How to Use Voldyne 5000

The Voldyne 5000 is a popular incentive spirometer. The goal of this device is to open the air sacs in your lungs after surgery, making it easier to breathe deeply and keep your lungs clear.[1] Proper usage may speed up your total recovery time while reducing your risk of developing pneumonia or other breathing problems.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Setting Up

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    Verify the desired goal. When using the Voldyne 5000 under the care of a doctor, nurse, or respiratory therapist, this healthcare professional will typically have a goal a mind.
    • The Voldyne 5000 has a goal range between 250 and 2500 ml, so your goal should fall somewhere within this range. These numbers indicate the amount of air volume your lungs are able to intake.
    • While it's usually best to begin the procedure with a volume goal in mind, it isn't strictly necessary for the first use. You should still use your results from each use to adjust your goal later on, though.
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    Set the pointer. Look for the yellow marker tab on the side of the large graduated column. Move the tab up or down until it rests at the position labeled with your desired goal.[2]
    • If you do not have a goal during your first use, you do not need to set the pointer to any measurement yet. You will need to use the pointer later on, though.
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    Sit up straight. Move to the end of your bed or chair and sit up straight. If desired, you could lean slightly forward, but you should not allow yourself to slouch or slump over.
    • Similarly, you should not allow your head to tilt backward, either.
    • If you cannot move to the edge of your bed, you should at least sit up as far as possible while sitting in bed. When using an adjustable hospital bed, you may use the controls to raise the head of your bed to assist you as you sit.
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    Hold the Voldyne 5000 in an upright position. Keep the device in an upright position with all labels facing you.[3]
    • Keep the device as level as possible so that the procedure will work correctly and all readings will be accurate.
    • You should have a clear view of the marker tab, goal piston, and main piston. Note that the goal piston is the yellow cylinder resting beneath the "Good, Better, Best" label at the side of the device and the main piston is the large white disc at the bottom of the large cylinder.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Using the Voldyne 5000

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    Exhale. Breathe out naturally, expelling as much air from your lungs as possible.[4]
    • Exhale through your mouth instead of your nose to push out more air at a quicker pace.
    • A complete exhale is important. If you only exhale partially, you won't be able to inhale as deeply as you would with emptied lungs, making it more difficult to reach your goal point or obtain accurate results.
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    Place the mouthpiece in your mouth. Firmly press your lips around the mouthpiece to create a tight seal.
    • Reposition your tongue as needed to make sure that it does not block the mouthpiece and hinder usage.
    • You must create and maintain a tight seal with your lips. Otherwise, some of the air you inhale will come from outside the Voldyne 5000, and the resulting measurement will be lower than it should be.
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    Inhale slowly. Take a deep, slow breath. Continue breathing in until you either reach your marked goal or are no longer able to inhale further.
    • If you're maintaining an adequately tight seal with your lips, this inhale should seem similar to the feeling of drinking a thick liquid through a small straw.
    • Watch the goal piston as it bounces between "Good," "Better," and "Best." This indicator measures the speed of your inhale, and a slower inhale will create a better reading. Try to keep it within the "Better" and "Best" ranges. Inhaling slowly gives the air sacs in your lungs more time to open, which will make it easier to get a deeper breath.
    • Watch the main piston, as well. Try to make this piston reach the goal marked by the yellow pointer. You can allow the piston to rise higher, but you should not try to force it.
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    Hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds. Once you've finished inhaling, pause and hold your breath for a minimum of 3 seconds.[5]
    • Watch the main piston as you hold your breath. It should gradually drop back down to bottom or "zero" position. Once it does, you can proceed to the next step.
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    Exhale normally. Take the mouthpiece out of your mouth and breathe out at a normal, comfortable pace.
    • As before, try to expel all of the air from your lungs on this exhale.
    • If you feel winded or if your lungs are otherwise tired, take a few normal breaths before continuing to the next step. You should still end on an exhale before advancing, though.
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    Reset the indicator. Unless you are told otherwise by your nurse or respiratory therapist, you should move the plastic indicator to the highest point you reached during the procedure.
    • This allows you to adjust your goal based on your lungs' current abilities. When repeating this exercise, make your adjusted mark your new goal.
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    Repeat as directed. Repeat this procedure as directed by your healthcare provider. Typically, you should follow the procedure 10 to 15 times during each sitting.
    • If your nurse or therapist did not assign a set number of repeats, aim for at least 10.[6] You can do more, but stop if you feel lightheaded, dizzy, or too exhausted to continue.
    • Do not attempt to rush through the process. Work through it gradually and breathe normally in between each repeat. If you feel lightheaded or dizzy, pause for a greater amount of time between repeats.
    • Adjust the yellow goal marker each time you complete the procedure, but only make an adjustment if you reach a higher goal point. Do not adjust the pointer to a lower position unless your doctor, nurse, or therapist instructs you to do so.
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    Cough. After you finish the full procedure, breathe deeply and cough two or three times.
    • Coughing should help clear the mucus from your lungs, making it easier for you to breathe.
    • If you had surgery on your chest or stomach, or if you feel pain while you cough, hold a pillow or folded blanket firmly against your chest while coughing. Applying pressure to the site of the incision in this manner should support the area and reduce the amount of pain you feel.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Continuing Therapy

