An incentive spirometer is a handheld device that exercises your lungs and measures how much air you can breathe in. It tells you and your doctor how well your lungs are working.
The spirometer can help you practice taking deep breaths. Deep breaths can help open your airways and prevent fluid or mucus from building up in your lungs, and make it easier for you to breathe.
Using the device can help prevent serious lung infections like pneumonia, improve your breathing after you've had pneumonia or surgery, and keep your airways open and lungs active if you can't get out of bed.
When you use an incentive spirometer, you'll breathe in air through a tube that is connected to a large air column containing a piston or ball. As you breathe in, the piston or ball inside the column moves up. The height of the piston or ball shows how much air you breathed in. You may feel lightheaded when you breathe in deeply for this exercise. If you feel dizzy or like you're going to pass out, stop the exercise and rest.
Each time you do this exercise, keep track of your progress by writing down how high the piston or ball moves up the column. This will help you and your doctor know how well your lungs are working.
Current as of: August 6, 2023
Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.