Pulmonary Function Testing: What It Can Reveal About Your Lungs

If you’ve been having shortness of breath, chronic coughing, or wheezing, you may have an underlying lung condition. With these symptoms, your doctor may recommend a pulmonary function test (PFT). 

While it may sound complex, a PFT is a simple, noninvasive test we use at Respacare in Bridgewater, New Jersey, to measure how well your lungs work. Our experienced pulmonologists, Dr. Nehal Mehta and Dr. Prashant Patel, perform pulmonary function testing to better understand your breathing symptoms.

Here, we explain what pulmonary function testing might reveal about your lungs.  

What is pulmonary function testing?

Pulmonary function testing refers to a group of breathing tests that measure how well your lungs take in air, hold it, and move it out. These tests can also show how efficiently your lungs transfer oxygen into your blood. 

The most common test is spirometry. During spirometry, you take a deep breath in and blow forcefully out into a tube attached to the handheld spirometer. This device measures how much air you exhale and how fast you can empty your lungs.

Other breathing tests may evaluate lung capacity and how effectively your lungs exchange gases. The entire process is painless and typically takes less than an hour to complete.  

What conditions can PFTs identify?

We use PFTs to help diagnose and manage a number of breathing disorders. Some of the more common conditions include:

• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Emphysema
• Chronic bronchitis

You may also need pulmonary function testing before surgery to make sure your lungs are healthy enough to handle anesthesia and recovery.

What do the results show?

Pulmonary function tests evaluate several key measurements that provide insight into how your lungs function. Measurements include:

Airflow

Airflow measures how quickly air moves in and out of your lungs. Reduced airflow may indicate narrowed or obstructed airways, commonly seen in conditions like asthma or COPD.

Lung volume

Lung volume shows how much air your lungs can hold. Reduced lung volume is something we see with restrictive lung conditions like pulmonary fibrosis, where the lungs are stiff or scarred. 

Gas exchange

Gas exchange measures how well your lungs move oxygen into your bloodstream. Impaired gas exchange may help explain symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, or shortness of breath.

Together, these results help us determine whether your lung problem is obstructive, restrictive, or a combination of both. 

Why early testing matters

Many lung diseases develop gradually, and it’s common for people to adapt their daily activities without realizing their breathing has changed. Pulmonary function testing can detect subtle changes in lung health before symptoms become severe.

Early diagnosis allows for earlier treatment, which may slow disease progression, improve quality of life, and help you stay active. 

If you’re experiencing ongoing breathing symptoms or you have a worsening existing lung condition, pulmonary function testing can provide clear, objective information about how your lungs are doing. Understanding your results is an important step toward creating a personalized treatment plan that protects your long-term health.

Our skilled team can provide the testing you need. Call us today or request an appointment online.