Using an inhaler seems so simple: You push the button, you breathe in the medicine, you feel better. But are you really getting as much medicine as you need? Many people use their inhalers improperly, making it harder for them to control their asthma.
Take this short quiz to see how much you know about these often-misused devices.
1. All metered dose inhalers (the most common type) are essentially the same — if you’ve tried one, you’ve tried them all. True or false?
True.
False.
2. If you feel the medicine hit your tongue or the back of your throat, you’ve probably made a mistake. True or false?
True.
False.
READ: Helpful Tips For Living With Asthma
3. How long should you hold your breath after inhaling the medicine?
a. Two seconds.
b. Five seconds.
c. Ten seconds.
d. As long as you can.
4. Who should consider using a spacer, a tube that carries the medicine from the inhaler to the mouth?
a. Young children.
b. Anyone taking corticosteroids.
c. Anyone having trouble using their inhaler.
d. All of the above.
READ: 5 Breathing Exercises You Should Try Out Today
5. Which of these statements about spacers is FALSE?
a. Spacers help reduce the side effects of medications.
b. You should fill the spacer with several blasts before inhaling to get the most medicine possible.
c. Spacers help get more medicine to the lungs.
d. In general, larger spacers work better than smaller spacers.
6. All inhalers are used for the same purpose. True or false?
True.
False.
Answer Key: