Using Spirometers For Beneficial Purposes

By Debra Cooley


Individuals who are suffering from respiratory conditions often benefit greatly from a medical diagnostic machine referred to as a spirometer. The latter is designed to take a highly detailed reading of a patient's breathing function. This is particularly advantageous to those suffering from disorders of the lung, including emphysema or asthma. Spirometers measure how much air volume one is able to inhale, as well as the strength 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.

Isolating one's respiratory strength and lung capacity plays a vital role in prognosis accuracy. This is why machines of this kind are found in essentially all medical establishments, such as nursing homes and hospitals. In many cases, they are used post-surgery, even on those who do not suffer from respiratory disorders. They are frequently used by physicians who want to find out whether or not an individual's lung capacity has returned to normal following the administration of 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.

Units of this kind are usually made from tubing that is disposable. The latter is attached to the machine and its mouthpiece. The patient must typically tighten his or her lips around the mouthpiece and then simply breathe out and in normally. A digital graph will eventually display the person's respiratory patterns and lung function.

One's pulmonologist or physician then reads the printed results. Practitioners can then evaluate the readings and design a proper plan of care for the person. Machines of this kind also help physicians to discover whether or not drug adjustments are required.

Additionally, spirometers are beneficial for those who have rare lung conditions, such as mesothelioma. This is due to the fact that they can monitor both the upper and lower function of the lungs, the latter of which is not something other diagnostic machines can do. This specific function lets doctors identify certain disorders with extreme 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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