Asthma Inhalers: 10 Common Myths You Need to Stop Believing Right Now

When it comes to treating conditions like asthma, pills or syrups are not better than inhalers. This is because these diseases cause swelling and narrowing in your airways. So, inhalers that deliver medicine directly to the problem area are much more effective.

May 5th is World Asthma Day. This year's message is simple: make sure everyone with asthma can get an inhaler. This day is a great chance for us to spread awareness about asthma and help those who are struggling with it. Inhalers are the main treatment for asthma, but sadly, there are a lot of myths floating around. By clearing up these doubts, we can help make this year's message a reality.

Inhalers - 10 Things You Need to Know

1. What are inhalers?

Inhaler therapy has completely changed how we treat asthma and COPD. Inhalers are basically devices that help deliver medicine directly into your airways. But unfortunately, there's a lot of wrong information and fake news about them.

2. What are the different types of inhalers?

So, how do you pick the right one? There are many types available. The main ones are Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs), Rotahalers, Turbohalers, and Breath-activated inhalers like Syncrobreaths. Your doctor decides the best one for you based on how severe your breathlessness is, your age, and how easily you can learn the technique.

3. Once you start, do you have to use inhalers for your whole life?

This is a common myth, and it's completely wrong. For asthma and COPD patients, inhaler therapy is the simplest and most effective treatment. You can start or stop it anytime. But for the best control, you need to use the right dose, in the right way, for a long time. For many asthma patients, doctors do stop the inhaler once the condition is well under control. They might ask you to use it only if the trouble comes back. However, for COPD patients, symptoms can last a long time, so they often need to use inhalers for longer to improve their quality of life.

4. Can pregnant and breastfeeding mothers use inhalers?

Absolutely. In fact, they are the safest and most effective option during these times. As we said before, the medicine works only in the airways and the dose is very small. So, it doesn't cause side effects in other parts of the body and is completely harmless for the baby.

5. Are inhalers safe for children?

Yes. Just like for adults, inhalers are very safe for children. Studies have shown that using inhalers from an early stage gives better control and stops the disease from getting worse. The only thing is, we need to make sure children are using the right technique. If they are using a spray inhaler, they might need an extra device called a 'spacer'.

6. Do inhalers cause addiction?

Not at all. The job of an inhaler is just to get medicine to your airways. Most inhalers contain bronchodilators (to open up the airways) and inhalational corticosteroids (to reduce swelling). Neither of these are addictive drugs. Plus, inhalers only work in the airways, so they don't reach other body systems or cause side effects there.

7. Do inhalers cause weight gain?

The answer is a big no. As mentioned earlier, inhaler medicines work only in the airways. They don't mix with your blood and reach other organs. Also, the amount of medicine is tiny, measured in micrograms. Such a small dose will not cause any side effects like obesity.

8. Can I take a pill or syrup instead of an inhaler?

For diseases like asthma, pills or syrups are not better than inhalers. Why? Because the problem—swelling and narrowing—is in the airways. So, inhalers that act directly there are much more effective. When you take pills or syrups, only a small part of the medicine reaches the lungs. But it mixes in your blood and reaches other organs, which can cause more side effects. So, replacing inhalers with pills is not a good idea. Sometimes, doctors might add a pill along with the inhaler for better control, but that's about it.

9. Are inhalers a last resort?

This is wrong. Inhalers are the first and most effective medicine in asthma treatment. In short, they are the first step. It's only when the condition doesn't improve that you might need things like nebulizers, steroid injections, and pills. To avoid reaching that stage, you must use inhalers in the right dose and right way from the very beginning.

10. Are inhalers just harmful steroids?

Inhalers contain different types of medicines. The main ones are bronchodilators to open up the airways and inhalational corticosteroids to reduce swelling. It's the corticosteroids that often cause misunderstanding. First, you don't need to panic when you hear the word 'steroid'. Our own body produces steroids. They are essential for many hormone functions and metabolic processes. The amount of steroid in an inhaler is much, much smaller (in micrograms) than what your body naturally makes. So, there's no need for this unnecessary fear. People often confuse these with anabolic steroids, which athletes and bodybuilders sometimes misuse. This is just another myth.

It's very important to rinse your mouth after using an inhaler. If you don't, some people might get sores or a fungal infection in their mouth. This is the only common side effect of inhaler treatment. You don't need to have any other fears about inhalers. The reality is that you can only control asthma with the proper use of an inhaler. Every World Asthma Day reminds us of this fact.

Article by:

Dr. G. Mahesh Dev,

Associate Professor

Department of Pulmonology

Azeezia Medical College, Kollam