Asthma & COPD reliever Inhalers
Treatments available via Online Clinic
To order this treatment, you will need to complete a brief online consultation. One of our certified prescribers will review your assessment. If approved, they will issue a private prescription, and our pharmacy team will dispense and ship your medication directly to your door.
Frequently Asked Questions: Managing Your Asthma & COPD
What is the difference between a "preventer" and a "reliever" inhaler?
Think of your inhalers as two different tools for two different jobs:
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Preventer Inhalers (usually brown, blue-green, or beige): These are your daily shield. They contain low-dose anti-inflammatory medicine (often corticosteroids) that builds up over time to reduce swelling and mucus in your airways. You must take your preventer every single day, even when you feel completely fine.
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Reliever Inhalers (typically blue): These are your emergency rescue tools. They work within minutes to quickly relax the tight muscles around your airways during a sudden flare-up or asthma attack. They provide quick relief, but they do not treat the underlying swelling.
Why is relying on my reliever inhaler less safe than using a daily preventer?
Relying heavily on your blue reliever inhaler is like putting out a fire instead of stopping it from starting.
⚠️ Critical Safety Note: Overusing your reliever inhaler mask the underlying inflammation in your lungs. If the swelling in your airways is left untreated by a daily preventer, it leaves your lungs highly vulnerable to a sudden, severe, and potentially dangerous asthma attack or COPD exacerbation.
Using a daily preventer treats the root cause, making your lungs calmer, stronger, and significantly safer.
How do I know if I am using my reliever inhaler too often?
As a general medical rule of thumb: if you need to use your reliever inhaler 3 or more times a week, your respiratory condition is considered poorly controlled.
If you fall into this category, you should book an appointment to see your doctor or asthma nurse as soon as possible. They will look at adjusting your daily preventer dosage or reviewing your inhaler technique to get your lungs back under safe, comfortable control.
Can I use the same inhalers for both Asthma and COPD?
While both conditions affect your breathing and share some of the same quick-relief tools (like blue reliever inhalers), the long-term treatments are different. Asthma treatment focuses heavily on calming down allergic inflammation, while COPD treatment focuses primarily on permanently widening the airways using long-acting muscle relaxers (bronchodilators). Always stick strictly to the specific management plan prescribed by your GP.
What should I do if my inhaler doesn't seem to be working during a flare-up?
If you take your reliever inhaler and your breathlessness, wheezing, or chest tightness does not improve within a few minutes or if you find it hard to walk or speak in full sentences, this is a medical emergency. Sit upright, take steady puffs of your reliever inhaler as directed by your action plan, and call 999 immediately.