Most inhalers are used imperfectly, and the medicine that should reach the lungs ends up on the back of the throat instead. A spacer fixes that — but only when it’s used, cleaned and replaced the right way. Here is the AeroChamber Plus Flow-Vu, step by step, from the technique the NHS teaches to the one-a-year replacement rule people miss.
A valved holding chamber — a “spacer” — that sits between a pressurised (puffer-type) inhaler and your mouth. The puff goes into the chamber first, so you can breathe the medicine in slowly instead of having to fire and inhale at exactly the same moment. It is a medical device from Trudell Medical, not a medicine — no prescription needed — and it’s £18.99 at our pharmacy.
The Flow-Vu indicator is the small coloured flap at the front: it moves with every breath in, but only when the seal is good. For a parent holding a mask on a wriggling toddler, that little flap is the proof the medicine is going where it should.
Why bother with a spacer at all?
Because timing is the hardest part of a puffer. Fire-and-breathe coordination goes wrong for most people — and when it does, the medicine lands in the mouth and throat. With a steroid (preventer) inhaler that wasted dose isn’t just lost: steroid left in the mouth is what causes hoarseness and oral thrush. A spacer parks the puff, slows it down, and delivers more of it to the lungs — which is why NHS inhaler-technique guidance recommends one for anyone using a pressurised inhaler, and for all children.
Where the puff goes
The point of a spacer, in one picture: less in the throat, more where it works.
Throat & mouthPoor timing without a spacer — wasted dose, steroid sore mouth
Lungs, no spacerEven good technique loses much of the puff
Lungs, with spacerThe slow breath carries more medicine deep in
Illustrative proportions, not measured doses — the direction of the difference is what NHS technique guidance is based on. Your own benefit depends on using it correctly, which is the next section.
The technique, step by step (adults and older children)
Shake the inhaler and push it into the soft opening at the back of the spacer. Take the cap off the mouthpiece.
Breathe out gently — away from the spacer, as far as is comfortable.
Seal your lips around the mouthpiece and press the inhaler once — one puff only. Never fire several puffs into the chamber at once.
Breathe in slowly and steadily. If you hear a whistle, that is the spacer telling you to slow down.
Hold your breath for up to 10 seconds (or as long as is comfortable), then breathe out.
Need another puff? Wait about 30 seconds, shake the inhaler again, and repeat from step 2.
Babies and young children use the version with a mask held gently over nose and mouth: fire one puff, then let them take 5–6 normal breaths (watch the Flow-Vu flap move with each one). No breath-holding needed.
The four habits that make a spacer work
Technique fails on the same four points — these are the ones our pharmacist checks.
One puff at a time
Multiple puffs fired together cling to the chamber walls — you inhale less, not more.
Slow breath, no whistle
The whistle is a speed alarm. A slow, steady breath carries the medicine deeper.
Weekly wash, air-dry
Warm soapy water, rinse, stand to dry. Towel-drying the inside creates static that steals your dose.
New spacer every year
Valves wear and chambers cloud. Replace after 12 months of regular use, or sooner if damaged.
Based on the manufacturer’s instructions and NHS inhaler-technique guidance. Bring your inhaler and spacer in and our pharmacist will happily watch your technique — it takes two minutes and it’s free.
Cleaning and looking after it
Once a week: remove the inhaler, soak the spacer in warm water with a drop of washing-up liquid, rinse, and leave it to air-dry upright.
Never scrub or towel-dry the inside — rubbing creates static, and static makes the medicine stick to the plastic instead of reaching you. (The AeroChamber Plus is anti-static, but the rule still applies.)
It’s dishwasher-safe on the top rack if you prefer.
Replace it every 12 months — or sooner if the valve looks damaged, the chamber is cracked, or it has gone cloudy.
Which size do you need?
The AeroChamber range comes with an infant mask (roughly 0–18 months), a child mask (roughly 1–5 years), and a mouthpiece or adult mask from about age 5 up. The right one is the one that seals comfortably — if you’re unsure, bring your child in and our pharmacist will check the fit against their face, free.
Pick one up in Leeds or order online
We stock the AeroChamber Plus Flow-Vu at 22–24 Woodsley Road — serving Hyde Park, Woodhouse, Burley and Headingley — and deliver across the UK. Bring your inhaler in and we’ll check your technique with it, free.
You’re breathing in too fast. The whistle is deliberate — slow the breath until it stops and more of the dose reaches your lungs.
Can I fire two puffs in at once to save time?
No — one puff, one breath. Multiple puffs in the chamber stick to the walls and you actually inhale less.
How often should I clean it?
Weekly: warm soapy water, rinse, air-dry standing up. Don’t scrub or towel-dry the inside.
When should I replace it?
Every 12 months in regular use — sooner if the valve or chamber is damaged or cloudy.
Do I need a prescription?
No. It’s a medical device, sold without prescription — £18.99 at our pharmacy. Your inhaler itself stays on prescription as usual.
Does it work with every inhaler?
It fits standard pressurised (aerosol, “puffer”) inhalers. Dry-powder inhalers don’t use a spacer at all — if you’re not sure which yours is, ask us and bring it in.
Where to get treatment
Our pharmacist can check what suits you. Every treatment is supplied only after a pharmacy consultation confirms it is appropriate.
This article is general information from our pharmacist team, not personal medical advice. A spacer supports your prescribed inhaler — it never replaces it, and it doesn’t change your dose. If your reliever inhaler is needed more than usual, or breathing symptoms are getting worse, that needs a clinical review: speak to your GP, pharmacist or NHS 111. If someone is struggling to breathe now, call 999.
Sources: Trudell Medical UK — AeroChamber Plus Flow-Vu product information; Leeds Health Pathways formulary factsheet “Spacer Devices for pMDI Inhalers in Leeds”; NHS trust inhaler-technique guidance (University Hospitals Sussex; NHS Milton Keynes patient leaflets); Asthma + Lung UK spacer care guidance. All read 23 August 2026. Price is our own, correct at publication.
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