What Is Respiratory Distress?
4. Diagnosing Respiratory Distress
The signs of respiratory distress are fairly straightforward, and it is often diagnosed through a physical exam. Your doctor will listen to your lungs for wheezing and congestion, check your heart rate and look for signs of hypoxia. There are also specialized tools that can be used to aid in diagnosing the condition and its severity.
A pulse oximeter is a simple, non-invasive device that is placed on your finger. It detects the amount of oxygen saturation within your blood within seconds and can be worn continuously to detect changes. An arterial blood gas test can be conducted to get an accurate measurement of both oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood.
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