Pharmacist three-word alert that 'really matters' to anyone using an inhaler

Pharmacist three-word alert that 'really matters' to anyone using an inhaler He urged people to check the leaflet before using, or speak to their pharmacist immediately More than two million people in the UK use inhalers for a variety of health issues. These can range from asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), to chronic bronchitis and respiratory infections. Sometimes they are used to prevent inflammation and relax airway muscles, while other times they are used to deliver specialized medications. NHS prescribing data suggests that a little more than half of all inhalers used contain steroids, as they reduce swelling and mucus production. But a well-known pharmacist urged people taking steroidal inhalers to follow a simple three-word rule to make sure their health is not compromised. Raj Patel has hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. Known as Pharmacist Health Raj, he dispenses crucial every-day health advice for people to follow. 'Rinse and spit' He explained: "After (taking) your steroid inhaler, rinse and spit. Here's why that little step really matters. This applies to inhalers that contain steroids. A little of the medicine stays in your mouth after you use them. So, afterwards, rinse your mouth out well with water and then spit it out. That helps reduce the chance of a sore throat, a croaky voice, and an infection in your mouth called thrush. "Inhalers differ, so check the leaflet or let your pharmacist show you what yours needs. Keep using your as prescribed, don't stop it suddenly, and check your leaflet today. Does yours say, 'Rinse and spit'?" What do inhalers do? Inhalers are used to help you quickly ingest medicine into your lungs. The majority of the time, they are used to treat asthma and COPD. Some inhalers, called combination inhalers, contain two or more different types of medicine. If you have a combination inhaler, you might still have other separate inhalers. There are three main types of inhaler: - pressurised metered dose inhaler (pMDI) - dry powder inhaler (DPI) - soft mist inhaler (SMI). The GP or nurse who prescribes your inhaler should take a wide range of factors into account. These include what medicine you need, how much of it you need, which inhaler is best for this, which type you may prefer, if you need a dose counter, and even its carbon footprint. You will also be told how, when, and why you need to take, as well as the type of medicine inside. pMDI (pressurised metered dose inhaler) inhalers often come with a spacer. These are empty tubes that are usually made from plastic. You slot your inhaler into one end of the spacer and breathe the medicine in through the other end. They are used to make sure you are administering the right amount of medicine each time you use your inhaler. If you’re using a dry powder Inhaler (DPI) or a breath-actuated inhaler (BAI), you won’t need to use a spacer. Speak to your GP, nurse, or pharmacist if you’re not sure which type of inhaler you are using. If your symptoms are reducing, you sleep better, you can exercise regularly, and are having fewer asthma or COPD attacks/flare-ups, then you are probably using your inhaler correctly. Nebulisers There are also things called nebulisers, which - although similar to inhalers - are in fact very different. A is a machine mainly used in hospital. It changes liquid medicine into a fine mist. You breathe this mist in through your mouth using a face mask or mouthpiece. There are not many types of medicine that can be used in nebulisers. An inhaler is a handheld device that delivers the medicine as a spray or powder. Most people do not need a nebuliser. Nebulisers for asthma are mainly used in hospitals to treat a severe asthma attack, rather than at home. You should only use a nebuliser at home if you have a prescription from your doctor. Ensure our latest health headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings