When your measurements are in this zone, air is moving well through the large airways in your lungs. It means that you can do your usual activities and go to sleep without trouble. Measurements in this zone are a sign that your large airways are starting to narrow.
You may start to have mild symptoms, such as coughing, feeling tired, feeling short of breath, or feeling like your chest is tightening. These symptoms may keep you from your usual activities or from sleeping well. Readings in this zone mean you have severe narrowing of your large airways.
This is a medical emergency. You should get help right away. You may be coughing, very short of breath, wheezing while breathing in and out, or having retractions the muscles between the ribs are working hard to help you breathe. You may also have trouble walking and talking. Peak flow measurement using a peak flow meter is useful for people with asthma.
During an asthma flare-up, the large airways in the lungs slowly begin to narrow. This slows the speed of air moving through the lungs.
A peak flow meter can help show the narrowing of the airways well before an asthma attack happens. A peak flow meter can help you determine:. A peak flow meter can help you manage asthma. It can give you and your healthcare provider information about how open the airways are in your lungs. The PFM can detect small changes in the large airways before you start to wheeze. Using a PFM every day will let you know when your peak flows are starting to drop.
This allows you to make early changes in your medicine or routine to help keep asthma symptoms from getting worse. The PFM can also identify the reading at which you need to call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room. Your healthcare provider may not advise you use a PFM unless your asthma is moderate or severe and you are managing it with medicine. PFM can also be used to assess other lung problems, such as:. This is a chronic lung condition that affects the smallest air sacks in the lungs alveoli.
A peak flow test involves blowing as hard as you can into a small handheld device called a peak flow meter. By measuring how fast you're able to breathe out, your peak flow score can indicate whether your airways are narrowed.
This could be a sign that you have asthma , although other tests such as spirometry will often be needed to confirm the diagnosis. If you've already been diagnosed with asthma, measuring your peak flow regularly can be a useful way of monitoring your condition.
Your score can show whether or not your condition is getting worse. It can also check if your medication is working, and indicate whether you're having an asthma attack. Measuring your peak flow before and after exposure to a possible asthma trigger, such as something you're allergic to or a substance you're exposed to at work, may also show if anything in particular causes your symptoms.
This is very important. You can't breathe out too much when using your peak flow meter but you can breathe out too little. Step 6 : Measure your peak flow rate close to the same time each day. You and your healthcare provider can determine the best times.
One suggestion is to measure your peak flow rate twice daily between 7 and 9 a. You may want to measure your peak flow rate before or after using your medicine, or both. Try to do it the same way each time. Step 7 : Keep a chart of your peak flow rates. Discuss the readings with your healthcare provider. This is called your "personal best.
You could leave room at the bottom of the page for notes to describe how you are feeling or to list any other thoughts you may have. A "normal" peak flow rate is based on a person's age, height, sex and race. A standardized "normal" may be obtained from a chart comparing the person with asthma to a population without breathing problems. A patient can figure out what is normal for them, based on their own peak flow rate.
Therefore, it is important for you and your healthcare provider to discuss what is considered "normal" for you. Once you have learned your usual and expected peak flow rate, you will be able to better recognize changes or trends in your asthma. Three zones of measurement are commonly used to interpret peak flow rates.
It is easy to relate the three zones to the traffic light colors: green, yellow and red. In general, a normal peak flow rate can vary as much as 20 percent. Be aware of the following general guidelines. Keep in mind that recognizing changes from "normal" is important. Your healthcare provider may suggest other zones to follow.
Some healthcare providers may suggest zones with a smaller range, such as 90 to percent. Always follow your healthcare provider's suggestions about your peak flow rate. It is important to know your peak flow reading, but it is even more important to know what to do based on that reading. It's also important to keep your peak flow meter clean. Follow the manufacturer's instructions — most peak flow meters require weekly cleaning with warm water and a mild detergent. To start, your doctor will want to get an idea of your peak flow measurements when you feel good and have no asthma symptoms.
You'll record your daily peak flow rate over a two- to three-week period. Your highest peak flow rate over this period is known as your "personal best.
If your asthma is well-controlled, you may decide to only use it when you feel your asthma is getting worse. If your asthma isn't very well-controlled, you may need to take peak flow readings more than once a day. Talk with your doctor about how often you should use your peak flow meter. In addition to regular peak flow monitoring, you may need to check your peak flow in these situations:.
Record your peak flow rate in an asthma diary. Some people record their peak flow meter readings by hand. If you have an electronic personal health record, you may choose to enter your information into the record using a computer or mobile device. This gives you the option of sharing your data with your health care professionals and family members.
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