Like humans, animals can also get asthma. Mischka the Otter's asthma was triggered by thick smoke and was affecting her play time at the Aquarium. But the simple asthma spacer came to Mischka's rescue. Find out how the spacer can help improve your asthma management.
Do you find your asthma limits your daily activities like going for a jog on the beach or a hike in the bush? You may need your asthma treatment plan reviewed. Undiagnosed asthma, insufficient asthma medication or poor inhaler technique can result in poor asthma treatment. When this happens, you may find that your daily activities are affected such as going for a jog on the beach or taking a hike in the bush.
If you are already on asthma medications, it is important that you use them correctly to ensure the maximum amount of medication is delivered to the lungs where the inflammation is occurring. Spacers are also commonly used to help with the administration of certain asthma medications.
A spacer essentially looks like a clear plastic container. It has a special mouthpiece on one end and a hole for the inhaler on the other end. The medication is “puffed” into the spacer and then inhaled through the mouthpiece. Alternatively a face mask can be used, and is especially helpful in younger children.
Benefits of spacers include:
- Increased medication delivered to lungs
- Reduced local side effects as less medication sticks in mouth and throat
- May reduce the dose required compared to that used in a nebuliser
Speak to one of our pharmacists about your asthma medication. They can also show you how to use your asthma inhaler correctly and how a spacer might be able to help you.