Spirometry is very important when it comes to your lungs. It measures the amount of air that you can breathe out and the time you need to do that. Numerous diseases related to lungs capacity can be diagnosed using spirometer. Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and CF, as well as other obstructive and restrictive pulmonary diseases patients rely on this simple instrument.

Checking the degree of restriction or obstruction of air flow using medical spirometer is usually done quarterly. Medically supervised test takes just a few minutes, and you can see the results right away. There are different types of spirometers available, and some are more sophisticated, with more functions.

Small personal spirometers can be mechanical or digital. Both types are simple to use, and very useful for all people having problems with their lungs. This include CF, Pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and similar problems. People with such diseases can avoid numerous serious problems if they track their lung condition regularly.

Regular spirometry can provide very useful insight into your health condition, especially when these results are compared with previous ones. Daily spirometry could detect various problems and help you recognize your symptoms in time. This way you can seek medical care in time and prevent more serious problems, for example pneumonia.

Incentive spirometer is mostly used after different surgeries, for people recovering from pneumonia or suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and similar diseases, or any other health condition that requires staying in bed for longer period of time. It helps you breathe properly and keeps your lungs clear and active. It can also prevent a collapse of one or both of your lungs.

During recovery period, people usually breathe shallow. Lungs cannot receive enough air this way, and fluids and mucus can obstruct their airways within one or both lungs. Built fluids can cause infections and pneumonia. That's why it is so important to breathe properly. Using spirometer may help you breathing properly, and this will keep your lungs clean and active.

Incentive spirometer has a tube you have to breathe air in through. A small ball or a piston will show you how much air you breathed in. Your doctor will give you special instructions about it. Over time, you will be able to breathe in more air, until normal level is reached. After you breathe in as much air as you can, keep it in for a few seconds, then breathe out normally.

Your doctor will tell you how long you should practice breathing this way. After recommended breaths, you should try to cough a few times, to remove built up mucus from your lungs. If you had any surgery recently, you should gently press a pillow on your incision while trying to cough, to reduce the pain.

Spirometer will give you very precise results about your lung condition. Remember to write these results and show them to your doctor. Chronic pulmonary diseases patients will be able to track down all possible changes, and inform their doctor about these changes before they cause air flow obstructions and even more serious health problems.