Asthma Inhalers advice please

[LIZS]

I take preventer (Symbicort) twice a day and also have Ventolin occasionally. Recently I've managed to burn my mouth a couple of times, leaving an ulcer which takes a while to heal, and my tongue seems less sensitive. I know that with steroid skin creams you have to be careful to apply only to the affected area as it can thin healthy tissue , could this be the same with steroid inhalers ? I normally rinse my mouth or brush teeth after taking it. I have a review appointment on Monday and wondered if I should mention it.

I would mention it. My daughter got a gumboil from her inhalers, her Asthma nurse saw her shortly after it was treated and corrected her technique a bit to avoid further problems.

Definitely mention it. DD1 has just been put on Symbicort, GP said she shouldn't feel it going in at all.

Have you tried using a spacer? My dd has asthma & had always used a spacer. You can get adult ones.

Get a spacer.

If you an taste the ventolin you are not using your inhaler properly.

Good technique

Breath out as much as you can
put inhaler in mouth but don't press
start to breath in, press inhaler and continue to breath in for as long as you can
hold your breath for as long as you can up to 10 seconds, in that time you can swallom but not breathe

Acording to my GP the preventer, even with perfect tecnique, you don't get the correct dose so he recomends a spacer

I've got a spacer but i didn't think you could use it with this type of inhaler - it is a twist/breath activated rather than one you press. Dentist reckons only about 10% of an inhaler gets to where it should, hence the need to rinse afterwards.