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People who are suffering from asthma are usually given asthma inhalers by their doctors. Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease that is characterized by bronchospasm, reversible airflow obstruction and other recurring symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, wheezing, and shortness of breath.

Inhalers for asthma, also known as metered dose inhalers, are devices that give a specific amount of medication to the lungs. Aside from helping with asthma management, they are also used for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other respiratory diseases. The medicines in an asthma inhaler are usually bronchodilators, corticosteroids, or a combination of both. Less typical medicines that also use metered dose inhalers include mast cell stabilizers.

There are different types of prescription and over the counter asthma inhalers. Looking for the right asthma inhaler can ensure that you get the right dosage of medicine to prevent or treat you on the event of an asthma attack.

Metered dose inhalers

This type of asthma inhaler has a pressurized canister that contains the medicine. This canister is inside a boot-shaped plastic mouthpiece. The medicine is released when the canister is pressed into the mouthpiece. Some metered dose inhalers have an indicator that shows the user how many doses of medicine remain in the canister. Using a metered dose inhaler may require a user to coordinate his or her breathing with the release of the medicine.

Metered dose inhaler with spacer

This inhaler for asthma uses an add-on device that serves as a holding chamber or spacer. The holding chamber acts as a reservoir and reduces the speed of the aerosol entering the mouth. By using a spacer, it is easier to use an inhaler and it ensures that the medicine gets to the lungs and not just in the mouth or at the back of the throat. This type of inhaler can be less convenient to bring around because the spacer can be bulky.

Dry powder inhaler

This type of asthma inhaler does not use a chemical propellant to push the medicine out of the inhaler. Instead, a person using a dry powder takes a deep and fast breath to release the medicine. The dry powder is often packaged in gel capsules or in single dose quantities in blisters. A person who uses this kind of inhaler should take care in taking the medication because there is a chance that he or she might accidentally breathe out and blow away the medicine.

A dry powder inhaler is more expensive than other types of inhalers and is not recommended for patients with severely compromised lung functions because it might be hard to create enough airflow for it to function. It should also be stored in a cool and dry place because high humidity can cause the medicine to clump.

Now you know a little bit about them, you just cannot go to the pharmacy and ask for what you want. You have to know what is best and you can only know that if you consult with your doctor about what type of asthma inhalers are the best for you.

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