Asthma inhaler log: track your reliever inhaler puffs, the reason and whether it helped
Inhaler tracker app or asthma inhaler log? What to record each time you use your reliever inhaler, why it matters and what to bring to your appointment.
On this page
You reach for your reliever inhaler and by the end of the month cannot say how often. That is fixable with an asthma inhaler log. You note the date, time, puffs, what you were doing and whether it helped. You can do that on paper or in Sam's asthma diary. The diary gives you a doctor report as a PDF for your appointment. This post covers what to record and what to bring to your appointment.
Why does reliever inhaler use matter?
Asthma + Lung UK describes a reliever as an inhaler that quickly opens the airways to ease symptoms. For a short-acting reliever, your use for symptoms over the past four weeks is one of the four questions the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) uses to assess asthma symptom control.
That is why your practice asks. A record makes the answer solid: you show a trend instead of a recollection.
What should you record each time you use your reliever inhaler?
One entry needs four things:
- The date and the time.
- How many puffs.
- What you were doing or the trigger.
- Whether it helped.
The American Lung Association suggests keeping a journal or diary of daytime and nighttime symptoms, quick-relief inhaler use and activity level.
What is the difference between a reliever and a preventer?
The reliever is your quick-relief medicine. The preventer is your controller: the NHS describes it as an inhaler you use every day to help prevent symptoms. Your plan with your doctor or asthma nurse sets out which of your inhalers is for what. A diary can hold both: the times you needed the reliever, and whether you took the preventer.
How does an asthma inhaler log work in Sam?
Sam's asthma program is a diary of its own with a doctor report and a monthly questionnaire. You start it once a doctor has diagnosed your asthma. In it you log each use with the number of puffs, from 0 to 20. You add the reason: symptoms, before exercise or other. Except for a use before exercise, you also record whether it helped. Separately, Sam can remind you about your preventer if it is in your medication list with set times. Sam does not remind you about an as-needed reliever, because it has no fixed schedule.
New entries dated today also get air quality and pollen, if you share your location and values exist. Your reliever use then sits next to what was in the air. The doctor report of your asthma program is a PDF. It shows on how many of the last 28 days you used the reliever for symptoms, and the puffs. It also shows your most recent entries from the period you choose. More on keeping a diary is in Asthma symptoms: signs, diary and when to get help.
What should you bring to the appointment?
Bring your log, on paper or as the report from Sam. The practice can then see the month at a glance. If you link your preventer from your medication list to your asthma program, the report shows it with its schedule. It also shows the doses taken as scheduled.
A record is not a substitute for a visit. This part is not an instruction from Sam. It points you to the right services. What to do when your asthma gets worse belongs in your written asthma action plan. If you do not have one, ask your doctor or asthma nurse. Need your reliever more often than usual? Talk to your doctor or asthma nurse soon rather than waiting for a routine review. The NHS lists needing your inhaler more often as a reason to see a GP. If your reliever does not help during an attack or you feel worse, call your local emergency number (112 in the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US), even if you do not have a plan yet. What your use means is for your clinical team to judge, not an app or this page.
Log your reliever puffs in Sam and bring them in the asthma report
You keep your reliever use in Sam. You bring the month to the appointment as a report, instead of estimating at the end.
- Instead of a paper sheet: in the asthma diary you add your puffs, the reason and whether it helped. Your preventer sits apart with its own dose times.
- Instead of a second app: new entries dated today get air quality and pollen where you share your location and values exist.
- Instead of memory: the doctor report as a PDF shows your reliever days over the last 28 days. It also shows your linked preventer with its schedule.
Sam does not remind you about the reliever and never tells you when to use it.
Try Sam for freeSam is a wellness companion, not a medical device. The app does not diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult qualified professionals for medical decisions.
Related reading
More on Asthma
- See the program for Asthma
- For family members: Asthma
- With a second condition: Asthma and Hay Fever
- With a second condition: Reflux (GERD) and Asthma
- See the doctor report
- Keep your medication and reminders in one list
- Keep a diary of your symptoms and complaints
- Share what you record with family
- Compare your peak flow with the expected range (free tool)
- Asthma symptom control score (free tool)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I keep an asthma inhaler log?+
Because for a short-acting reliever, how often you need it for symptoms is one of the four questions GINA uses to assess asthma symptom control. A log shows how often you really used it, when and why. It does not replace a clinical judgement, but it gives the conversation at your appointment a basis.
What should I record each time I use my reliever inhaler?+
Record four things each time: the date and time, how many puffs, what you were doing or the trigger, and whether it helped. Your doctor can then read the month at a glance if you bring the log on paper or as the report from Sam.
What is the difference between a reliever and a preventer?+
A reliever quickly opens the airways and is used when you need it. A preventer is used regularly to help prevent symptoms. It is also called a controller. Your plan with your doctor or asthma nurse sets out which of your inhalers is for what.
Can I log my reliever inhaler in Sam's asthma diary?+
Yes. In Sam's asthma diary you log each use with the number of puffs (0 to 20) and the reason: symptoms, before exercise or other. Except before exercise, you also record whether it helped. The doctor report of your asthma program shows your reliever days and puffs over the last 28 days, plus your linked preventer with its schedule.
Is there a set number of times I can use my reliever inhaler?+
Neither Sam nor this page gives a number. How you use your reliever is set out in the plan you have with your doctor or asthma nurse. Log each use. The NHS lists needing your inhaler more often as a reason to see a GP, so if you need it more often than usual, talk to them soon rather than waiting for a routine review.
Should I bring my reliever log to my appointment?+
Yes, bring it and talk it through. Whether your doctor uses it is up to them. For a short-acting reliever, how often you need it for symptoms is one of GINA's questions on symptom control. A log makes your answer checkable: you show a month instead of recalling it.