How is asthma diagnosed, and are cough or wheeze enough?
Recurrent cough, wheeze, breathlessness and variable chest tightness can suggest asthma, but do not establish the diagnosis alone. Assessment uses symptom patterns, examination and age-appropriate tests of variable airflow, sometimes with repeat or additional testing.
Details
Describe the pattern
Mention night-time symptoms and links with exercise, cold air, smells or allergies, including when symptoms improve. Bring details of previous inhalers and their effects. Other conditions can cause similar symptoms; one improvement after an inhaler does not prove asthma.
Tests that may help
Spirometry measures air volume and flow, sometimes before and after a bronchodilator. Peak-flow monitoring, exhaled nitric oxide or additional tests may be useful. A normal result on a symptom-free day does not exclude every case.
Young children and urgent symptoms
Standard breathing tests can be difficult for young children, so assessment and follow-up may differ. Severe breathlessness, difficulty speaking or blue lips needs immediate medical help rather than waiting for a routine diagnostic appointment. Confirming the diagnosis helps select the right treatment and avoids assuming every cough is asthma.
Related reading: Are asthma inhalers addictive, and why might they be needed long term?.