Why do peak flow

Ask your GP or asthma nurse for more information on what would be considered a normal score for you. To help diagnose asthma, your result can be compared to what would usually be expected for someone of your age, height and gender.

A significant difference between your score and a normal score, or a difference in your scores in the morning and evening or when your symptoms are good and bad, may suggest you have asthma. If you're monitoring your asthma at home, your score should be compared to your best result at a point when your condition was well controlled.

A big difference between your current and best score could be a sign that your condition is becoming poorly controlled or that you're having an asthma attack. If you have a personal asthma action plan, it might say what you should do when your peak flow score falls to a certain level.

You may just need to use one of your inhalers, or you may need to seek medical help. Peak flow zones are areas of measurement on a peak flow meter. The goal of the peak flow zones is to show early symptoms of uncontrolled asthma. Peak flow zones are set differently for each person. Your healthcare provider will help determine your peak flow zones. The 3 peak flow zones are noted by color and include:.

This is the zone you should be in every day. 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. A peak flow meter may help you and your healthcare provider identify causes of your asthma at work, home or play, and it can help parents determine what might be triggering their child's asthma. Step 1 : Before each use, make sure the sliding marker or arrow on the Peak Flow Meter is at the bottom of the numbered scale zero or the lowest number on the scale.

Step 2 : Stand up straight. Remove gum or any food from your mouth. Take a deep breath as deep as you can. Put the mouthpiece of the peak flow meter into your mouth. Close your lips tightly around the mouthpiece. Be sure to keep your tongue away from the mouthpiece.

In one breath, blow out as hard and as quickly as possible. Instead of slowly blowing, blow a fast, hard blast until you have emptied out nearly all of the air from your lungs. Step 3 : The force of the air coming out of your lungs causes the marker to move along the numbered scale. Note the number on a piece of paper. Step 4 : Repeat the entire routine three times.

You know you have done the routine correctly when the numbers from all three tries are very close together. Step 5 : Record the highest of the three ratings. Do not calculate an average.

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 zone means that air is moving well through the large airways in your lungs. It means that you can do your normal activities and go to sleep without trouble.

This means caution or slow down. Measurements in this zone are a sign that your large airways are starting to narrow. You may start to have mild symptoms. These may include coughing, feeling tired, and feeling short of breath. Or feeling that your chest is tightening. These symptoms may keep you from your normal activities. They may also stop you from sleeping well.

This means stop. Readings in this zone mean you have severe narrowing of your large airways. Call your healthcare provider because this is a medical emergency.

You should get help right away or call if you are having troubling breathing or feeling lightheaded or dizzy. You may be coughing, very short of breath, and wheezing while breathing in and out. Or you may be having retractions. This means the muscles between your ribs are working hard to help you breathe. You may also have trouble walking and talking. Always refer to your Asthma Action Plan.

Peak flow measurement using a peak flow meter is useful for people with asthma. During an asthma flare-up, the airways in the lungs slowly start 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 figure out:. 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 find 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 lets you make early changes in your medicine or routine. This can help you keep asthma symptoms from getting worse.

The PFM can also find the reading at which you need to call your healthcare provider or go to the emergency room.