Spacer chamber devices, or spacers as they’re referred to, work to deliver the medicine in your inhaler directly to the lungs, to help alleviate symptoms in those with asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).

While most of us know that there are no benefits to smoking, it can be difficult to stop. Some people think stopping is all about willpower, and they insist on going cold turkey to give up – but experience tells us that they are more likely to return to smoking in future, and only 3 in 100 of smokers who try to quit in this way actually succeed. The good news is that there are several tried and tested methods that will help you quit smoking, but it’s always worth taking the time to understand the hold cigarettes have on us first. Why is it so hard to quit smoking? Smoking tobacco is highly addictive due to the nicotine element that it contains. Nicotine affects the brain in a way that releases endorphins in the brain. These are ‘feel good’ chemicals that make us feel happy and are highly addictive, creating cravings for them once their nicotine trigger has stopped. This temporary high is a hefty price to pay for the cost of smoking to the body. In the UK, almost 100,000 people die from smoking-related diseases every year, and there are over half a million hospital admissions due to smoking annually. Smoking takes a mental hold on us, providing a psychological crutch that’s hard to give up. Daily smoking can become a habit – a ritual around drinking, morning coffee, work breaks and nights out. It can take at least 60 days to break such a habit, which is why relapses occur so often for those trying to quit smoking. To quit for good, smokers must adjust their lifestyle completely, ensuring that it is no longer a part of their routine and daily activities, and is not used to comfort low mood, anxiety, depression or boredom. So, let’s talk through how to quit smoking, including some tried and tested methods to put you in the best position to quit and stay that way.

Experiencing an earache alongside a sore throat can be both uncomfortable and concerning. These symptoms often occur together, leading many to wonder if there is a direct connection between them. The relationship between the ear and throat will give you an understanding of the causes of earache and sore throat. This will help identify the underlying cause and find appropriate treatment. We will explore the common causes of these symptoms, their possible links, and how they might indicate various health conditions. The Link Between the Ear and the Throat Conditions often affect the ear and throat due to their interconnected structures and shared nerve pathways. The tube connecting the middle ear to the throat allows inflammation or infections in the throat to spread to the ear. Shared nerves can transmit pain from one area to the other, leading to referred discomfort. Additionally, the “lymphatic system”, which includes “lymph nodes” in the neck and throat, can cause swelling and tenderness that radiates to the ear. This connection explains why symptoms can simultaneously impact both areas.

It can feel scary when your child is having breathing problems, and difficult to know when to wait and see, and when to know that they are really struggling. Let’s talk you through the tell-tale signs we, as doctors, look for that indicate a child’s breathing is a concern. Signs your child is struggling to get air in include a grunting sound or nodding their head with each breath, if they flare their nostrils or purse their lips to breathe. You might notice the muscles under their ribs are being sucked inwards or their tummy goes out to help them draw air in. Signs of life-threatening difficulty are any episodes where they stop breathing for 20 seconds or longer, they become pale or blue around the lips, or they have a fit or become unresponsive. They may be breathing very fast, but it is also important if they start looking very tired from the work of breathing.

COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, usually requires inhalers to keep symptoms under control and allow you to go about your daily activities. Sometimes the lungs can get irritated and inflamed, leading to a flare-up, or what we call, an acute exacerbation of COPD. As you learn to manage your condition, you might notice predictable triggers – the flu, a chest infection, cold weather, a smoky environment – or there may be no obvious cause. It’s important to recognise when it’s not just a bad breathing day, but a COPD flare-up, and what action to take.

Asthma is a long-term condition causing inflammation of the airways. Most people have a mild form, and symptoms are kept at bay through regular medication to dampen down inflammation. Occasionally people get flare-ups, where symptoms come back, and this may require stronger treatment. Once you are on the right treatment for you, and you have an asthma plan that tells you when to increase or decrease doses, most people go on to lead a normal life – able to exercise, work and enjoy family life.

Asthma is usually well-controlled with a preventer inhaler and occasional use of a reliever inhaler salbutamol. From time to time, symptoms may flare up and cause an asthma attack – you might be able to identify a trigger or this may come out of the blue. Whether you are the one suffering the attack, or you are on hand to help someone else, this can feel frightening. Forewarned is fore-armed, so it’s important to know what to do, as in some circumstances, this can be life-threatening. Let us arm you with techniques to treat this and help you to recovery.