Want more iVillage? Sign up for our
Newsletters
Physical Examination for Asthma
Asthma usually is diagnosed based on your history of
symptoms, a physical exam, lung function tests, and laboratory tests. Unless
you are having symptoms, the physical exam will not show signs of asthma. Your
doctor will examine your nose, mouth, throat, and sinuses (upper respiratory system
); ears; chest; and skin. Your doctor
will also:
- Examine your nose for signs of increased nasal drainage, swelling inside the nose, and mucus-producing tissues that project into the nose (nasal polyps).
- Examine your throat for signs of drainage, which indicates inflammation and infection in your sinuses (sinusitis).
- Listen to your chest for wheezing, which indicates blockage of airflow in the airways.
- Check for rapid or shallow breathing. He or she also will listen to your breathing for prolonged, forceful exhaling and a high-pitched sound (stridor) heard only when inhaling, which may indicate reduced airflow in the windpipe (trachea).
- Examine your chest for signs that you are using your chest muscles to breathe (the skin between, above, and under the ribs collapses inward with each breath).
- Listen to your heart for rapid heartbeat and signs of heart problems related to difficulty breathing.
- Examine your fingers for the absence of an angle at the nail and rounding of the fingertips (clubbing), sometimes seen in people with other lung diseases.
- Examine your skin for signs of an allergic condition, such as atopic dermatitis (eczema). People with allergies are more likely than other people to develop asthma.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: February 13, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine Rohit K Katial, MD - Allergy and Immunology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
