With over 5.4 million known cases today, there’s no denying that asthma is one of the most common illnesses in the United Kingdom. Out of this figure, experts revealed that around 1 million people, including adults and children, have severe asthma. As of today, there’s no cure available for asthma, irrespective of the level of illness. However, certain treatment options, such as using a blue asthma pump, can help control asthma symptoms.
Blue asthma pumps are reliever inhalers that provide you with immediate relief as soon as your asthma symptoms surface. These inhalers work by assisting you to relax your airways’ muscles, enabling you to breathe more smoothly and easily. Asthma reliever inhalers are life savers and must be kept in hand at all times.
Before going ahead to shop online on Ashcroft Pharmacy for the best reliever asthma inhaler, here are a few questions:
- Where exactly can you get relieving inhalers?
- What is the best time to use these relieving inhalers?
- What exactly is the difference between preventer inhalers and reliever inhalers?
- Are there any side effects to using your reliever inhaler?
Read on to find answers to these reliever inhaler-related questions above and many more.
Where can I get a relieving inhaler?
Chest pain, shortness of breath, sleeping difficulties, coughing, and wheezing when exhaling is some of the coon warning signs of asthma. Once you start experiencing these symptoms, the best thing to do is to visit your doctor. After diagnosis, if your GP finds you to have asthma, you’ll be provided with a reliever inhaler.
Furthermore, before your reliever asthma inhaler gets exhausted, you need to make an appointment with your doctor or asthma nurse to get a new prescription. With this prescription, you can always visit any licensed pharmacy near you to buy the right inhaler.
Alternatively, you can also order your prescribed asthma inhaler online at the best pharmaceutical store, such as Ashcroft Pharmacy. In this case, you only need to order Ventolin Inhalers directly from the pharmacy.
When do you use your asthma reliever inhaler?
Asthma Salbutamol inhalers are only advised to be used only when the need for them arises. The best time to use your asthma reliever inhaler is when you start experiencing symptoms, such as chest tightness, coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulties. This inhaler will provide immediate relief that keeps the symptoms and asthma attacks away.
Here’s what you should know about the use of an asthma reliever inhaler before exercise
An effective asthma reliever inhaler should be taken immediately before you engage in any activity that could make you breathless, such as sports. This is currently the best way for people with good asthma control to avoid asthma triggers, such as exercise.
Apart from preventing symptoms, taking this inhaler can assist you in avoiding the development of other asthma symptoms. However, relying only on reliever inhalers to exercise is not advisable. In addition, you should always consult your doctor before engaging in the trigger (exercise). Your doctor will let you know whether or not you need an upgrade.
Asthma reliever inhaler vs preventer inhaler: how do they compare?
● Asthma reliever inhaler
As mentioned earlier, asthma reliever inhalers are always blue. Furthermore, these medications are only good for use when your symptoms worsen, or you experience an asthma attack. With your reliever inhaler, you can quickly treat and manage your asthma symptoms.
● Preventer inhaler
Unlike reliever inhalers, preventer inhalers are usually available in a variety of colors. The best way to use this asthma medication is by following your doctor’s prescription for its daily usage to prevent asthma symptoms. This inhaler works by helping you keep both your airways’ inflammation and sensitivity under control.
One big difference between preventer inhalers and asthma reliever inhalers is that the former helps to address the airways’ underlying inflammation and sensitivity while the latter doesn’t do that. As such, it’s usually not advisable to take a reliever inhaler regularly for a long period to manage and control your symptoms. Doing this could make you experience an asthma attack.
3 types of reliever inhalers
Asthma reliever inhaler devices are available in different types:
- First, there are metered dose inhalers (MDIs), which you can use to deliver asthma medicine in aerosol form. Some good examples of MDIs are Airomir and Ventolin inhalers. For ease of administration of these medications, you need a spacer.
- As an asthma patient, if you have poor inhaler techniques, breath-actuated inhalers (BAIs) are all you need to automatically release a spray of asthma medicine. Two examples of this inhaler are Easi-breathe and Autohaler.
- Lastly, there are dry powder inhalers (DPIs). Instead of using your asthma medicine in the spray form, DPIs will help you take your medicine as a dry powder. Two effective products you can consider using are Accuhaler and Turbohaler.
The good thing about all the different types of reliever inhalers mentioned above is that they have their strengths and weaknesses. Your choice of the right one should be about picking a product to help you deliver the right dose of your asthma medication directly into your lungs. DPIs, BAIs, and MDIs are all effective. However, for you to enjoy the best of any of these inhalers, you need to know how to use the prescribed one correctly.
Combination inhalers (preventer + reliever)
As you already know, asthma has different types of treatment options. One effective option is by using the MART regimen. MART, also known as Maintenance and Reliever Therapy, is a type of asthma treatment plan that helps to manage asthma symptoms. Being on a MART regimen means you’re using a single inhaler as both a preventer and a reliever medication. Your doctor or asthma nurse is in the best position to tell you when to be on the MART regimen, including how to use your inhaler the right way.
What exactly are the adverse side effects of reliever inhalers?
As mentioned so far, asthma reliever inhalers are only suitable for use when your symptoms flare up unexpectedly. When you use your inhaler this way, you’ll most likely experience little to no negative effects.
- Speaking of the little side effects, you may experience a shaky or fast heartbeat rate. These effects, often reported by 1 in 10 people, are most likely to surface due to over puffing.
- Interestingly, these effects are harmless, temporary, and tend to disappear quickly.
If you want to avoid these side effects, what you need to focus on is your regular asthma review. By regularly visiting your doctor or asthma nurse, you’ll get the best advice on how to use your inhaler to achieve the best results.
Best practices for using your asthma reliever inhaler
- Asthma reliever inhalers are designed for unexpected situations. They help to relieve you as soon as your symptoms surface. As such, it’s usually advisable to keep this inhaler where you can easily access it should in case your symptoms show up unexpectedly. Of course, it’s also important to keep your friends and family informed about the storage position of the inhaler in case of an asthma attack.
- Another best practice is to always go out with your reliever inhaler. This is important, as unexpected symptoms can surface anytime and place.
- It’s essential to always place the cap on your reliever inhaler when it’s not in use. This move will prevent the mouthpiece from getting contaminated with particles that could further affect your lungs when mistakenly inhaled.
- It’s not good to use expired products. This explains why you should always check the expiration date of your inhaler before use. Replace your inhaler once you notice it’s reaching its expiration date, which is always about 6 months from when you first opened it. Check the side of the canister or the bottom of your inhaler box to see the expiration date.
- The best way to store your inhaler is to keep it at room temperature. Very high or low temperatures can greatly affect the effectiveness of the asthma medication in your reliever inhaler.
- It’s always important to check the amount of medicine left in your inhaler. This way, you can be sure of the right time to buy a new inhaler.
