Pulmonary Function Test: What Does It Actually Tell You About Your Lungs?

Fast Facts

• Pulmonary Function Tests (PFT) measure the effectiveness of your lungs.
• It tells you how fast and how much air you breathe in and out.
• Diagnoses problems including asthma, COPD and other lung diseases.
• The test is easy, painless and in most cases non-invasive.
• Your doctor may recommend it if you have a persistent cough, wheezing or breathlessness.

Introduction

Shortness of breath, wheezing or a cough that won’t go away can have many causes. Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) helps your doctor to know what is going on with your lungs.

It measures how much air your lungs can hold , how quickly you can breathe it out , and , with some tests , how well your lungs transfer oxygen .

What Does a PFT Tell You?

How much air your lungs can take in. It’s a test that measures your lung capacity and can show if your lungs are holding less air than they should.

Quality of Air Movement

It tells you how many miles an hour you can blow air out. Conditions like asthma or COPD can cause reduced air flow.

Are Airways Constricted

Your doctor might have you do the test again after a bronchodilator to see if your airflow improves.

How Your Lungs Exchange Oxygen

Some PFTs measure how well oxygen travels from your lungs into your blood.

When Should You Get a PFT?

Your doctor may suggest one if you have any of the following:

• Ongoing cough
• Breathing difficulty
• Wheezing
• Tightness in chest
• Exercise intolerance decreased
• Lung condition known to follow

What does the test consist of?

You blow in a machine called a spirometer. You may be asked to breathe in deeply and then exhale as hard and fast as possible.

The test may be repeated several times to obtain accurate results.

Does it hurt?

No. PFTs are usually painless and non-invasive.

Repeated forceful breathing may cause brief dizziness or light-headedness. If this is the case, tell the technician.

What do the results tell us?

Your doctor considers the results along with your symptoms, medical history and other tests.

An abnormal result does not necessarily mean you have a lung disease. Additional evaluation may be needed.

When to See a Doctor

Call your health care provider if you have:

• A persistent cough or wheezing
• Persistent breathlessness
• Tightness in the chest
• Problems with usual physical activity
• Recurrent respiratory symptoms

Expert Insights:

A PFT can be useful in learning how well your lungs move air and, in some cases, how well they exchange gasses. It is an important part of assessing lung health and should be considered along with your symptoms and medical history.

Dr. Rajkumar K

Key points

PFTs measure how well your lungs are working.

• They measure lung capacity and airflow.
• Some tests also examine the exchange of gas.
• PFTs are useful in diagnosing and monitoring different lung diseases.
• Never ignore breathing problems that persist.

About the Reviewer

Dr. Rajkumar K

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