What Is an Incentive Spirometer?

What Is an Incentive Spirometer?

An incentive spirometer is a helpful device which works to keep your lungs healthy. Using it to help prevent a serious lung illness, such as pneumonia or after important abdominal or thoracic surgery, this handy device will help you to take slow deep breaths and improve overall lung function.

It may not have the most straightforward name, but an incentive spirometer itself couldn’t be simpler.

Enquire or Share Your Questions If Any Before the Purchasing This Device https://www.safeymedicaldevices.com/enquire-now/ If you find it difficult or painful to take a deep breath, or you have been diagnosed with a lung condition such as: ✅ Asthma ✅ COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ✅ Cystic fibrosis ✅ Bronchiectasis ✅ Emphysema an incentive spirometer could really come in handy.

So, What Exactly Is it?

Also known medically as a manual incentive spirometer, it is a helpful device used to help keep your lungs in tiptop condition after you have been diagnosed with a lung disease.

It can also be used as way to keep your lungs in healthy working order, following on from surgery on your throat, chest, or belly, or if you have fractured your ribs, resulting in not being able to take long, deep breaths.

Because the air in your lungs may not be able to move as much, this means that you may not be able to clear the air, leading to infections. In instances such as these, this handy device can work wonders Using incentive spirometry teaches you how to take slow deep breaths. This helps to keep your lungs in excellent condition and well-inflated as you heal. It can also help to prevent further lung problems and serious conditions, like pneumonia.

How Does It Work?

An incentive spirometer works both for adults and for children.

You inhale through the device as a way exercise your lungs and to get air into every available pocket of space. ➔ The gadget itself is a clear cylinder made of plastic. ➔ It is about the size of an A5 notepad. ➔ You breathe into the mouthpiece, which looks like a vacuum tube.

➔ When you inhale, the suction provided will move a piston up inside it. It works in a simple way – the deeper you breathe, the higher the piston will go. ➔ Most spirometers will contain measurements to show you just how much air you are breathing in and will be able to guide you so that you are breathing at the right pace.

For more information - https://safeymedicaldevices.wpcomstaging.com/what-is-an-incentivespirometer/ Why Use It? There are plenty of benefits associated with using an incentive spirometer, such as: ✅ It exercises your lungs and helps keep your tiny air sacs – also known as alveoli – inflated. That helps you to heal and avoid lung infections. ✅ It also assists your lungs with the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide at an effective rate. ✅ The spirometer helps to get rid of excess fluid and pesky germs, as it aids in the emptying and refill of air in your lung. ✅ If your doctor has recommended this type of incentive spirometer because you are having surgery, you may start to use this at home before the op. This works to strengthen your lungs, meaning infections are less likely to be contracted. ✅ It provides visual feedback on both flow and volume rate to work on strengthening your breath.

This also makes it more of a challenge and inspires motivation for the next use. ✅ The device is handheld, lightweight, and portable, this means you can use it anywhere within your home. ✅ Tracking down your incentive spirometry measurements by way of a daily journal will help you to monitor your progress. This helps to see the improvement of your overall lung health.

There are various forms of research debating the effectiveness of incentive spirometry. Certain studies have highlighted than it may not be any better than other physiotherapy breathing techniques in patients who underwent abdominal or thoracic surgery.

So, How Do You Use It? There are different types of incentive spirometers available, so always make sure to follow the exact instructions from your doctor or respiratory therapist.

Overall, an incentive spirometer can be a little tricky to use but it will get easier the more you use it.

After a couple of tries, you should be a dab hand.

Continued, daily use will help you to train your respiratory system, strengthen your muscles and help you to reach an optimal lung volume.

The general guidelines for using yours is as follows: ➔ Make sure you sit up straight or lean slightly forward

If you’re using the spirometer because you’ve recently had surgery, you may be sore in the chest or stomach area. If this is the case, you can use a pillow help support the area and stop it any pain from occuring. It’s important not to slouch. ➔ Take a full, deep breathe out, to expel all the air from your lungs. ➔ Close your lips tightly and firmly around the mouthpiece so that no air escapes. ➔ Breathe in slowly. Your aim is to make the piston rise as high as you can as you focus on keeping the indicator between two arrows.

This help you to know you are inhaling in the correct way. ➔ Hold your breath for a maximum of 10 seconds.

While you’re holding your breath, the piston will sink back down. ➔ Once the piston has reached the end of the cylinder, gently loosen your lips from the mouthpiece.

Breathe out slowly and relax. ➔ Repeat this process for 10 times (or as many as has been instructed).

Your overall aim when using this device is to ensure the piston gets higher each time you use it. ➔ When you finish, cough to clear any mucus from your lungs.

If you are feeling sore or tender after your surgery, utilise the pillow as a means of protection when you cough. ➔ Repeat the exercise as often throughout the day, as advised by your GP or healthcare professional.

Each time you do this exercise, keep track of your results by writing down how high the piston rises.

This will help both you and your doctor to see how well your lungs are working.

For a full visual demonstration, check out this handy video, taking you through the essential steps.

For more information - https://safeymedicaldevices.wpcomstaging.com/what-is-an-incentivespirometer/