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I had a full set of pulmonary function tests done last week because of a persistent cough and shortness of breath. My doctor briefly went over the results, saying they were "mildly obstructive," but I didn't really understand the graphs and numbers. When you look up pulmonary function tests interpretation, it's all medical jargon. How do you make sense of the actual report?

That phrase 'mildly obstructive' is a pretty common way to describe a pattern on pulmonary function tests. The big numbers doctors look at are FEV1, FVC, and the FEV1/FVC ratio. Obstruction is suggested when that ratio is below the lower limit of normal for your age and body size. In many people with mild obstruction the FEV1 ends up around the 60s to upper 70s percent of what’s predicted, but the exact cutoffs depend on the lab’s reference values and the test run.

If you can, ask for a copy of the actual report and the numbers behind the label. Also ask whether they did a bronchodilator test and what the result was.

Reversibility matters: a meaningful improvement in FEV1 after using an inhaled bronchodilator points toward asthma or reactive airways rather than fixed lung disease. The common benchmark is an increase of at least 12% and 200 mL in FEV1.

Sometimes a mild result is influenced by temporary factors like a recent bronchitis, smoking, or suboptimal effort on the test day. If the pattern persists, your doctor might order additional tests like DLCO, lung volumes, or imaging to get a fuller picture.

When you go to the follow‑up, you might want a short list: what the likely causes are, what the next tests or treatments would be, and what symptoms would prompt earlier re‑testing. It helps to have a plan.

If you want, share the key numbers (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, and DLCO if provided) and I’ll translate them into plain language. Would you like to do that?

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