Spirometry – lung function assessment
A medical diagnostic procedure that measures lung volumes, capacities and flows. In pulmonology, and also in physical medicine and rehabilitation, rheumatology and kinesiology, a spirometer is used to assess lung function not only in people who are ill but also in healthy people.
Pain in the area of the ribs, breastbone and spine, and shortness of breath during activity, are common symptoms in physiatric practice; once neurological, cardiac, pulmonary and psychiatric causes have been ruled out, other specialties refer these patients to a specialist in physical and rehabilitation medicine for further assessment and treatment. Detecting the disorders that a spirometer can reveal in athletes, recreational exercisers and everyone involved in rehabilitation improves safety and allows us to monitor progress in treatment.
Spinal deformities that are part of congenital and developmental spinal anomalies (scoliosis, kyphosis), chest wall deformities (pectus carinatum, pectus excavatum or pectus infundibuliforme) and other diseases that can affect the spine and chest, such as degenerative diseases, neuralgias, postoperative conditions and inflammatory rheumatic diseases, cause not only pain but also impaired lung function, both as a symptom and as a consequence. Thus rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis and especially ankylosing spondylitis and the other spondyloarthritides affect all the musculoskeletal structures and organs of the chest. Training can improve these parameters, and so we achieve progress in the performance of the respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous and musculoskeletal systems.
Cooperation between physiatrists, rheumatologists, pulmonologists and specialists in occupational and sports medicine can improve the rehabilitation process. At Faktor Zdravlje Polyclinic we use a new, modern portable device to assess and monitor FEV, FEV1 and PEF, the three most common parameters for assessing lung capacities and volumes. In real-life situations, the device makes it possible to assess lung function in athletes with bronchial asthma or allergies, as well as the course of recovery after upper or lower respiratory tract infections and the best moment to return to training and top-level competition.
