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Overview of Asthma Inhalers
Inhalers are probably the most efficacious treatment for asthma patients during an attack. The prescription you get from your doctor if you have been diagnosed with asthma will almost surely contain an inhaler. The increased effectiveness of inhalers as compared with other types of asthma medication comes from the fact that they can bring instant relief. It may be useful to have a closer look at what inhalers are and how exactly they work. The inhaler is actually an apparatus containing medication, usually some kind of bronchodilator. An inhaler allows the patient to breathe in this medicine, which is the reason it all works so fast. Instead of waiting for a pill or an injection to take effect, the patient can have the asthma medication dispensed directly into their airways, where it is actually needed. The result is an opening up of the bronchial tubes, allowing the air to pass through them easily. Inhalers can be used as a preventive measure, but they are most often relied upon during an asthma stroke, when quick relief is absolutely necessary. Inhalers are also quite easy to use. Inhalers usually come in the form of a pocket-sized tube with a spacer attached to it. The patient first shakes the tube, then exhales completely; the spacer is then inserted into the mouth and the inhaler button is pressed, after which the patient starts breathing the content in slowly. The patient then holds her breath for a few seconds, and that's it. The inhaler normally dispenses the right amount of medication, which is why it's also commonly called a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). Your doctor can give you precise recommendations on how to use your MDI. Inhalers without a spacer are less effective because more care is needed when using them to prevent the asthma medication from ending up on your tongue instead of your lungs. The inhaler itself is pretty much the same all the time, but the asthma medication it contains are different from one patient to another. This is because asthma has many different causes and manifestations. It is, therefore, logical that using another person's inhaler is not recommended; it may simply be the wrong medicine, even if it looks the same.
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