To properly diagnose asthma and rule out other potential lung disorders, physicians evaluate a patient’s medical history, conduct a thorough physical examination, and order specific laboratory tests. Tests commonly included in the diagnostic process include spirometry, peak flow monitoring, chest X-rays, and sometimes, blood and allergy tests.
Asthma is an underdiagnosed disease, meaning that many people living with asthma do not know they have it and therefore never seek treatment. Asthma can be hard to diagnose accurately because the symptoms mirror those of other respiratory problems like emphysema, bronchitis, and lower respiratory infections.