What Good Are Inhalers?

[bainbrig]

Our GP gives out inhalers for most ailments, or so it seems, and certainly any of a throat or lung variety.

Why this reliance on inhalers?

I thought they were for asthmatics. What do they do for a ‘normal’ person with a chest infection?

BB

[JF85]

Anything you inhale goes to your lungs. Inhalers are a more direct way to the infection than tablets, which need to be absorbed into the bloodstream and moved around the body to take effect.

[Sqad]

Good question and a good answer byJF85.
For lung conditions...see answer by JF 85.
For throat conditions......i can see no indications at all for Drs prescribing sprays....soothing or antibiotic.

[woofgang]

It depends what is in the inhaler and what it is being prescribed for. A few years ago now there was a virus going around locally that left the sufferer with a really horrible fight for breath cough. I had it and it was so bad that I went to the docs which is just about unheard of. After checking that my lungs were clear, Doc said he would prescribe ventolin and that they had seen many otherwise fit people with the same problem and that the ventolin had cleared it. It worked for me in 48 hours.

[bainbrig]

Thanks all, good information.

[wolf63]

Ventolin is very cheap - I have to get it for my cat.

[Arksided]

I have inhalers due to being asthmatic, but didn't know they give them out willy nilly.... I are actually full of mucus, snotting and sneezing etc...with a heavy chest flu (you know what we men are like) but I are always precarious with inhalers I just take the recommended dosage.