Spirometry is a breathing test which can be done at your GP surgery or at a hospital outpatient clinic.
- Your height and weight are accurately measured.
- You sit upright with feet on floor on a chair with arms.
- You will be asked to take a full deep breath in and then BLAST!!! out as hard and as fast as possible for as long as possible.
- You then breathe in as fully and deeply as possible.
- The test is repeated three times with a rest in between each test.
The following film clip shows how a spirometry test is done.
(Running time: 1 minute 41 seconds, video provided by NHS Lothian Respiratory MCN)