What should you know about spirometer therapy?

A spirometer may be used as a breathing exerciser after illness or an operation, or as a measuring instrument during a breathing test. The device itself does not diagnose a condition. Its purpose depends on the model and the plan given by your clinician.

Breathing into the mouthpiece can encourage a slow, deep inhalation or record how much air you move and how quickly. Coughing, chest discomfort, tiredness, or light-headedness can occur when you try too hard, so the technique should be paced.

Sit upright with your shoulders relaxed. Seal your lips around the mouthpiece, follow the inhaling or exhaling instructions for your device, and rest between attempts if you feel strained. Keep the mouthpiece clean according to the manufacturer’s instructions and do not share it.

Use the schedule supplied by your healthcare team rather than changing the frequency yourself. Record readings only when asked, because posture, effort, recent activity, and technique can affect the result. A clinician can demonstrate the exact target and breathing pattern.

Stop and seek urgent medical help for severe or rapidly worsening breathlessness, blue or grey lips, fainting, new confusion, or chest pressure. Contact your surgical or clinical team promptly if breathing becomes more difficult, you develop a fever with worsening cough, or repeated use causes persistent pain or dizziness.

Ask which type of spirometer you have, what each marker or reading means, how often to use it, and when the plan should change. You can also ask how to clean the mouthpiece and whether coughing or discomfort during practice is expected for you.