The Difference Between a Spacer & Puffer and a Nebuliser

Asthma affects everyone differently. Symptoms can range from mild to severe from patient to patient depending on the season. Although asthma has no cure, you can manage it with the help of your doctor. There are several devices or machines for your asthma that can help relieve symptoms. 

Treating asthma requires changes in lifestyle and taking medicines that may come in pill form, infusion form, or injectable form. Most of the time, doctors recommend breathing in medicine using an inhaler or a nebuliser. Through these devices, the medicine can go directly to your lungs.

What is an Inhaler Puffer with a Spacer?

Inhalers are the main form of treatment for asthmatics. A small dose of medication is directly administered to the airways using inhalers and is enough to treat inflamed airways. However, you need to use the inhaler correctly for them to work. According to a 2017 news release, about 70% to 90% of patients make a mistake that keeps some medicine from making it to their lungs when using metered-dose inhalers (MDIs). As a result, doctors have recommended using a spacer with an inhaler.

A spacer is a plastic tube device that you can attach to your MDI. Using this helps slow down the speed of the aerosol coming from the inhaler to provide a relaxed inhalation. It also prevents side effects because it ensures that more medication goes into the lungs and less medication gets left behind in the mouth and throat.

What is a Nebuliser?

A nebuliser, or a breathing machine for asthma, is a device that transforms liquid asthma medications into a mist you can inhale. They come in portable and tabletop models and power up with batteries or electricity. It has a mouthpiece connected to a tube that, using an air compressor, creates a mist of liquid medication you can inhale. You can use some nebulisers in conjunction with face masks that cover your mouth and nose. For very young children, using this device is very beneficial because once set up and ready to use, they can simply breathe in and out as normal.

The Difference Between Using a Puffer with a Spacer

and a Nebuliser

While both asthma devices are effective when used correctly, some patients may prefer one over the other. We suggest consulting your doctor before trying out a new device or machine for your asthma. If you’re wondering what to expect from both devices, here are their main differences:

1. Spacers are recommended to treat acute asthma

Clinical trials found that children spent a longer time in the emergency department when using a nebuliser breathing machine for acute asthma attacks than those who used a puffer and a spacer to get high-dose reliever medicine. If you have mild to moderate acute exacerbations from asthma, ask your doctor if you can use a spacer device with your inhaler.

2. Portable nebulisers are lightweight and compact

When using a puffer and a spacer, you still have to focus on breathing. If you’re accustomed to using a tabletop nebuliser but have a fast-paced lifestyle, portable nebulisers on the market may help. The e-chamber Portable Nebuliser is a trusted low-cost, lightweight, and compact nebuliser in the market that employs Active Mesh Technology and comes with a rechargeable lithium battery.

Note: Before using any nebuliser, we recommend talking to your doctor first.

3. Spacers are cheaper than nebulisers

Without electricity or a battery to work, a puffer with a spacer can be cheaper. An anti-static spacer helps deliver the prescribed amount of asthma medication directly to your lungs so your inhaler won’t run out after a few puffs. Also, it’s unlikely that medicine ends up in your mouth and throat. As a result, you won’t have to spend extra money on buying oral antifungal medications when you experience side effects or on more medication due to wastage.

4. Children prefer using a nebuliser to a puffer with a spacer

Have you had asthma since you were a child? Then, you know that using an inhaler is challenging. Even with a spacer, you need to inhale the medicine as soon as you puff the inhaler. Using a nebuliser, on the other hand, is easier because you only have to breathe as normal. For children who may hate taking medicine, the latter is preferable.

Buy e-chamber Asthma Devices from Us!

Home Healthcare Online is an official reseller of e-chamber. You can get their device or machine for your asthma to help administer your medication intake. Their spacers are anti-static, so you get the maximum benefit from the medication of your inhaler. We also sell their Portable Nebuliser if your doctor has recommended its use. 

Go to our shop page to order today! We also have other products like infection control Australia, unvalved masks Australia and valved masks Australia - order now!