Using your inhaler

There are several different types of inhalers:

• Metered dose inhalers (MDIs, pMDIs): These release a puff or spray of medicine. Breathe in slowly and steadily to get the medicine into your lungs. You can also use a spacer with your metered dose inhaler to get more of the medicine into your lungs.
• Soft mist inhalers: These release medicine as a very fine mist. Breathe in slowly and steadily to get the medicine into your lungs.
• Dry powder inhalers (DPIs): These release a very fine, dry powder. You need to take a quick, deep breath in to get the medicine into your lungs.

Inhalers can contain either a single medicine or a combination of medicines. Depending on the medicine in your inhaler, you might need to use it every day to keep your lung condition under control or only when you feel short of breath.

When your doctor chooses an inhaler for you, they will think about:

• which medicine, or medicines, you need
• how well you can breathe in the medicine from the inhaler
• which inhaler device you find easiest to use.

It may be time to check you are using your inhaler correctly if:

• Your inhaler doesn’t seem to help your symptoms.
• You haven’t had your inhaler technique checked in the last 12 months, face to face by a health professional. Even if you’ve had the same inhaler for a long time, it’s easy to make small mistakes when using it.
• Your doctor has prescribed a new type of inhaler.
• A mist of medicine comes out of the top of the inhaler when you use it.
  Change bullet points to:
• Your inhaler doesn’t seem to help your symptoms.
• You haven’t had your inhaler technique checked in the last 12 months, face to face by a health professional. Even if you’ve had the same inhaler for a long time, it’s easy to make small mistakes when using it.
• Your doctor has prescribed a new type of inhaler.
• A mist of medicine comes out of the top of the inhaler when you use it.
• A mist of medicine comes out of your mouth when you breathe out after using your inhaler.
• You mostly feel the inhaled medicine on your tongue, in your mouth or in the back of your throat.
• You’re finding it hard to use your inhaler. A different type may be easier for you to use.
• You’re having side effects from your inhaler.
• You have any questions about using your inhaler.

When you use your inhaler the right way, the medicine has the best chance of reaching your lungs. This means you are getting the right amount of medicine and there is less chance of side effects. There are lots of different types of inhalers so it’s important you know how to use yours the right way.

Studies show that up to 9 out 10 people do not use their inhaler the right way[1].

Ask your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse to check how you use each of your inhalers. They can demonstrate the correct way to use your inhalers and other devices, check your technique, or suggest a different type of inhaler if needed. Ask them to check your technique at least once every year or if you change to a different type of inhaler.

Using a spacer with your puffer to help improve delivery of the medication into your airways is critical to ensure you get the most benefit from your medication. A puffer and spacer is also less challenging to use than a puffer alone because you don’t have to co-ordinate pressing down on the puffer and breathing in. Spacers are especially useful if you have trouble taking in one big breath and holding your breath. If you use a spacer with your puffer, you can use the four breathe technique, breathing in and out gently on the spacer which you may find easier.

A spacer should be cleaned every 2-4 weeks and following a cold/flu. To clean your spacer: 

• Pull it apart where possible 
• Wash it in warm soapy water and allow it to drip-dry; do not rinse it or dry it with a cloth, as this can result in static build up inside of the spacer 
• Put the spacer back together again once it is completely dry. 

New spacers (e.g. Able Spacer Universal, Volumatic) need to be washed before you use them for the first time. Spacers made from antistatic polymers (e.g. Able A2A, AeroChamber Plus, Breathe Eazy, La Petite E-Chamber, La Grande E-Chamber, OptiChamber Diamond) do not need to be washed before first use, nor do disposable cardboard spacers.