Indications for using a nebulizer
It is necessary to follow the indications for using the nebulizer:
- treatment of the upper respiratory tract: runny nose, swelling of the nasopharynx, acute respiratory diseases;
- treatment of lower respiratory tract diseases: bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma;
- relief of symptoms of allergic reactions (sneezing, coughing, runny nose, sore throat);
- treatment of inflammation of the mucous membranes with laryngitis, tracheitis and pharyngitis;
- preventive measures after operations on the respiratory organs.
We are increasingly receiving questions about whether or not to use a nebulizer or inhaler at a fever. The short answer is that a nebulizer and an inhaler are two slightly different devices, and a nebulizer can be used at a temperature, but a steam inhaler cannot.
Inhalation is a process in which a medicine in a finely dispersed state is inhaled into the lungs. Inhalation can be hot or cold.
Hot, warming inhalation - prescribed for the treatment of the upper and lower respiratory tract at temperatures below 37.5 degrees (when measured in the armpit). If the temperature is above this mark, then hot inhalation is contraindicated, as it can only cause harm. A simple example: hot inhalation for sinusitis, which is accompanied by high fever, can cause purulent otitis media. Do not self-medicate; whenever you are in doubt about how and what to treat, consult a doctor.
Hot inhalation “over chamomile” or “over potatoes” is, excuse me, already a thing of the past. Chamomile, if you didn’t know, is a very strong allergen, and its use without preliminary testing for a reaction is a danger of developing an allergy instead of treatment. Any homemade inhalation system based on the “saucepan-potato-towel” principle is a risk of scalding with boiling water or burning the respiratory tract with steam over 70°; you must agree, it doesn’t look much like treatment.
Today there is a simple and effective way to do steam, hot inhalation, using a steam inhaler, such as the “Miracle Steam” from B.Well. This device has silicone mask attachments for carrying out the procedure, and the steam it generates has a temperature of 43° - at this temperature all viruses die, and the patient has no chance of getting burned; on the contrary, the treatment will be like a pleasant SPA procedure.
In addition to the fact that a steam inhaler has a therapeutic effect, it can also be used as a cosmetic device. The set includes a special SPA attachment so that you can create a real sauna for your face at home!
Cold inhalation is a completely different method of treatment. Cold steam can be produced by an inhaler-nebulizer, for example, a compressor. Some people get confused and call these devices “compression” inhalers, which is not true, since the name comes from the word “compressor” and not “compression.”
A compressor is a motor that pumps air. The more powerful the compressor, the more intense the air flow, which breaks the liquid medicine into many tiny particles that the patient can inhale.
By inhaling such a healing aerosol, an instant path to recovery begins, because the healing particles fall directly into the area of inflammation. Cold inhalations were originally used to treat asthma, since the symptoms of the disease progress at lightning speed and threaten the patient with suffocation if the attack is not stopped immediately.
To combat asthmatic attacks, doctors invented nebulizers - instant-action devices, the use of which provides immediate relief. Only then did nebulizers begin to be used in the treatment of other respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis, COPD, pneumonia, and even acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections. It's all about the principle of “instant action”. Treatment with a nebulizer is fast, safe, and recovery will not take long.
Cold inhalation with a nebulizer-inhaler allows treatment even at temperatures above 37.5 degrees, is the most gentle in terms of possible side effects, and is available even at home.
Today, a nebulizer with professional characteristics can be bought at any pharmacy or ordered from an online store with home delivery. For example, the medical nebulizer inhaler from B.Well MED-121 is just a professional device, tested in a hospital setting and recognized by doctors as a nebulizer of high quality and efficiency. Its respirable fraction is comparable to professional values - above 75%, and its dimensions allow you to store such a device at home in a medicine cabinet. Assembling the nebulizer and preparing it for use will take no more than 2 minutes, and the whole family can be treated with it, because all nozzles and tubes are subject to sterilization.
When choosing a treatment method, consult your doctor again and find out what medications he will recommend for the treatment of a particular disease. Do not self-medicate, always carefully read the instructions for the devices and most importantly - do not get sick! Take care of yourself and your loved ones.
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Is it possible to carry out inhalations at elevated temperatures?
There are a number of contraindications for using a nebulizer:
- tendency to bleed (this category includes nasopharyngeal bleeding and pulmonary hemorrhage);
- purulent sore throats;
- cardiovascular diseases (stroke, heart attack);
- high blood pressure (hypertension);
- body temperature above +37 °C.
If you feel well, you can use a nebulizer when your temperature rises. Since this device does not have a steam effect, the drug particles do not heat the patient’s airways, but directly have a healing effect on the body. In some cases, the drug particles can even effectively reduce the patient's fever.
Children can be given inhalations at elevated temperatures as prescribed by a doctor. Unlike steam inhalations, the use of a nebulizer in treating a child with fever is considered the correct treatment. It has been proven that children are able to recover from respiratory diseases that are accompanied by fever under the influence of this device.
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To dilute the drug, saline solution is used. For a child, about 5-6 ml of this solution is required for 1 procedure. The child should breathe calmly into the nebulizer, without taking special deep breaths.
