When you consult your doctor, he or she will:

• determine if you have the symptoms of COPD/COLD (i.e. cough, excessive sputum and breathlessness)
• check if you have risk factors for developing COPD/COLD (e.g. cigarette smoking and exposure to certain environmental toxins).

If you have any of the above symptoms together with risk factors, it makes the diagnosis of COPD/COLD highly likely.

• Pulmonary (Lung) Function Testing

Spirometer

This is the most important tool used to confirm COPD/COLD. It can detect COPD/COLD in the early stages when the patient does not have any symptoms. During the test, the patient is asked to blow hard into a machine called the spirometer. The readings from the spirometer will help confirm the presence of COPD/COLD and assess its severity. This test is also useful in monitoring the patient's progress over time and to review effectiveness of treatment.

• Chest X-ray
  

A chest X-ray is useful to rule out other conditions which may seem like COPD/COLD. It is also useful in detecting the complications of COPD/COLD. However, by itself, a chest X-ray cannot confirm the diagnosis of COPD/COLD.