Asthma Bottle Spacers: How to Use

[edit] Instructions
[edit] Using a bottle spacer with your asthma medication
These instructions are also available by download.
What is a spacer? A spacer is an empty chamber that can be attached to some asthma inhalers. Spacers make the medicine more effective while reducing side effects.
How does the spacer work? When a dose of medicine is sprayed from an inhaler, it is moving very fast. When a spacer is not used, much of the medicine sticks to the inside of the mouth and throat instead of the lungs. A spacer slows the medicine down so the user can inhale the medicine slowly and get more medicine to the lungs where it is needed.
Why should I use a spacer? Spacers make inhalers up to 70% more effective. This saves money and reduces the need for medicine. Spacers also reduce side effects like thrush, nervousness, bad taste, and sore throat that can be caused by inhaled medicine. [1]
Why is this spacer made out of a bottle? Commercial spacers can cost $20-$40 each and are not always paid for by health insurance. Several studies have shown that bottle spacers are as effective as commercial spacers. By providing this simple, low-cost spacer to our patients, we can improve your asthma treatment while saving you money. [2][3]
What should I do the first time I use the bottle spacer?
Remove the cap. Because each spacer is made from an unused water bottle, removing the cap for the first time should break the seal between the cap and the bottle.
Rinse the bottle and look inside the bottle, making sure that there is nothing inside.
Fill a pot (or other container large enough to hold the entire spacer) with cool water. Stir in a few drops of household dish detergent and soak the bottle for at least 5 minutes. The detergent helps reduce a static charge that makes the spacer less efficient.[4] Allow the spacer to drip-dry for at least 12 hours.
Clean your spacer this way at least once a month.
How do I use the bottle spacer?
Shake your inhaler and insert it into hole in base of bottle.
Put mouthpiece of spacer in your mouth.
Close your lips around the mouthpiece and make a tight seal.
Press down on the inhaler, spraying a dose into the spacer.
Take a slow, deep breath.
Hold your breath for 10 seconds.

[edit] References
↑ Journal of Aerosol Medicine, September 1995
↑ Archives of Disease in Childhood, February 2007
↑ Lancet, September 1999
↑ European Respiratory Journal, March 1999