BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuUsing an incentive spirometerLung complications - incentive spirometer; Pneumonia - incentive spirometerYour health care provider may recommend that you use an incentive spirometer after surgery or when you have a lung illness, such as pneumonia. The spirometer is a device used to help you keep your lungs healthy. Using the incentive spirometer helps you take slow deep breaths. It also may be used to help people with COPD exercise their lungs.PneumoniaPneumonia is a breathing (respiratory) condition in which there is an infection of the lung. This article covers community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article COPDChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common lung disease. Having COPD makes it hard to breathe. There are two main forms of COPD:Chroni...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How to Use an Incentive SpirometerMany people feel weak and sore after surgery and taking big breaths can be uncomfortable. A device called an incentive spirometer can help you take deep breaths correctly.By using the incentive spirometer every 1 to 2 hours, or as instructed by your provider, you can take an active role in your recovery and keep your lungs healthy.To use the spirometer:Sit up and hold the device. Place the mouthpiece spirometer in your mouth. Make sure you make a good seal over the mouthpiece with your lips. Breathe out (exhale) normally. Breathe in (inhale) slowly.A piece in the incentive spirometer will rise as you breathe in.Try to get this piece to rise as high as you can. Usually, there is a marker placed by your provider that tells you how big of a breath you should take.A smaller piece in the spirometer looks like a ball or disk.Your goal should be to make sure this ball stays in the middle of the chamber while you breathe in. If you breathe in too fast, the ball will shoot to the top. If you breathe in too slowly, the ball will stay at the bottom.Hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds. Then slowly exhale. Take 10 to 15 breaths with your spirometer every 1 to 2 hours, or as often as instructed by your provider.Other TipsThese tips may be helpful:If you have a surgical cut (incision) in your chest or abdomen, try holding a pillow tightly to your belly while breathing in. This will help ease discomfort. If you do not make the number marked for you, do not get discouraged. You will improve with practice and as your body heals. If you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded, remove the mouthpiece from your mouth and take some normal breaths. Then continue using the incentive spirometer.Open ReferencesReferencesdo Nascimento Junior P, Modolo NS, Andrade S, Guimaraes MM, Braz LG, El Dib R. Incentive spirometry for prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications in upper abdominal surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(2):CD006058. PMID: 24510642 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24510642/.Rochester CL, Nici L. Pulmonary rehabilitation. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 139.Yepuri N, Pruekprasert N, Cooney RN. Surgical complications. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 12.AllVideoImagesTogSelf Care Using an incentive spirometerRelated Information Review Date: 10/13/2023 Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. Editorial update 02/12/2024. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Using an incentive spirometerLung complications - incentive spirometer; Pneumonia - incentive spirometerYour health care provider may recommend that you use an incentive spirometer after surgery or when you have a lung illness, such as pneumonia. The spirometer is a device used to help you keep your lungs healthy. Using the incentive spirometer helps you take slow deep breaths. It also may be used to help people with COPD exercise their lungs.PneumoniaPneumonia is a breathing (respiratory) condition in which there is an infection of the lung. This article covers community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article COPDChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common lung disease. Having COPD makes it hard to breathe. There are two main forms of COPD:Chroni...Read Article Now Book Mark Article How to Use an Incentive SpirometerMany people feel weak and sore after surgery and taking big breaths can be uncomfortable. A device called an incentive spirometer can help you take deep breaths correctly.By using the incentive spirometer every 1 to 2 hours, or as instructed by your provider, you can take an active role in your recovery and keep your lungs healthy.To use the spirometer:Sit up and hold the device. Place the mouthpiece spirometer in your mouth. Make sure you make a good seal over the mouthpiece with your lips. Breathe out (exhale) normally. Breathe in (inhale) slowly.A piece in the incentive spirometer will rise as you breathe in.Try to get this piece to rise as high as you can. Usually, there is a marker placed by your provider that tells you how big of a breath you should take.A smaller piece in the spirometer looks like a ball or disk.Your goal should be to make sure this ball stays in the middle of the chamber while you breathe in. If you breathe in too fast, the ball will shoot to the top. If you breathe in too slowly, the ball will stay at the bottom.Hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds. Then slowly exhale. Take 10 to 15 breaths with your spirometer every 1 to 2 hours, or as often as instructed by your provider.Other TipsThese tips may be helpful:If you have a surgical cut (incision) in your chest or abdomen, try holding a pillow tightly to your belly while breathing in. This will help ease discomfort. If you do not make the number marked for you, do not get discouraged. You will improve with practice and as your body heals. If you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded, remove the mouthpiece from your mouth and take some normal breaths. Then continue using the incentive spirometer.Open ReferencesReferencesdo Nascimento Junior P, Modolo NS, Andrade S, Guimaraes MM, Braz LG, El Dib R. Incentive spirometry for prevention of postoperative pulmonary complications in upper abdominal surgery. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2014;(2):CD006058. PMID: 24510642 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24510642/.Rochester CL, Nici L. Pulmonary rehabilitation. In: Broaddus VC, Ernst JD, King TE, et al, eds. Murray and Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 139.Yepuri N, Pruekprasert N, Cooney RN. Surgical complications. In: Townsend CM Jr, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL, eds. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 21st ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022:chap 12.