What Is Spirometer And How It Works

By Helene Norris


Spirometer is small and easy to use device used for spirometry. This procedure is used for measuring the amount of air that you breathe. It actually measures your lung capacity. For most restrictive and obstructive pulmonary diseases it is important to know how much air a patient can breathe out and how much time he needs for it.

Checking the degree of restriction or obstruction of air flow using medical spirometer is usually done quarterly. Medically supervised test takes just a few minutes, and you can see the results right away. There are different types of spirometers available, and some are more sophisticated, with more functions.

Small, easy to use digital spirometers are available for home use as well. They can become quite useful for all people suffering from lung diseases such as COPD or CF. Problems may appear days before the first symptoms, and they can be easily recognized using this simple test. The same test can also help patients recovering from surgery or pneumonia.

If performed regularly, spirometry can give your doctor a detailed insight into your lungs condition. If you track all the changes and compare them, you will be able to tell what's going on and inform your doctor about it. If recognized in time, various small problems can be solved before they become more serious.

Small personal incentive spirometer is very useful if you are recovering from surgery, for example. If you are forced to stay in bed for days, in pains, your breathing will become shallower and inadequate. This may result with lung collapse, and that's why it is so important to keep your lungs active and clean. Patients suffering from pneumonia and some chronic pulmonary problems will greatly benefit using this device.

During recovery period, people usually breathe shallow. Lungs cannot receive enough air this way, and fluids and mucus can obstruct their airways within one or both lungs. Built fluids can cause infections and pneumonia. That's why it is so important to breathe properly. Using spirometer may help you breathing properly, and this will keep your lungs clean and active.

Incentive spirometer is very easy to use. Simple models have a piston or a ball that shows you the amount of air you breathed in. Your doctor will tell you how much air you should breathe in to keep your lung active at first. After some time, you will be able to breathe in more air. The method is quite simple; breathe in as much as you can, keep it in foe a few seconds and then breathe out.

Patients recovering from surgery should practice breathing this way in cycles, about ten times every hour. Your doctor will prescribe you a proper therapy. Anyway, after breathing like that for a while, you need to clear your lungs coughing. It will get rid of some accumulated fluids and mucus. If you had surgery recently, and your incision is on your abdomen or your chest, protect it using pillow.

Spirometer will give you very precise results about your lung condition. Remember to write these results and show them to your doctor. Chronic pulmonary diseases patients will be able to track down all possible changes, and inform their doctor about these changes before they cause air flow obstructions and even more serious health problems.




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