Disclaimer:
This medical
information is designed as an aid only for the
patients of
Drs. Concannon & Vitale.
It is not a substitute for a medical
exam and direct
advice from your physician.
How
to use an asthma inhaler properly
Position A.
Hold the inhaler one to
two inches away from your
mouth and open your mouth. |
Position B.
Use a spacer/holding chamber
(recommended especially for young children
and people using corticosteroids).
|
|
Position C.
Place the inhaler in your
mouth. Do not use this position
if you are inhaling corticosteroids.
|
Position D (for inhaled dry powder
capsules).
When using a dry powder inhaler, be sure
to close your mouth tightly abound the
mouthpiece of the inhaler and inhale rapidly.
|
Step by Step Inhaler Technique:
1. Remove the cap and hold the inhaler
upright.
2. Shake the inhaler.
3. Tilt your head back slightly and breathe out slowly.
4. Position the inhaler in one of the ways shown in the drawings (A
or B is best, but you can use C if you have difficulty with A or B. You
must use C if you have a breath-activated inhaler like a Maxair
Autohaler).
5. Press down on the inhaler to release medication as you start to
breathe in slowly. (If you are using a Maxair Autohaler or a dry powder
inhaler, you don't have to press down. Just breathe in rapidly.)
6. Breathe in slowly for three to five seconds.
7. Hold your breath for 10 seconds to allow the medicine to reach
deeply
into your lungs. -
8. Take another puff following the same procedure. Waiting 1 minute
between puffs may permit the second puff to penetrate your lungs
better.
9. Spacers/holding chambers are useful for all patients, especially
young children and those taking inhaled corticosteroids.
Avoid common inhaler mistakes by following these
tips:
• Breathe out before pressing
down on your inhaler.
• Inhale slowly. (But if you are using a breath-activated
inhaler,
breathe in fast.)
• Breathe in through your mouth, not your nose.
• Press down on your inhaler as soon as you start to inhale
(or within the first second of inhalation).
• Keep inhaling as you press down on the inhaler.
• Press down on the inhaler only once while you are inhaling
(one breath for each puff).
• Make sure you breathe in evenly and deeply.
NOTE: Other inhalers are becoming
available
in addition to the ones shown above. Different types of inhalers may
require
different techniques. Check with your doctor to make sure you are using
the right technique for your inhaler.
Adapted from National Asthma Education
and
Prevention Program: Expert Panel Report 2: Guidelines for the
Diagnosis
and Management of Asthma.Bethesda, MD, US Department of Health and
Human Services Publication No. 97-4501, 1997
Rev. 10/2005 INHALERSFORCHILDREN.htm
Back to Top
Back to Library Contents
Other sources:
Search
KidsHealth.org
Search
Children's
Hospital Boston