Are Your Lungs Healthy? Find Out With Lung Testing

At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, Dr. Avi Ishaaya offers lung tests that test the capacity, health, and function of your lungs. Based on an initial medical exam and your symptoms, our board-certified physician in pulmonary, sleep, internal, and geriatric medicine, can suggest pulmonary function tests that can confirm a lung diagnosis. If he considers it necessary, he may also perform allergy testing. Our radiology suite in Los Angeles, CA contains state-of-the-art equipment, and we even have a certified radiologist on-site. This enables you to get your imaging results quickly, so we can start your treatment much faster and help you achieve healthy lungs.

Common lung conditions

At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers, we can diagnose and treat a variety of lung conditions after pulmonary function testing, including:·

Asthma: Asthma symptoms can include shortness of breath, tightening in the chest, wheezing, or coughing. Dr. Ishaaya can treat asthma effectively at his Los Angeles, CA office.
Bronchitis: Bronchitis occurs when your body has been triggered by something you inhaled or by a virus. It can lead to a cough, sore throat, noisy breathing, congestion in the chest, and mucus.
COPD: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be diagnosed with a pulmonary function test. Patients with COPD usually have labored breathing, a chronic cough with mucus, and shortness of breath.
Pneumonia: Lung testing is beneficial to patients experiencing chills, a fever, swollen lymph nodes, a cough with mucus, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

What is a pulmonary lung function test?

Lung function tests are conducted to check how well the lungs are working. They may be done as a means to diagnose lung disease, to check how the treatment is working for an existing lung issue, or because of problems breathing. They are noninvasive breathing tests that are conducted in-house at our Los Angeles, CA office. These lung tests may include:

1. Oxygen six-minute walk study

2. Methacholine challenge

3. Lung imaging (CT scan, ultrasound, or x-ray)

4. Exhale nitric oxide test

What does a lung function test involve?

At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers in Los Angeles, CA, we use lung function tests to see how much air your lungs can hold, how quickly they move this air in and out, and how well they put oxygen into and remove carbon dioxide from your blood. During these tests, we can compare your lung function to others to see how well they are working and to your previous results (if you have an existing condition). We assess the effectiveness of treatment and look for the need for a medication change. We also measure lung volume and any changes in lung function. Lastly, we use these tests to diagnose lung disorders or lung disease. Ultimately, no single lung test can determine these things, so more than one test must be done for the most thorough evaluation.

How to prepare for a lung function test

To properly prepare for a lung function test in Los Angeles, CA, you should:

Stop smoking at least one hour before your lung test (and entirely)
Refrain from alcohol consumption at least four hours before a test
Avoid strenuous exercise before your test
Wear loose and comfortable clothing to your test
Eat a light meal about two hours before your lung test since a heavy meal can affect your breathing

If you are on a medication that you can think can affect your test results, Dr. Ishaaya will be able to tell you if you should refrain from taking it before your lung test.

See how well your lungs are functioning with pulmonary function tests

At Dr. Avi Ishaaya Centers in Los Angeles, CA, we offer lung testing that helps us to detect common lung conditions, disorders, and diseases. We are well-trained and certified in pulmonary medicine to help our patients to resolve their lung conditions. To learn more about what Dr. Avi Ishaaya can do for your health, call our team to schedule an appointment to discuss pulmonary function testing.