Inhaler technique review

What is an inhaler technique review?

An inhaler technique review is a short appointment where a clinician watches you use your inhalers and helps you correct any mistakes. It is a check and teaching session, not an operation or a test.

It matters because inhalers only work if the medicine actually reaches your lungs, and a large proportion of people use them incorrectly without realising. Common problems include not breathing in the right way, not coordinating the puff with the breath, or not using a spacer when one would help.

Getting the technique right can make your existing medicine work much better, sometimes more than changing to a different or stronger inhaler. It can ease symptoms, reduce flare-ups and avoid unnecessary increases in medication.

A review will not fix a problem that is really about the wrong medicine, an unsuitable device, or a condition that needs more treatment. But it is one of the simplest and most useful things you can do for asthma or COPD, and it costs nothing on the NHS.

Types, options & approaches

There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.

Options at a glance

These are the main approaches described in this guide. The right option depends on the diagnosis, your goals and what your clinician thinks is safe.

Preparing for your appointment

• Bring all your current inhalers, including relievers, preventers and any combination inhalers, and any spacer you use.
• Do not clean or hide a worn device — the clinician needs to see what you actually use day to day.
• Think about which symptoms you still have and when you use each inhaler.
• Bring your reliever inhaler in case you need it during the appointment.
• Note any difficulties, such as a weak grip, breathlessness or trouble coordinating the puff and breath.
• Mention if you find a device hard to use, as a different one may suit you better.
• Have your questions ready, including how often you should be rechecked.

What happens

An inhaler review is a short appointment, not a procedure. The clinician asks which inhalers you use, how often and for what, and how well your symptoms are controlled.

They then ask you to demonstrate using each inhaler exactly as you would at home. This is the heart of the review — watching you, rather than just describing the steps. They look for common errors, such as not breathing out first, not sealing your lips, pressing and breathing at the wrong moment, breathing too fast or too slow for the device, or not holding your breath afterwards.

They will show you how to correct any mistakes, often letting you practise with a training device, and may suggest a spacer or a different type of inhaler if the current one does not suit you. They may also check your inhalers are in date and not empty.

At the end you should be able to use your inhalers correctly, understand what each one is for, and know when you will next be checked. Nothing is done to your body and you can carry on as normal afterwards.

Is this appointment right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

An inhaler review is very low-risk and there is nothing done to your body. The main pitfall is assuming that good technique alone solves everything — if your symptoms stay poor despite correct technique, that points to needing a treatment review, not just more teaching. Ask the clinician to confirm your technique is now correct, whether a spacer or different device would help, and what to do if symptoms remain poor.

Published figures to discuss

Studies report that a large share of people make at least one error using their inhaler, and that errors are linked to poorer symptom control and more flare-ups, but the exact figures vary widely with the device, the patient group and how technique is assessed. This guide therefore describes the problem qualitatively rather than quoting a single percentage, and does not promise a specific improvement for any individual.

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

What happens afterwards

There is no operation and nothing to recover from. 'Afterwards' here simply means using your inhalers correctly from now on and noticing whether your symptoms improve over the following weeks.

• Needing several goes to get a new technique right
• The inhaler feeling different when used correctly
• A gradual rather than instant improvement in symptoms
• Realising you had been making a common mistake
• Being asked to come back to confirm a new device or technique

Aftercare

• Use your inhalers with the corrected technique every time.
• Use and clean any spacer as you were shown.
• Rinse your mouth after a steroid inhaler to reduce thrush and hoarseness.
• Keep track of whether your symptoms improve over the next few weeks.
• Reorder inhalers before they run empty and check expiry dates.
• Ask to be rechecked at least yearly and when starting a new device.
• Go back sooner if your symptoms stay poor despite good technique.

• All current inhalers and any spacer brought to the appointment
• Reliever inhaler to hand
• Notes on remaining symptoms and any device difficulties
• Understanding of what each inhaler is for
• Confidence in the corrected technique
• A spacer obtained if recommended
• A date or plan for your next check

⚠ Get urgent help if…

• Severe breathlessness, wheeze or chest tightness that does not ease with your reliever — call 999 if struggling to breathe or speak
• Needing your reliever inhaler much more often than usual
• Waking at night with breathlessness or cough (in asthma)
• A flare-up with more breathlessness, more or discoloured phlegm or fever (in COPD)
• Blue or grey lips or fingertips
• Symptoms staying poor despite correct technique — arrange a treatment review
• Running out of your preventer or reliever inhaler

Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your specialist gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A good review means you can use your inhalers correctly, understand what each is for, and are more likely to get the full benefit of your medicine. For many people this improves symptom control and can reduce flare-ups, sometimes avoiding a step up in treatment.

