Most asthma medicines are inhaled so that the medicine goes where it is most needed — the lungs. Inhalants also decrease the medication dosage, have fewer side effects, and work faster than medications taken other ways, such as ingested. It is important that you use your inhaler correctly to get the best results.

You should always use a spacer with your inhaler. Here are some advantages to using a spacer:

• Spacers help to slow the initial rapid inhalation so that the irritant properties of the aerosol are reduced. Therefore, spacers help decrease the tendency to cough after you inhale your medication.
• With a spacer, the delivery of medication to your lungs is improved, and the deposition of medication into your mouth and throat is lessened. This can decrease the possibility of oral candidiasis (thrush) sometimes associated with using the inhaled corticosteroids.
• Spacers and holding chambers make your metered dose inhaler more efficient and easier to use.
• Spacers are especially helpful for people who have highly irritable airways.

Don’t wait any longer to get a medical diagnosis and an effective treatment plan. If you think you or a family member may suffer from asthma, call to schedule an appointment right away.