Are you using your asthma inhaler properly?

Although it sounds simple, especially when it comes to a chronic condition like asthma, studies show that the vast majority of sufferers are not using their inhalers correctly. This often means that the medicine does not get into the airways properly, meaning that in many cases otherwise manageable symptoms will persist or even worsen.

While the correct procedure for inhaler use might not be immediately straightforward, it is definitely worth spending a few minutes learning and perfecting your technique to give you more control over your symptoms and reduce your future likelihood of experiencing serious health complications due to your asthma.

What to remember when using your inhaler

• Stand or sit upright when using your inhaler
• Remove the mouthpiece cover, check inside to ensure it's clean and give it a shake
• Hold the inhaler upright with your thumb on the base and fingers on the top of the canister – your hand should make a C shape
• Breathe out as far as is comfortable and place the mouthpiece in your mouth, between your teeth. Close your lips around it and don't bite
• Breathe in through your mouth – just after you start to breathe in, press down on the top of the canister to release a puff of medicine. Continue breathing in steadily and deeply
• Take the inhaler out of your mouth and hold your breath for about ten seconds (or as long as comfortable).
• If you need another dose of medicine, wait for about 30 seconds before taking the second dose.

The above steps are for those using metered dose inhalers (or Evohalers), which are the most popular type of inhaler. If you use an alternative type of inhaler, please visit our asthma page so we can help you ensure you are using this correctly.

We offer inhalers through our online service—meaning you don’t have to visit a doctor every time you need an inhaler.