It cannot fix a problem that is really about the wrong medicine, an unsuitable device or a condition that needs more treatment. If your symptoms remain poor despite correct technique, that is important information that should prompt a fuller review rather than simply repeating the lesson.

Inhaler technique tends to slip over time and old habits creep back, so the benefit of a single review does not last indefinitely. It is worth being rechecked at least once a year, whenever you are switched to a new device, and after any flare-up. Children, older people and anyone who finds devices fiddly may benefit from more frequent checks.

Related tests, treatments or support

An inhaler review is usually part of a wider asthma or COPD review, alongside checking symptoms, flare-up frequency, your action plan and vaccinations. It is often done at the same time as starting or changing an inhaler, and complements pulmonary rehabilitation, which also reinforces good technique.

Follow-up & long-term care

You should have your technique rechecked at least once a year as part of your routine asthma or COPD review, and whenever you start a new inhaler. If a new device or spacer is introduced, a short follow-up to confirm you have mastered it is helpful. Your GP record is updated so future reviews build on this one.

• Using the corrected technique consistently
• Yearly technique re-checks as part of your asthma or COPD review
• A fresh check whenever you start a new device
• Keeping spacers clean and replaced as advised
• Returning promptly if symptoms worsen despite good technique

Repeat, follow-on and what comes next

• It is normal to need several attempts to master a device during the appointment.
• Technique often needs rechecking because old habits return over time.
• If a device cannot be mastered, switching to a different one is reasonable.
• Persisting poor control despite good technique should prompt a treatment review, not just repeated teaching.

Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.

What good aftercare looks like

• Confirmation that you can now use each inhaler correctly.
• A clear plan for rechecking, at least yearly and with new devices.
• Advice on what to do if symptoms stay poor despite good technique.
• An update to your GP record so future reviews build on this one.
• Easy access to demonstration videos or pharmacy support to reinforce technique.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

• The length of the appointment
• Whether it is a standalone review or part of a wider asthma or COPD review
• Whether it is in person, at a pharmacy or by video
• Any training devices or spacers provided
• The clinician's time and expertise
• Whether a follow-up check is included

• How long the appointment lasts and who carries it out
• Whether it covers all your inhalers and any spacer
• Whether a spacer or training device is included
• Whether a follow-up check is included
• What happens if a different device is recommended
• How findings are shared with your GP

On the NHS? Inhaler technique reviews are commonly available free on the NHS at GP surgeries and community pharmacies, often as part of an asthma or COPD review; private reviews exist but are rarely needed.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.

Consent traps and marketing red flags

These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.

Choosing a specialist safely

• Check the specialist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
• Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
• You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the specialist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
• Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
• You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Take this to your consultation. A good specialist will welcome every one of these.

• Can you watch me use each of my inhalers and tell me what I'm doing wrong?
• Would a spacer help me, and how do I use and clean it?
• Is this device right for me, or would another be easier to use?
• What should I do if my symptoms stay poor even with good technique?
• How often should my technique be rechecked?
• Are all my inhalers in date and am I using them in the right order?
• Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
• Will you be the specialist who carries out my appointment, and who looks after me afterwards?
• What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
• What does a realistic result look like — and what can this appointment not achieve?
• What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
• Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
• What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Find a verified specialist for inhaler technique review

Every consultant is GMC-checked and independently reviewed. Search by postcode and distance, or switch to a map. Ordered by rating, relevance and recency — never by who pays.

How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: Asthma + Lung UK — How to use your inhaler (videos) Asthma + Lung UK — Inhaler choices Critical inhaler errors in asthma and COPD — systematic review (PMC) Correct inhaler technique in asthma and COPD — review (PMC) NHS — COPD treatment (inhalers) NICE NG245 — asthma (diagnosis, monitoring and chronic asthma management) recommendations

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.