For people who suffer from Asthma, winter is the worst time of year for managing the condition.
Cold air and more time spent indoors with triggers like dust mites, smoke and viruses can worsen Asthma symptoms.
Asthma is a serious condition, and with this mind, the 2 million Australians with Asthma need to be extra mindful of managing their asthma during the colder months. Having an action plan to avoid the things you know will trigger your asthma is very important.
One important part of controlling your asthma is using your inhaler devices, such as Ventolin and Asmol, correctly.
Unfortunately, around nine out of 10 people do not use them correctly and this means they are not getting the full benefits from their inhaler. This can lead to asthma triggers having a bigger effect and the condition not being as well controlled.
This means more time missed from work or school and unnecessary increases in medication. There are a few basic tips to using your inhaler correctly.
The main thing to remember is to breathe in as you squeeze the inhaler. When you breathe in, think about drawing the puff deep into the lungs.
I often see people take a quick, sharp incoming breath, but this leads to the medication going to the back of the throat, instead of the lungs.
Also, if you end up tasting the medication, then you know the medication has only gone into your mouth, not your lungs where it is needed. To achieve higher levels of medication into the lungs, it is recommended to use a “spacer”.
You squirt the puff into one end of the spacer, and you breathe in from the other end. The spacer allows the medication to be “captured” inside the spacer and you can just breathe in the medication in a relaxed manner. It saves you coordinating your breath with squeezing the inhaler.
