There is no need to stress the importance of inhalers for asthmatics. Handheld, transportable asthma inhalers let you intake medication via your lungs. There are numerous asthma inhalers available to assist in managing asthma symptoms. Choosing the best one and using it effectively can assist you in getting the medication required to cure or prevent asthma episodes.
To choose the ideal inhaler for the treatment of asthma in adults, you must strike a balance between the right medication, the inhaler type that best meets your needs, and your ability to use the inhaler appropriately. To use the inhaler appropriately, you must receive training from your doctor or another health care practitioner. Look at various asthma inhalers below.
Metered dose inhalers
Metered dose asthma inhalers have a pressurized medicine canister that slides into a shoe-shaped mouthpiece made of plastic. Most metered dose inhaler treatment of asthma in adults requires you to insert the canister into the boot in order to release the medication.
Some metered dose inhalers automatically release medication as you inhale. There are certain metered dose inhalers with built-in dose counters so you can keep track of how many doses are left.
Between the inhaler and your mouth, a spacer retains the drug in a tube until it is released. A particular spacer called a valved holding chamber has a one-way valve to help control the medicine flow.
You can breathe more slowly and get more medicine into your lungs by releasing the medication into the spacer. A prescription is required for spacers and holding chambers.
Metered dose inhaler with a face mask
This kind employs a normal metered dose inhaler with a spacer and is typically used for newborns or young children. To ensure the proper dose of medication enters the lungs, the face mask, which is attached to the spacer, fits over the mouth and nose.
Dry powder inhaler
In these inhalers, the drug is released by inhaling deeply and quickly rather than using a chemical propellant to force it out of the inhaler. Both single-dose devices, which you fill with a pill before each treatment, and multiple-dose devices, which may store up to 200 doses, are available for asthmatics for purchase.
Soft mist inhaler
The somewhat bigger soft mist inhalers, compared to traditional metered dose inhalers, are propellant-free devices. Unlike dry powder inhalers and metered dose inhalers, these devices release a low-velocity aerosol mist that can be inhaled gently over a longer period of time. Children can benefit from these face masks or soft mist inhalers with a valved holding chamber.
Nebulizer
Using a mouthpiece or mask that covers the nose and mouth, the asthmatic user inhales a fine mist of the asthma medication released by this device. For those who cannot use an inhaler, such as infants, young children, the very ill, or those who require high doses of medication, a nebulizer is typically very useful.
Final thoughts
Choose the inhaler for permanent treatment for asthma that will work best for you by working with your doctor. Learn how to use it by asking your doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional.
Making sure you obtain the right dosage of medication to keep your asthma under control requires proper inhaler use. If you are experiencing problems using your inhaler or if it appears that you are not receiving enough medication, speak with your doctor.
If your inhaler’s expiration date has passed or it indicates that all of the dosages have been taken, replace it.
