies | Page 20

Diagnosing Asthma
There is currently no precise physiologic, immunologic, or histologic
test for diagnosing asthma. The diagnosis is usually made based on
the pattern of symptoms and response to therapy.
The British Thoracic Society determines a diagnosis of asthma using
a “response to therapy” approach. If the patient responds to
treatment, then this is considered to be a confirmation of the
diagnosis of asthma. The response measured is the reversibility of
airway obstruction after treatment. Airflow in the airways is
measured with a peak flow meter or spirometer.
In contrast, the US National Asthma Education and Prevention
Program (NAEPP) uses a “symptom patterns” approach. Their
guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma state that a
diagnosis of asthma begins by assessing if any of the indicators listed
below is present. While the indicators are not sufficient to support a
diagnosis of asthma, the presence of multiple key indicators
increases the probability of a diagnosis of asthma. Spirometry is
needed to establish a diagnosis of asthma.
Other signs of asthma include:
Wheezing—a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing out—
especially in children. Lack of wheezing and a normal chest
examination do not exclude asthma.
History of cough that is worse particularly at night, recurrent
wheeze, difficulty breathing, and chest tightness.
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