If you have asthma, the right inhaler plus correct technique makes a big difference. This page breaks down the main types, shows how to use them right, and gives simple care tips so your inhaler works when you need it.
There are two main roles for inhalers: fast relief and long-term control. Reliever inhalers (like salbutamol/albuterol) act quickly to open airways during wheeze or breathlessness. Preventer inhalers (inhaled corticosteroids such as beclomethasone or budesonide) reduce inflammation over time and cut flare-ups. Some inhalers combine a steroid with a long-acting bronchodilator for daily use.
Inhalers come in forms: pressurised metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs), dry powder inhalers (DPIs), and nebulisers. pMDIs spray medicine; DPIs deliver powder that you inhale with a sharp breath. Each type needs a slightly different technique.
Using the wrong technique is the most common reason inhalers fail. For a pMDI: shake the inhaler, breathe out fully, put the mouthpiece in your mouth, press the canister as you start a slow, deep breath, then hold your breath for 5–10 seconds before breathing out. If you need a second puff, wait about 30 seconds and repeat.
For a dry powder inhaler: load the dose if required, breathe out away from the device, seal your lips around the mouthpiece, then inhale quickly and deeply. Don’t shake a DPI. If you struggle with timing or coordination, ask about a spacer — a plastic tube that attaches to a pMDI and makes inhaling much easier and more effective.
Always follow the specific instructions that come with your device. Your pharmacist or nurse can watch your technique and correct small mistakes that make a big difference.
Simple tips: rinse your mouth after steroid inhalers to reduce throat irritation and oral thrush. Keep a reliever inhaler with you at all times. Check dose counters so you don’t run out unexpectedly.
Store inhalers at room temperature, away from direct heat and cold. Clean the mouthpiece weekly: remove the canister (for pMDIs) and rinse the plastic part, let it dry fully before reassembling.
Watch for side effects like a tremor or fast heartbeat from relievers, and hoarseness or thrush from steroids. If symptoms change, you need the reliever more than usual, or you wake at night with breathlessness, contact your healthcare provider and review your action plan.
Want to feel safer? Ask your doctor or pharmacist to check your inhaler technique during your next visit. Small fixes often cut attacks and make daily life easier.
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