Ever wonder if you’re getting the right amount of inhaler medicine? Using a metered dose inhaler by itself isn’t necessarily the best way to get the correct dose into your lungs. That’s why your doctor gave you a spacer. The Allergy & Asthma Center at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, offers these general instructions for using a spacer with your inhaler:

1. Take the cap off and shake the inhaler well. Five or six good shakes should be enough.
2. Attach the inhaler to the spacer, according to the instructions for your spacer model.
3. Sit or stand up straight and hold your head upright. It may help to visualize a puppeteer holding your head up by a string.
4. Take one normal breath - in and out - then stop. Don’t try to push all the air from your lungs.
5. Place the mouthpiece in your mouth, then press the top of the canister once as you breathe in slowly. Keep inhaling even after you finish the squeeze. Continue inhaling for about 5 to 7 seconds, or until your lungs are full of air.
6. Remove the mouthpiece from your mouth and hold your breath for 5 to 10 seconds. Then breathe out slowly through your mouth or nose.
7. Repeat if your doctor has instructed you to take more than one dose.

Your inhaler or spacer may come with slightly different instructions. Ask your doctor for a demonstration, and follow the instructions carefully.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 11th, 2007 at 1:52 am and is filed under Teens. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.