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    Clean after each use. Thoroughly clean the mouthpiece with soap and water after each use. Rinse well and dry with clean paper towels.[7]
    • If desired, you could clean the mouthpiece with an antiseptic mouth rinse instead of using soap and water.
    • When using soap and water, however, you must make sure to rinse away all soap before using the spirometer again.
    • On the Voldyne 5000, the standard mouthpiece is meant to be a permanent one. Use this mouthpiece each time you use the device. If you switch to a disposable mouthpiece, though, you should not use the same one for more than 24 hours.
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    Repeat the procedure throughout the day. You will need to use the device in the same manner every one to two hours, or as directed by your nurse, doctor, or respiratory therapist.[8]
    • Note that in most cases, however, you should only follow this schedule during your normal waking hours. Your body needs adequate rest to make a full recovery, so you shouldn't wake yourself up in the middle of the night to repeat the exercise.
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    Keep a record of your results. While not strictly necessary, it's a good idea to keep a log indicating your results. This log should contain an entry for each time you use the Voldyne 5000.
    • For each entry, mark down the time of day, the number of repeats you performed, and the volume amount you managed to reach.
    • The purpose of this record is monitor the progress made by your lungs, and to keep track of any increases or decreases to the functional abilities of your lungs.
    • Your healthcare provider might keep a similar record, but you should still keep your own so that you can keep track of your progress yourself.
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    Walk around. When you are well enough to safely get out of bed and move around on your own, practice walking around in between uses. While walking, breathe deeply and cough two or three times.[9]
    • Practicing the cough while you walk can clear your lungs more thoroughly and make it even easier to breathe.
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How often do you use a Voldyne spirometer?
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Board Certified Pulmonologist
    Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang is a board certified Pulmonologist and the Director of Pulmonary Integrative Medicine at Coastal Pulmonary Associates affiliated with the Scripps Health Network in San Diego, California. She also serves as a Voluntary Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine while volunteering for the UCSD Medical Student-Run Free Clinic for uninsured patients. With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Liang specializes in pulmonary and respiratory medical concerns, mindfulness teaching, physician wellness, and integrative medicine. Dr. Liang received her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Liang was voted as a San Diego Top Doctor in 2017 and 2019. She was also awarded the 2019 American Lung Association San Diego Lung Health Provider of the Year.
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Board Certified Pulmonologist
    Expert Answer
    Typically, inhale on your Voldyne spirometer 10 times every hour while you're awake.
  • Question
    What does the Voldyne do?
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Board Certified Pulmonologist
    Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang is a board certified Pulmonologist and the Director of Pulmonary Integrative Medicine at Coastal Pulmonary Associates affiliated with the Scripps Health Network in San Diego, California. She also serves as a Voluntary Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine while volunteering for the UCSD Medical Student-Run Free Clinic for uninsured patients. With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Liang specializes in pulmonary and respiratory medical concerns, mindfulness teaching, physician wellness, and integrative medicine. Dr. Liang received her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Liang was voted as a San Diego Top Doctor in 2017 and 2019. She was also awarded the 2019 American Lung Association San Diego Lung Health Provider of the Year.
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Board Certified Pulmonologist
    Expert Answer
    The Voldyne helps keep your airways and air sacs open. It's especially helpful if you were hospitalized or if you had recent surgery.
  • Question
    What is the normal reading for an incentive spirometer?
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Board Certified Pulmonologist
    Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang is a board certified Pulmonologist and the Director of Pulmonary Integrative Medicine at Coastal Pulmonary Associates affiliated with the Scripps Health Network in San Diego, California. She also serves as a Voluntary Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine while volunteering for the UCSD Medical Student-Run Free Clinic for uninsured patients. With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Liang specializes in pulmonary and respiratory medical concerns, mindfulness teaching, physician wellness, and integrative medicine. Dr. Liang received her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Liang was voted as a San Diego Top Doctor in 2017 and 2019. She was also awarded the 2019 American Lung Association San Diego Lung Health Provider of the Year.
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
    Board Certified Pulmonologist
    Expert Answer
    It depends on so many factors, like your gender and height. When you're just out of surgery, your reading will be lower, but it should gradually increase as you recover.
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Warnings

