NEBULIZER

What is a NEBULIZER?
◦ If you have asthma, your doctor may prescribe a nebulizer as treatment or breathing
therapy. The device delivers the same types of medication as metered-dose inhalers
(MDIs), which are the familiar pocket-sized inhalers. Nebulizers may be easier to use
than MDIs, especially for children who aren’t old enough to properly use inhalers, or
adults with severe asthma.
◦ A nebulizer turns liquid medicine into a mist to help treat your asthma. They come in
electric or battery-run versions. They come in both a portable size you can carry with
you and a larger size that’s meant to sit on a table and plug into a wall. Both are made
up of a base that holds an air compressor, a small container for liquid medicine, and a
tube that connects the air compressor to the medicine container. Above the medicine
container is a mouthpiece or mask you use to inhale the mist.
How do I use it?
◦ Put the compressor on a flat surface where it can safely reach an outlet.
◦ Check to make sure all the pieces are clean.
◦ Wash your hands before prepping the medication.
◦ If your medication is premixed, place it in the container. If you need to mix it, measure the
correct amount, and then place it in the container.
◦ Connect the tube to the compressor and the liquid container.
◦ Attach the mouthpiece or mask.
◦ Turn on the switch and check to see that the nebulizer is misting.
◦ Put the mouthpiece in your mouth and close your mouth around it or put the mask securely
over your nose and mouth, leaving no gaps.
◦ Slowly breath in and out until the medicine is gone. This may take five to 15 minutes.
◦ Keep the liquid container upright throughout the treatment.
How does it work?
◦ Pressurized air passes through the tube and turns the liquid medicine into a mist. During
an asthma attack or a respiratory infection, the mist may be easier to inhale than the
spray from a pocket inhaler. When your airways become narrow — like during an
asthma attack — you can’t take deep breaths. For this reason, a nebulizer is a more
effective way to deliver the medication than an inhaler, which requires you to take a
deep breath.
◦ Nebulizers can deliver short-acting (rescue) or long-acting (maintenance to prevent
acute attacks) asthma medication therapy. Also, more than one medication can be
given in the same treatment. Examples of medications used in nebulizers include:
◦ albuterol
◦ ipratropium
◦ budesonide
◦ formoterol
Types of Nebulizer
◦ Mechanical : Soft mist inhaler
◦ Electrical : Jet nebulizer, Ultrasonic wave nebulizer, Vibrating mesh technology