Important! The medicine for the solution is prescribed by a pediatrician. Independent experiments are dangerous for the child’s health.
When a child has a runny nose, it is also useful to do inhalations in a nebulizer with saline solution.
Solutions of propolis, Chlorophyllipt, Interferon, Tonzilgon and other drugs are used as alternative remedies. The dosage of each drug is calculated depending on the child’s body weight.
In adults, inhalation with a nebulizer can also be carried out at a body temperature of +38 °C. Such measures stop the further development of the disease, help relieve cough, dilate the bronchi, and remove excess phlegm. With the right medication, body temperature is reduced.
For inhalation with a nebulizer for adults, the following medicinal substances are used: Lazolvan, Ambroxol, Chlorophyllipt, Berodual, Ventolin and other drugs. Home remedies that can alleviate the condition include soda, mineral water, propolis, decoctions of medicinal herbs (if there are no allergies) and saline solution.
The most effective drug that fights respiratory diseases is Berodual. It quickly relieves cough symptoms and makes breathing easier. But this medicine can cause side effects in some cases. They are expressed in the appearance of migraines, dizziness, headaches, swelling, irritability.
Inhalations with Lazolvan relieve spasms of the respiratory tract and remove excess mucus.
To treat a runny nose using a nebulizer at home, use a soda solution prepared in a proportion of 1 tsp. soda per 1 liter of water, solution dosage - 3 ml 2 times a day. The water temperature should not be higher than +30 °C. For better results, you can add 2 drops of iodine to this solution. For the treatment of wet cough, the dosage of soda solution is 3-4 ml twice a day, for the treatment of dry cough - 4 ml twice a day.
To apply or not
Most procedures based on heating at elevated temperatures are prohibited. Can a nebulizer be used when there is a fever? Since the inhaler does not act with hot steam, it is not capable of overheating the body, therefore, its use is permitted. In some cases, the procedure helps to quickly reduce the temperature and has a beneficial effect on the healing process.
For asthma and severe diseases of the respiratory system, breathing through a nebulizer is the only effective method in treating the disease. You can use the inhaler if the temperature does not exceed 38°C.
Conditions that must be observed during the procedure;
- Do not use the device immediately after eating;
- follow medication dosages exactly;
- breathing should be even and calm;
- Do not use the device during nosebleeds.
Solution for inhalation at temperature
The cause of heat in the body during respiratory diseases is inflammation of the respiratory tract. Therefore, medicinal solutions for the nebulizer are prescribed to destroy the pathological microorganisms that cause the disease and alleviate the general condition of the patient.
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The solution for inhalation at temperature may contain:
- medicinal herbs (decoctions);
- expectorants;
- antibiotics;
- mineral water.
Any solution for inhalation is used at a temperature only as prescribed by a doctor.
Saline solution or Borjomi mineral water is used as a base for dissolving the drug. To reduce fever during inflammation of the respiratory tract, inhalations with Berodual are prescribed.
How do nebulizer inhalations affect a child’s body?
A nebulizer allows you to introduce medications into the body without steam. This device, depending on what type is used, transforms the drug into tiny particles using compression or ultrasonic methods. After conversion in the nebulizer, the drug enters the respiratory tract under high pressure in the form of an aerosol cloud. Thanks to this, the medicine enters the patient’s body without heat exposure. Therefore, when performing inhalation using a nebulizer, elevated body temperature is not an obstacle to the procedure. When using this device, the temperature will not rise even higher due to heating; which means that inhalations using a nebulizer can be done for children with elevated temperatures. In addition, this procedure is convenient because it can be carried out with the patient in a supine position, which allows you not to disturb the child by lifting him out of bed. A positive effect in inhalation treatment is that due to the drug being used directly on the mucous membranes, the medicinal substances begin to act as quickly as possible, and the elevated temperature decreases. With inhalation treatment, the child’s condition improves in a short time.
Possible side effects
Side effects from using the nebulizer are minor. You may feel slightly dizzy, nauseous, and cough. But if you follow the basic rules of treatment using this medical device, the patient will not face such consequences.
Side effects when using a nebulizer can only occur if the medication for this device is incorrectly selected. If after therapy with a nebulizer you experience a headache, rapid heartbeat, or insomnia, you should consult a doctor to change the drug.
Types of inhalations
Before you start looking for the answer to the main question, it would not be superfluous to familiarize yourself with the types of inhalations that the doctor can prescribe for the treatment of both children and adults:
- It is time to warm up the upper respiratory tract using the ancient method used by our ancestors – steam. This option involves inhaling hot steam coming from, for example, boiled potatoes. The analyzed method does not involve the addition of medicinal compounds, having a positive effect on the mucous surface exclusively with the help of moist hot steam. Using the steam method, the following effect is achieved:
- irritation of the mucous membrane caused by coughing attacks is significantly reduced;
- mucous membranes receive additional hydration;
- blood flow improves;
- internal tissues are warmed.
Of course, medicinal preparations can be added to a hot composition, but, as practice shows, almost all medicinal compositions prescribed by doctors to combat colds lose
healing properties under the influence of high temperatures. As a result, treating a child with a steam inhaler will not bring the desired result, and it will be very difficult for a child under one year old to endure the procedure in question.
