Aerosol therapy is a type of medicine administered to treat various forms of respiratory disorders. This may be used for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), acute asthma, chronic asthma and other illnesses that impact the airways function. Therapies that can be qualified as aerosol therapy are numerous and that can include powdered or metered dosage inhalers or nebulizers. These therapies deliver small amounts of medication into lungs to cure breathing problems. Some of these medications cure the problem immediately while others have cumulative effect of reducing the inflammation. The treatment depends upon the type of illness and other factors.
Most people are familiar with the aerosol therapy which comes in the form of powdered inhalers or metered doses. Metered dose inhalers deliver medications, like albuterol. This helps to reduce the progress of the asthma attack. Other forms of inhalers contain corticosteroid which stops the asthma attack, but if used regularly reduces the number of severe attacks. People may have more than one these, like a steroid inhaler or fast acting inhaler which they use regularly.
Any inhaler may advantages and is also convenient to use. Disadvantage of an aerosol therapy is that the learning curve to use the device. So, children below 7 years are advised to use spacers. These spacers allow the medication to be inhaled.
Following are the 11 easy steps to take an effective and efficient aerosol therapy:
- Select a place in the house which is very comfortable, has electric outlet and good lighting.
- Plug the nebulizer compressor into the 3 – pronged outlets.
- Wash the hands before handling the hand held nebulizer or handling the medicine.
- Pour the medicine into the nebulizer cap.
- Reattach nebulizer cap to nebulizer cup.
- Connect one end of the supply tube to the nebulizer port and the other end to the nebulizer compressor.
- Sit in a comfortable position and turn on the nebulizer compressor. One can observe fine mist coming out from the mouth piece of the nebulizer. If not, check the nebulizer connections and make sure that nebulizer motor is running and the nebulizer cup contains adequate amount of medication.
- Keep the mouthpiece in the mouth and seal it with lips and aspire normally with the mouth.
NOTE: Do not breathe through nose. - Do not take deep breaths and rapid breathing. For every 10 – 15 breaths take a deep breath. This makes the medication to distribute evenly throughout the lungs.
- Treatment should be continued as per the course. If the person feels dizzy or light headed, take pause between the breaths for few seconds. Turn off the nebulizer, if the person has to take a pause for long period.
- Turn off the nebulizer once the treatment is done.
