Correct Inhaler Use: How to Use Your Inhaler Right and Avoid Common Mistakes

When it comes to managing asthma or COPD, correct inhaler use, the precise way to deliver medication directly into the lungs. Also known as inhaler technique, it’s not just about pressing the button—you need timing, breathing, and positioning all aligned. Many people think their inhaler isn’t working because their symptoms don’t improve fast enough. But more often than not, the problem isn’t the drug—it’s how it’s being used. Studies show up to 70% of people use their inhalers incorrectly, which means they’re getting far less medicine than they should.

There are two main types of inhalers: metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) and dry powder inhalers (DPIs). Metered-dose inhalers, pressurized devices that spray medication when activated. Also known as puffer inhalers, they require you to coordinate pressing the canister with a slow, deep breath. If you press too early or too late, the medicine hits your throat instead of your lungs. Dry powder inhalers, devices that release medication when you breathe in quickly and deeply. Also known as breath-actuated inhalers, they don’t need timing—just strong, fast inhalation. But if you breathe too slowly, the powder won’t reach deep into your airways. Both types need a spacer for kids, older adults, or anyone struggling with coordination.

Common mistakes include not shaking the inhaler, not holding your breath after inhaling, not cleaning the mouthpiece, and using the wrong breathing pattern. Some people puff and then immediately breathe out. Others tilt their head back too far. Some don’t rinse their mouth after steroid inhalers, which leads to thrush. These aren’t small errors—they directly impact how well your lungs get the medicine. Even if you’ve used your inhaler for years, it’s worth checking your technique every six months. Pharmacists can show you how to do it right in under five minutes.

What you’ll find here isn’t just theory. Real people share what actually works—how one man fixed his asthma flare-ups by learning to use his inhaler with a spacer, how a nurse taught her elderly patients to use DPIs without coughing, and why some inhalers need to be primed before the first use. You’ll see clear, step-by-step fixes for the most common errors. No jargon. No fluff. Just what you need to know to make your inhaler actually work.