3 Myths About Inhalers That Just Aren't True

Did you know that inhalers aren't addictive? Yes, you heard that right! Asthma is a condition that all of us are familiar with. Unfortunately, most of the myths related to the treatment of asthma are just that – myths and in this day and age, they have created a major barrier between an asthmatic and the appropriate treatment.

We recently kicked off the second phase of our #BerokZindagi campaign. The core philosophy of the same being - "Asthma Ke Liye, Inhalers Hain Sahi". Keeping this in mind, we decided to bust the major myths attached to the use of inhalers. 

1. Inhalers Are Very Strong 

This myth is one that is commonly associated with the use of inhalers. Many people avoid using inhalers because they believe that the strength of the medication in the inhalers will cause the individual to get addicted to the treatment. The truth could not be further from this. The dose of medicine taken when using an inhaler is actually much smaller than the dose taken when using oral medication. So not only is the inhaler lighter in comparison but the asthmatic is also at a lower risk of experiencing side effects. 

2. Oral Medication Is Equally Effective

If you had an eye infection, would you use eye drops or would you take a tablet in the hope that it takes care of your infection? Similarly, inhalers target the site of the problem, that is, the lungs, while oral medication first gets absorbed by the blood. Not only do inhalers give you quicker relief but by using them, you face a lower risk of experiencing the side effects. 

3. Inhalers Are A Last Resort 

Did you know that there are different types of inhalers? Inhalers are broadly classified into two types - controllers and relievers. Controllers are for day to day use as they help manage your symptoms. However, in the case of an asthma attack, relievers are used to provide quick relief to the asthmatic. So while relievers are used as a last resort, it is also important that you use your controllers as prescribed by the doctors. You can read more about the types of inhalers here. 

In an attempt to bust the myths that prevent asthmatics from accepting the appropriate treatment, we have teamed up with Barkha Dutt who hosted a Facebook Live Interview with established professions in the medical field as well as known asthmatics and relatives of asthmatics. The discussion provides one with a holistic understanding of the condition while also ensuring that the feelings of asthmatics and their relatives are acknowledged by the audience. You can watch the entire Facebook Live Interview here and can read a write up of the interview here. We have also created a television commercial which we can use to drive home the fact that rumour is not reality. You can watch the entire television commercial here and read a write up of the commercial here. 

To help asthmatics in India, we have created a Breathefree helpline - 9873 33 55 77. You can use this helpline to locate a nearby doctor or book an appointment.