Monday, July 03, 2006

How is asthma diagnosed?

Asthma is diagnosed by a history of recurring episodes of airway obstruction (difficulty breathing) that are at least partially reversible with appropriate treatment. The physician must also establish that the symptoms of coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath are not caused by another disorder that can cause these symptoms such as a foreign body or cystic fibrosis in children, and vocal cord dysfunction or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adults.