Diagnosis of Occupational Asthma

How is Occupational Asthma Diagnosed?

The first step in diagnosing Occupational Asthma is identifying whether or not the patient has the hallmark symptoms of Asthma itself. This evaluation is usually based on history and clinical examination but may additionally include objective tests such as:

Peak Flow Measurements – also referred to as Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) or Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), this is a test using a small hand-held device that monitors the person’s ability to breathe out air. It measures the airflow from the lungs and displays whether they are constricted or not. In most cases when patients are healthy the airflow is greater than when there is any kind of obstruction or irritation, such as those found is asthma sufferers. These tests can easily be carried out by the sufferer themselves, and so they can test their PEF before, during and after work, allowing the difference in flow rates to be identified.

Spirometry is a non-invasive test that measures how well you can breathe. It involves spending 10 -15 minutes taking deep breaths and forcefully exhaling into a hose that is connected to machine called a Spirometer. This machine takes a range of measurements that are cross-referenced against your age, gender and smoking history to determine if your lungs may be blocked by some kind of inflammation. Following testing under normal circumstances the doctor will then administer a bronchodilator drug (a medicine used in asthma treatment) and then repeat the test. If your breathing improves it is likely that you suffer from asthma.

These tests can help in identifying if a patient has asthma, but further investigation is needed to prove that the condition has been caused through employment.

Firstly, tests must be carried out to identify if there are particular irritants in the workplace. Any potential irritants or allergens that are present must be identified and their levels measured: it is not sufficient simply to identify the presence of these chemicals, as conclusive proof of the asthma being occupational will need further tests. If any substances present are thought to be related to asthma, then a series of tests should be performed to identify the reactions to specific substances.
These may include:

Allergy Skin Test – where a doctor will dose your skin with a purified allergy extract and then watch for any signs of an allergic reaction.

Challenge Test – in this test your lung function is tested before you inhale from an aerosol that contains a small amount of a suspected chemical to see if it elicits a reaction. A subsequent lung function test will tell whether or not you are vulnerable to the particular substance.

A less technical way of investigating and potentially diagnosing occupational asthma is looking at how the sufferer reacts when taken out of the workplace for a period of time. If the symptoms reduce significantly it can aid in the diagnosis of occupational rather than other types of asthma.

Contact us today for free, no obligation advice regarding your work-related asthma claim – either by calling us free on 0800 122 3130, or by requesting a free call back, whereby one of our team will contact you at a time of your choice, to discuss your situation. When you contact us you are under no obligation to continue with the case unless you wish to do so.

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