Breathing Problems: Using a Dry Powder Inhaler
Breathing Problems: Using a Dry Powder InhalerSkip to the navigationIntroductionPeople who have
asthma or other lung diseases that make it hard to
breathe may use an inhaler to get the medicine they need into their lungs.
Inhaled medicine works faster than the same medicine in a pill. An inhaler also
lets you take less medicine than you would if you took it as a pill. You may have used a metered-dose inhaler in the past. But a dry powder
inhaler is different. These instructions are for using a dry powder inhaler. - A dry powder inhaler lets you breathe medicine
into your lungs quickly.
- A dry powder inhaler is breath-activated.
This means that when you breathe in through the inhaler, the inhaler releases
the medicine into your lungs.
- Dry powder inhalers come in different
shapes and sizes. For some, you need to add the medicine to the inhaler each time you use it. Other dry powder inhalers come with a supply of medicine already in them. But for these, you will need to "load" each dose of medicine each time you use it. How you load a dose depends on the type of inhaler you have.
How to use a dry powder inhalerThings to know before you start- Talk with your doctor,
respiratory therapist, or
pharmacist to make sure that you are using your
inhaler the right way. It may help to practice in front of a mirror. Use the
inhaler exactly as prescribed.
- Keep your inhaler in a cool, dry
place. Do not store your inhaler in the bathroom. Moisture in the air can cause
the dry powder to clump together and clog the inhaler.
- Keep track
of how much medicine is in the inhaler. Some dry powder inhalers have dose
counters that show how many doses are left in the inhaler. If your inhaler does
not have a dose counter, your doctor or pharmacist can teach you how to keep
track of how much medicine is left.
- Follow your doctor's or
pharmacist's instructions for cleaning your inhaler. Some powder may build up
on the inhaler, but you don't need to clean it every day.
- You may have other inhalers that you use for different medicines. If one of them is a metered-dose inhaler (which sprays out a mist of liquid medicine), you might be using a spacer with it. But you should not use a spacer with a dry powder inhaler.
Using a dry powder inhalerFollow these steps for using a dry powder inhaler: - Check that you have the correct medicine. If
you use several inhalers, put a label on each one so that you know which one to
use at the right time.
- Remove the inhaler cap, if there is one.
- Add or load a
dose of medicine as directed by your health care provider.
- Tilt your head back a little, and breathe out slowly
and completely. Hold the inhaler away from your mouth when you breathe out. Do
not breathe out into the inhaler. This can blow some of the powder out of the
inhaler. Also, the moisture in your breath can cause the dry powder to clump
together and clog the inhaler.
- Place the inhaler in your mouth, and
close your lips tightly around the mouthpiece.
- Inhale quickly and
deeply through your mouth for 2 or 3 seconds. This pulls the powder from the
inhaler into your lungs. After you have inhaled the powder, take the inhaler
out of your mouth.
- Hold your breath for 10 seconds. This will let
the medicine settle in your lungs. Then slowly breathe out through pursed lips.
Make sure not to breathe out into the inhaler. Repeat steps 1 through 7 if you need to take a second dose.
- If you
are using an inhaler with corticosteroid medicine, gargle and rinse out your
mouth with water after you use the inhaler. Do not swallow the water.
Swallowing the water will increase the chance that the medicine will get into
your bloodstream. This may make you more likely to have side effects from the
medicine.
CreditsByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerMartin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine Current as ofMarch 25, 2017 Current as of:
March 25, 2017 Last modified on: 8 September 2017
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