The Importance of an Incentive Spirometer

Surgery can be emotional and challenging. Following surgery, many patients benefit from using a device called an incentive spirometer that aids in breathing. Patients who use the device may have a faster recovery and shorter hospital stay. If your condition permits use of the device, your health care provider will teach you to use the incentive spirometer to practice effective breathing patterns.

Necessity of Deep Breathing Following Surgery

• Try to speed up your recovery time.

  Following surgery, deep breathing promotes lung expansion, helps clear secretions from the lungs and helps clear anesthetics (used during the surgery) from the body. Encourage deep breathing and coughing by the patient to clear his lungs. The patient reduces the risk of developing respiratory or breathing problems by engaging in this practice.

Function of the Incentive Spirometer

• Taking a deep breath can be healthful.

  Health care providers use the incentive spirometer to encourage deep breathing by patients following surgery. The deep breaths taken by the patient help to open air sacs in the lungs and prevent accumulation of secretions that could lead to breathing difficulty and pneumonia.

Using the Incentive Spirometer

• The spirometer provides an incentive to breathe deeply.

  The incentive spirometer provides a visual effect that incites patients to inhale deeply. The patient inhales through a tube attached to the incentive spirometer, and a marker on the device moves up and down to indicate the force of the breath. To use the incentive spirometer, close your lips around the mouthpiece, inhale slowly and deeply, hold the breath for three to five seconds and slowly exhale.

Frequency of Use

• Devote some time to using the incentive spirometer.

  You should use your incentive spirometer at least once every two hours. Take deep breaths using the incentive spirometer in cycles of 10, but rest as needed. Take a series of regular breaths between each deep breath. Remember to continue using the incentive spirometer when you return home to complete your recovery from surgery.

Splinting and Pain Control

• Take measures to control the pain.

  When using the incentive spirometer, you may begin coughing as secretions are freed from the lungs. If surgery was performed on your chest or stomach, taking a deep breath may be painful. When inhaling through the incentive spirometer, use a pillow or folded blanket to brace and support areas of your midsection that have incisions. Place the pillow or blanket over the incision and use your arms to hug the pillow or blanket to your body. This maneuver, called splinting the incision, reduces pain caused by coughing and inhaling. Take prescribed pain medication prior to using the incentive spirometer. Controlling your pain will enable you to inhale deeply and attain maximum benefits of the device.