  • If you feel any pain related to your lungs or to your incision, let your care provider know. It will be more difficult for you to breathe adequately deep while in pain.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Notify your doctor, nurse, or respiratory therapist if you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Do not continue usage while you still feel this way.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • When using the Voldyne 5000 at home, call 911 or seek emergency medical care if you experience unusual chest pain or become unable to catch your breath after the procedure.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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References

  1. ↑ Ni-Cheng Liang, MD. Board Certified Pulmonologist. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
  2. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/lung/how-to-use-a-manual-incentive-spirometer
  3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWBj5o5NblY
  4. ↑ http://www.upmc.com/patients-visitors/education/breathing/pages/incentive-spirometry.aspx
  5. ↑ https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Alberta/Pages/deep-breathing-coughing-after-abdominal-surgery.aspx
  6. ↑ Ni-Cheng Liang, MD. Board Certified Pulmonologist. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
  7. ↑ https://www.drugs.com/cg/how-to-use-an-incentive-spirometer.html
  8. ↑ Ni-Cheng Liang, MD. Board Certified Pulmonologist. Expert Interview. 18 June 2021.
  9. ↑ http://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments_and_procedures/hic_Your_Pre-Surgery_Visit_to_the_IMPACT_Center/hic-how-to-use-an-incentive-spirometer

About This Article

Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
Co-authored by:
Ni-Cheng Liang, MD
Board Certified Pulmonologist
This article was co-authored by Ni-Cheng Liang, MD. Dr. Ni-Cheng Liang is a board certified Pulmonologist and the Director of Pulmonary Integrative Medicine at Coastal Pulmonary Associates affiliated with the Scripps Health Network in San Diego, California. She also serves as a Voluntary Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine while volunteering for the UCSD Medical Student-Run Free Clinic for uninsured patients. With over 15 years of experience, Dr. Liang specializes in pulmonary and respiratory medical concerns, mindfulness teaching, physician wellness, and integrative medicine. Dr. Liang received her Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Dr. Liang was voted as a San Diego Top Doctor in 2017 and 2019. She was also awarded the 2019 American Lung Association San Diego Lung Health Provider of the Year. This article has been viewed 250,586 times.
89 votes - 94%
Co-authors: 13
Updated: March 4, 2023
Views: 250,586
Categories: Medical Equipment | Breathing Health

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

Article SummaryX

The Voldyne 5000 is a spirometer that helps to open air sacs in your lungs after surgery and help you breathe. To use it, you’ll need to be sitting up straight and holding the device upright so you can see the levels. Start by exhaling normally to clear your lungs of air. If your doctor gave you a goal to work towards, move the indicator on the device to the right marker. Next, press your lips around the mouthpiece to create a tight seal. Breathe in slowly and deeply until you can’t inhale anymore. Hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds. Then, breathe out normally, watching the scale to see how much air you exhale. Mark the highest point you reach with the indicator. For more tips, including how to clean the Voldyne 5000 after use, read on.

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