Proper Inhaler Use with Active’s Advanced Home Health Training
It may seem like a small thing, but improper inhaler use has devastating effects. Home health training for inhaler use helps prevent serious complications and improve a person’s quality of life.
Ask anyone with asthma and they will agree. There is nothing worse than feeling like you can’t breathe. When that chest tightness and breathlessness come, you don’t want to have to wait 30 to 60 minutes for a medication to kick in. Inhalers provide immediate and direct relief by relaxing the airway and limiting the chronic inflammation that is typical of diseases like asthma and COPD.
Did you know that 1 in 5 people do not use their inhaler properly? It is also estimated that up to 80% of all uncontrolled asthma is due to improper inhaler technique.
When inhalers are not used correctly, the medication fails to enter the lungs. Often, it is deposited in the back of the throat. Improper inhaler use causes a decrease in effectiveness. It also increases side effects, such as thrush and increased heart rate.
The effects of misusing your inhaler don’t stop there. Because the medication isn’t getting into the lungs, there is no relief from the inflammation. Symptoms get worse. This leads to more visits to the emergency room or urgent care. Most importantly, there is a severe drop in the quality of life for the patient.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Not all inhalers are the same. Some inhalers are not as intuitive as others. Before you use an inhaler for the first time, here are some questions to ask yourself before you use an inhaler.
- Do I need a spacer?
- Do I shake the inhaler before I use it?
- Do I need to prime the inhaler?
- How often do I use the inhaler?
- Do I need to rinse my mouth afterwards?
- What is the expiration date of my inhaler?
- Should I click it? Twist it? Load it? Push it?
- How do I hold my inhaler?
- How fast and long should I breathe?
Inhaler Training with Active Home Health
The good news is that Active Home Health is here to help you or your loved one with your inhaler use. If you are homebound, our nursing staff can observe and assess your use of an inhaler at no charge. This can be useful if you have been struggling with several inhalers or had to change to an unfamiliar inhaler due to insurance. In addition to teaching you how to use your inhaler properly, we will monitor your vital signs to make sure it is the right one for you. If there is any reason to believe that the inhaler is not working, we will communicate these concerns to your prescriber and ensure the right type of inhaler is prescribed.
Why Choose Active Home Health?
Nobody wants to constantly be in and out of doctor offices and hospitals. Active Home Health wants to keep you from cascading down the slippery slope of inhaler misuse. Our care plan, while only lasting a few short weeks, can make a lifetime of difference. If you or a loved one are struggling, don’t wait! Give us a call today.
