The Dose22:03How do I know if I have asthma?
Asthma may be one of the most common chronic diseases in Canada, but experts say it can be tough to diagnose.
“The best way to make a diagnosis of asthma is to have a patient do breathing tests,” Dr. Shawn Aaron, a respirologist at the Ottawa Hospital, told Dr. Brian Goldman, host of CBC’s The Dose.
The standard test is a lung function test, done using a device called a spirometer, said Aaron.
During the test, a patient’s lung capacity is measured by seeing how quickly and forcefully they can blow air into a
