Things You Must Know Before Using A Nebuliser At Home

A nebuliser is a device that helps a person to inhale medicine as a mist, through a mouthpiece or a facemask. It turns the medicine into a liquid and helps to deliver the dose to the lungs, via inhalation. Nebuliser with a compressor is the most conventionally used nebulisers. However, with recent advances in the technology, various battery based handheld nebulisers are available in the market.

What Are Nebulisers Used For?

Nebulisers are one of the inhalation devices used for treating people suffering from a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and various other obstructive airway diseases. Home nebuliser therapy is particularly effective in delivering medications to infants, small children& geriatric patients and to anyone who is unable to use inhalers with spacers.

During a lung attack, inhaling the medicine through a nebuliser is more comfortable than using a pocket inhaler for asthmatic or COPD patients. On the other-hand side, children who aren’t old enough to use inhalers, often a doctor may ask them to use a nebuliser so that the medicine is easily delivered to the lungs without any breath co-ordination. Thus, nebulisers are very useful to provide asthma medication to children. Nebuliser is as effective as an inhaler, and also more comfortable to use than a small pocket-sized inhaler.

Nebulisers can be used to deliver both short-acting (rescue) or long-acting (controllers) medications. The doctor will prescribe the correct medicine as per the existing medical condition.

There are three types of Nebulisers:

1. Jet Nebulisers:They use pressurized gas/air from a compressor to convert the liquid medication from the nebulizer cup into a mist. Jet nebulisers are most widely used nebulizers since they are sturdy and not expensive.

2. Ultrasonic Nebulisers: They use high-frequency vibrations generated by a piezoelectric crystal to produce the mist. These are smaller in size and portable devices but expensive as compared to other the types of nebulisers.

3. Mesh Nebulisers: They use a mesh or aperture plate to generate the mist. These are smaller in size and portable devices but expensive as compared to other the types of nebulisers.

How To Use Nebulisers At Home

It is essential to read the instructions that are given in the nebuliser manual. Asthma/COPD patients must make sure to take guidance from the doctor on how to use a nebuliser, when and in what situations. Keeping the nebuliser clean is essential so that it does not get infected. Follow these general tips on how to use a nebuliser:

• Wash hands thoroughly [20 seconds] with alcohol-based hand sanitizers with greater than 60% ethanol or 70% isopropanol or use an anti-microbial soap

• Ensure all the nebulizer accessories are clean and dry

• Perform nebulization in a well-ventilated room or in an open balcony to allow aerosol to disperse and not settle

• Close the door so that the aerosol/mist does not dissipate to other rooms and family members are not exposed

• Caregivers should not be present in the room when the patient is using nebulizer. If the caregiver needs to be present minimum distance of 6 feet should be maintained and the caregiver should wear a mask

• Nebulizers should not be shared with the family members

• Avoid air-conditioning in the room altogether

• Connect the tube to the compressor and medication cup

• Measure the appropriate amount of drugs to be used and then transfer it in the medication cup of the nebulizer

• Fill volume should not be less than 2 ml

• Dose per session should be as per the prescribing information

• Attach mouthpiece or facemask to the medication cup

• Turn on the switch and check to see that the nebuliser is misting

• The mouth must be closed when using a mouthpiece and do not leave any space when using a facemask

• Slowly breath in and out until there is no mist generation. It may take 8-10 minutes for nebulization

• Keep the medication cup upright throughout the treatment

• Disinfect and wash the equipment with hospital grade disinfectants like Isopropanol (70%) or Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)

• Leave the room vacant with the door closed for 30min post-nebulization.

An asthma/COPD patient must always check with a doctor to make sure that nebulisers are used effectively.

To know more about inhaled medication, read why inhalers are a better option than oral medications.