How does pulmonary function testing work?
For most of the test, you’ll sit in a small, glass booth. You’ll have a small clip on your nose, like one you might wear while swimming. You’ll place your mouth on a special mouthpiece that attaches to a machine that measures your breathing.
At first, you’ll breathe normally. Then the doctor or respiratory therapist doing the test will tell you what to do next. Part of the test involves breathing out as much as you can, and part of it involves breathing in as much as you can. You may need to inhale certain medicines to see if they make it easier or harder to breathe.
You’ll need to repeat the test a few times to make sure the results are accurate. You’ll have some waiting time between each test to catch your breath, but let the doctor or respiratory therapist know if you need a break.
If you’re having a hard time breathing, talk to your doctor to see if you might need pulmonary function tests.