Choosing the best inhaler for bronchitis is important in order to help you overcome its symptoms. Bronchitis treatment often begins with oral medications, but if symptoms persist and become resistant to these medications, then it might be necessary for a doctor to prescribe an inhaler for your bronchitis. There are, essentially, three types of inhalers or inhalation methods: a pressurized metered-dose inhaler, a dry powder inhaler or a steam inhaler. Your doctor will prescribe one of these, and you might need to try several types before you find the best inhaler for your bronchitis.

Bronchitis is characterized by a swelling of the bronchial tubes, which enable a person to breathe freely. When these tubes become inflamed, the resulting effect is coughing, wheezing and a shortness of breath. The initial swelling usually is caused by an infection or by an irritant, such as cigarette smoke or pollution. Bronchitis generally falls into one of two distinct categories, depending on how frequently it occurs. Acute bronchitis occurs after a respiratory infection and generally lasts for a few weeks, and chronic bronchitis is a continual affliction.

A metered-dose inhaler for bronchitis involves holding an inhaling device a few inches away from your mouth or placing it inside your mouth while pumping a metered dose of bronchitis medication into your mouth. You then slowly inhale the medication, remove the inhaling device from your mouth and hold the medicine inside your lungs for a few seconds before exhaling. This process might be repeated as directed. If you find this inhaler to be easy to use and effective, it might be the best one for you to choose.

A dry powder inhaler for bronchitis is another popular treatment. In this method, powdered medication is loaded into the inhalation device, which you held a few inches from your mouth while aiming the medication toward your mouth. The transfer of medication is breath-controlled, as opposed to manually pumped, and when the medicated powder is released, you inhale it. You must be very careful not to exhale into the device, however, because any moisture from the breath can cause medication to cling to the sides of the inhaler and interrupt the dosage amounts of future uses. This inhaler might be the best one for you, if you are able to use it properly each time.

A steam inhaler for bronchitis is another effective treatment but does not require a prescription, nor does it necessarily involve any particular medication. You can inhale the steam from boiling water or a vaporizer. Holding your head over a hot cup of tea or a sink filled with steaming hot water while draping your head with a towel in order to trap steam is a very easy and effective way of creating a steam inhaler. As with other inhalation methods, using a steam inhaler for bronchitis might help relieve your inflamed bronchial tubes and enable you to breathe more freely.

As with all medications, be sure to read the instructions accompanying an inhaler for bronchitis thoroughly and carefully adhere to them in order to properly treat your bronchitis cough and assure that you are inhaling the right dosage amounts. Finding the right inhaler might take time, but using one will significantly reduce your bronchitis symptoms. Over-the-counter inhalers are available, but choosing an inhaler for bronchitis should always be done under the advice and care of a qualified medical doctor.