Pulmonary Function Test

Pulmonary function tests involve a few different breathing exercises that measure how well the lungs take in and release air. There are four measurements that determine the size and strength of your lungs, as well as your ability to take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide.

There will be a $50 missed appointment fee or if cancelled with less than 24 hour notice,

BEFORE YOU COME

There are a few things we would like you to do prior to your appointment:

Bring a current list of your medications
Please refrain from smoking and avoid eating large meals prior to your test
If this is your first visit, please hold all inhalers (puffers) for at least 12 hours prior to your appointment
Please inform our office of any recent surgeries, particular performed on the abdomen or eyes
Please arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled time to fill out paperwork (or better yet, save some time and fill it out now & email it to us! It can be found here: patient questionnaire).

WHEN YOU'RE HERE

This test is performed in Medical Centre 2

Suite 303, 435 The Boardwalk, Waterloo, ON

Please head to the CPS Registration Desk and we will direct you from there.

A Registered Respiratory Therapist will assist you with your pulmonary function test appointment. You will be seating in a small cubicle, about the size of a telephone booth. You will be asked to breathe through a round mouthpiece while wearing nose plugs.

You may be asked to do any of the following:

Breathe quietly, at a resting pace
Take a deep breath in
Blow out all of your air as quickly and forcefully as possible
Hold your breath for 8-10 seconds
'Panting' exercises (2-3 seconds) against an open and blocked mouthpiece

You will be asked to take a couple doses of an inhaled medicine called Ventolin and then asked to repeat the breathing exercises to see its effect.

How long will my appointment be?

45 mins

AFTER YOU LEAVE

One of our respirologists will then interpret the entirety of the test, write a report, and send the results to your doctor.

More Information

There are many reasons why your doctor may have ordered spirometry testing.

Spirometry is helpful to:

Diagnose lung diseases such as Asthma, Bronchitis, and Emphysema
Find the cause of shortness of breath, cough, or wheeze
Measure lung function after hazard exposure
Measure your baseline before a surgery
Assess the effect of medication
Follow-up on progress in disease treatment

If you are still wondering why you were referred to us for spirometry, we encourage you to reach out to your doctor and ask for clarification.