How to prevent hoarse voice due to inhalers?

Tips to prevent voice hoarseness caused by inhaler use. Many patients complain of a hoarse voice when using inhalers, especially those which contain corticosteroids (such as Symbicort, Seretide, Foster etc.). These inhaler treatments are beneficial for controlling conditions such as asthma, however a hoarse voice can develop in some patients.

Often, there are 2 causes which are often overlooked:

1. Incorrect inhaler technique - many patients were never shown the correct inhaler technique for their prescribed device. There are many inhalers available and using them correctly can be confusing. Incorrect use causes the medication to deposit at the back of the throat, which in time causes irritation and a hoarse voice. I recommend to always ask your doctor or healthcare professional for a demonstration on how to use any newly prescribed inhaler and to regularly check your technique during consultations. Breathing in the medication correctly from the inhaler is specific to each device, however can be generally classified in two broad categories: A) slow and deep breath for MDI inhalers (which produce a puff on their own) and B) strong/powerful and deep breath in for DPI inhalers (which contain a dry powder, therefore require more force to effectively draw the medication deep into the lungs).

2. Not rinsing the back of the throat after taking the dose - This is often overlooked and a very simple way to prevent inhaler-induced voice hoarseness. Especially with corticosteroid inhalers, removing any residual medication from the back of the throat and mouth is very helpful. You can do this by simply taking some water in your mouth, swishing it around, gargling for a few seconds and spitting it out. I highly recommend doing this after using your inhaler. The medication only needs to be in the airways deep in the lungs.

With MDI inhalers, a spacer device can sometimes also help:
How to use a spacer for your inhaler (Volumatic device)?
   • How to use a spacer for your inhaler ...  

Other inhaler technique videos:
Foster (or Fostair) inhaler demonstration and review
   • Foster (or Fostair) inhaler demonstra...  
Turbuhaler (Symbicort) inhaler demonstration and review
   • Turbuhaler (Symbicort) inhaler demons...  
Respimat inhaler demonstration and review (Spiriva or Spiolto)
   • Respimat inhaler demonstration and re...  
DISKUS inhaler demonstration and review (Seretide)
   • DISKUS inhaler demonstration and revi...  
NextHaler (Foster/Fostair) inhaler review and demonstration
   • NextHaler (Foster/Fostair) inhaler re...  

Can't use inhaler - what to do?
   • Can't use inhaler - what to do?  
Which is the best inhaler?
   • Which is the best inhaler?  

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