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Asthma is a chronic (long-term) lung condition that causes breathing problems. When you have asthma, your airways narrow and fill with mucus due to inflammation. This makes it harder for air to move in and out of your lungs.
Doctors diagnose asthma by reviewing your medical history and doing lung function tests.
You may want to get tested for asthma if you notice symptoms such as:
Children with asthma can have these same symptoms. Other symptoms to watch out for in children include:
Learn more about symptoms of asthma. If you or your child have any of these symptoms, talk with your healthcare provider about whether asthma testing might be helpful.
Asthma usually starts in childhood, but it can develop in adulthood too. Asthma is a common condition — about 28 million people in the United States (8.6 percent of the population) have asthma, including 4.9 million children. Around the world, about 339 million people live with asthma.
In the United States, asthma is more common in women than men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, among children, boys are more likely than girls to have asthma, per the CDC.
Asthma doesn’t affect all racial and ethnic communities equally. In the U.S., Black and Puerto Rican Americans have higher rates of asthma compared to white Americans, and they are more likely to experience severe outcomes, such as hospitalizations and deaths, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
While genetics can play a role in asthma risk, the disproportionate burden seen in these communities is primarily linked to social and environmental factors, not biology. Factors like air pollution, limited access to quality healthcare, housing conditions, and tobacco smoke exposure all contribute. Where someone lives, works, and goes to school can have a greater impact on their asthma risk than individual behavior.
Many people start the asthma diagnosis journey with their primary care provider or, for children, their pediatrician. An official diagnosis may require seeing specialists, such as a pulmonologist (lung specialist) or an allergist. Pulmonologists commonly diagnose asthma, and allergists see many cases of breathing problems.
You might suspect you have asthma if you have symptoms like shortness of breath, chest tightness, or a long-lasting cough. But to confirm the diagnosis, your healthcare provider will look for symptoms that match those of asthma and test results showing variable airflow obstruction. This means there are limits to your breathing capacity depending on your asthma triggers.
Talking to your doctor or your child’s pediatrician is the first step to diagnosing asthma. Your healthcare provider will ask you questions about your symptoms, your medical history, family medical history, and any risk factors you or your child might have for asthma.
Common risk factors for asthma include a family history of asthma, a history of respiratory infections like respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) as a child, eczema, and being exposed to cigarette smoke or air pollution.
After taking a medical history, your healthcare provider will examine your nose, throat, and ears, and listen to your breathing. They may also check your skin for eczema or symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Doctors can use a variety of tests to help diagnose asthma. For younger children, however, some of these tests may not be appropriate, so doctors often rely on other methods.
Pulmonary function tests (also called lung function tests) help doctors diagnose asthma and other respiratory diseases. The following tests are commonly used to diagnose asthma.
Spirometry is the main test used to diagnose asthma in adults and in children over age 5. This test measures airway obstruction by testing how much air you can breathe out and how fast you can do it.
During the test, you’ll breathe into a tube connected to a machine called a spirometer. After the first measurement, you’ll inhale a medication called a bronchodilator. A bronchodilator is a medication that helps open your airways. Then you’ll repeat the test.
If your breathing improves significantly after taking the bronchodilator, it may indicate a diagnosis of asthma.
An exhaled nitric oxide test detects inflammation in your airways. When your lungs are inflamed, they produce higher levels of a gas called nitric oxide — a potential sign of asthma.
To perform the test, you simply breathe into a machine that measures the amount of nitric oxide in your breath. High levels can be a sign of asthma.
If spirometry results aren’t clear, your doctor might recommend a challenge test. These tests are often performed by asthma specialists in a controlled environment to make sure they’re safe.
A challenge test is performed by triggering asthma symptoms. This can be done by breathing in a substance that causes symptoms or by doing physical activity. Lung function tests are performed before and after asthma symptoms to see if your airways become narrowed.
If your airways tighten during the test, you’ll be given medication to stop symptoms right away. Your healthcare provider will make sure you stay safe while performing a challenge test. You won’t be given a challenge test if you have health conditions that make it unsafe, such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, a recent heart attack or stroke, or pregnancy.
It can be difficult to use pulmonary function tests to diagnose asthma in children under age 5. For young children, doctors generally usually rely on:
Keeping detailed notes of your child’s symptoms before the appointment can be very helpful.
If your child receives a diagnosis of asthma, their healthcare provider will create a treatment plan based on your child’s symptoms. This might include trying an inhaler or other asthma medications to see how well your child responds. If allergies seem to trigger asthma symptoms, the doctor may also recommend allergy testing.
There are several different types of asthma. You may receive a diagnosis based on how severe your asthma is:
You may also be given an asthma diagnosis based on what triggers your asthma, including:
After being diagnosed with asthma, your doctor will work with you to create a treatment plan tailored to your needs. Treatment options depend on the type and severity of your asthma, as well as your specific triggers. Common treatments include inhaled corticosteroids or oral medications.
If your child has asthma, their pediatrician may also recommend creating an asthma action plan. This written plan outlines what to do during an asthma attack or when symptoms worsen, helping parents and caregivers respond quickly and effectively.
Ruling out other conditions is an important step in making an accurate diagnosis, since many symptoms of asthma can be caused by other health problems. Your doctor may consider or test for the following health conditions before diagnosing asthma:
A doctor may order blood tests, allergy tests, or CT scans of the chest or sinuses to rule out other conditions.
On MyAsthmaTeam, people share their experiences with asthma, get advice, and find support from others who understand.
If you have asthma, how was it diagnosed? Let others know in the comments below.
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I believe she was saying she wanted to be tested for eosinophilic asthma and her test was negative.
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