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[00:00.41] Early 20th century writer, Marcel Proust, finished his magnum opus “In Search of Lost Time” from bed— in a cork-lined room to keep allergens out.

[00:10.23] Proust suffered from severe asthma.

[00:12.62] At the time, there weren’t great treatments.

[00:15.28] When breathlessness set in, he’d burn powders that filled the space with smoke and fumes.

[00:20.32] Or, for a quick fix, he’d smoke a doctor-recommended anti-asthma cigarette.

[00:25.10] These powders and cigarettes commonly contained thorn apple, which can open your airways.

[00:30.42] However, both were clearly terrible ideas.

[00:33.34] Smoking and fumes bring damaging, carcinogenic toxins into your lungs.

[00:38.39] Thankfully, today we have inhalers— simple but powerful devices that deliver lung medications straight to the source and without the nasty side effects of smoke inhalation.

[00:47.68] Inhalers are mainly used to treat two conditions: asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

[00:55.39] And there are two main types: preventative inhalers and rescue inhalers.

[00:59.64] Preventative inhalers can be used every day to control symptoms.

[01:03.09] There are also rescue inhalers, which are great in an emergency, but using them regularly can be dangerous.