Today, inhalation therapy is widely used in the treatment of various diseases of the respiratory tract. And if a couple of decades ago it was necessary to visit specialized rooms at a medical institution for this, now everything is much simpler. It is enough to purchase a nebulizer and conduct treatment in a comfortable home environment.
A bit of history
The origins of inhalation therapy go back to the distant past, and more precisely, during the existence of the ancient civilizations of India, China, Egypt and the Middle East. Even then, the inhalation of vapors of eucalyptus, menthol and other medicinal plants was used to treat various ailments of the respiratory tract. This was confirmed by the works of Galen and Hippocrates, which mention inhalation of fragrant plant smokes. As for the nebulizers, the first of them was created by Celes-Girones in France in 1859. The principle of the device was to use pressure to spray a liquid drug.
Later, in 1874, this type of inhalation apparatus received its official name, derived from the Latin word “nebula” (cloud, fog). Outwardly, the device did not even remotely resemble a modern nebulizer, a review of which we can read today on any website with a medical theme, however, the identity of the products - aerosol from a liquid medicine is undeniable. More than a century and a half passed before compact and powerful devices for inhalation appeared in our first-aid kits . For this long period, the designers had to work hard so that the treatment process even for a common cold was simple and comfortable.
Scope of application
The main purpose of this type of inhalation device is emergency treatment for an exacerbation of a disease such as bronchial asthma. During an asthma attack characteristic of this disease, in order to relieve spasm of the bronchi, the patient needs to receive a larger dose of medication than with everyday therapy. Only a nebulizer is capable of delivering the drug directly to the alveoli, and the patient’s feedback indicates that the condition improves after 2-3 minutes. As with asthma, the use of the device with COPD is effective when prolonged use of expectorant and bronchodilator drugs is necessary. Taking such medications in tablet form or in suspension may adversely affect the condition of other organs of the patient, such as the liver and stomach. It is worth noting that the nebulizer, the review of pediatricians confirms this, it is simply indispensable for the treatment of many diseases of the respiratory tract, including the planned treatment of bronchial asthma in children. For many mothers, whose babies often suffer from SARS, this device has become an integral attribute of a home medicine cabinet. Today it is the only way to deliver the drug directly to the focus of the disease.
Using a nebulizer at elevated temperatures
Everyone knows that often respiratory diseases are accompanied by fever. This reaction of the body indicates the struggle of the immune system with foreign microorganisms - pathogens of the disease, in which we must help with the help of medications. Therefore, in many patients, when prescribing inhalation therapy, the question arises as to whether it is possible to use a nebulizer at a temperature. However, doctors, trying not to harm the patient’s health and their own reputation, often respond negatively and cancel this procedure even with inpatient treatment. And they can be fully understood, because the characteristics of the patient’s body can provoke the manifestation of the most unpredictable reactions. As for the opinions of instrument manufacturers, they are more loyal in this matter. General recommendations in most operating instructions inform about the prohibition of the procedure for patients with body temperature above 37.5 about . And, it would seem, all this is correct, but you can not argue with practice and experience. There are critical situations when a nebulizer for inhalation becomes the only salvation not only of the patient's health, but also of his life.
So, for example, during an asthma attack with bronchial asthma, the patient is inhaled with the Berodual medicine, even if his body temperature is significantly different from normal. There are many such examples, but they should not be taken as a categorical contradiction to medical recommendations. Specialists should definitely be considered, especially when it comes to treating children and seriously ill patients. These categories of people cannot independently assess their own health status, being guided by sensations, and, therefore, are not able to make a decision on whether it is possible to use a nebulizer at a temperature in each specific case.
Inhalation Medication
The list of drugs used in inhalation therapy is quite large. It is systematically replenished with new drugs, so it is more advisable to consider this entire list of medicines by pharmacogroups. So, to dilute sputum deposited on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, and improve expectoration, mucoregulators and mucolytics are used. This group includes drugs for the nebulizer, such as "Lazolvan", "Ambrohexal", "Fluimucil" and others. As a bronchodilator, relieving bronchospasm and contributing to their expansion, Ventolin, Berodual, Salamol and Berotek medicines are often used. Another pharmacogroup of drugs that is often used in inhalation therapy is glucocorticoids. These hormonal drugs, such as Pulmocort, have a good decongestant and anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, thanks to the method of delivering the active substance directly to the focus of the disease, an antibiotic can also be used as a medicine for a nebulizer. The final position in the list of preparations for inhalation therapy is occupied by saline and alkaline solutions, such as Borjomi mineral water and physiological saline. Each of these components can be either the main treatment tool, or a solvent for other medicines.
How to prepare a solution for inhalation?
Of course, prescribing drugs and giving detailed advice on the rules for their use should be directly addressed by the attending physician. But if such an informative conversation, for some reason did not take place, the initiative should be taken into their own hands.
Firstly, be sure to remember that many drugs for nebulizers are produced by manufacturers in the form of special ready-to-use solutions. If the prescribed medication in the required form is not available, it is necessary to consult with a pharmacist about the possibility of using concentrated drugs for inhalation. As a rule, in this case, it is necessary to purchase a physiological saline solution together with the medicine, which will subsequently be used as a solvent. For this purpose, do not pour distilled water into the nebulizer, the recall of many who made such a mistake indicates the possibility of bronchospasm.
Secondly, it is necessary to be clearly guided by the instructions for the use of the medicine and in no case exceed the indicated dosage. Therefore, before starting inhalation, 2-4 ml of solvent should be poured into the nebulizer chamber and only then add the necessary amount of the main medication. The total volume of solution for one session should be from 2 to 5 ml, however, here, individual characteristics of the patient should be taken into account. For example, if treatment is required for the child, and the parents are not sure that the baby can do inhalation for a long time, you should take the minimum dose of solvent - 2 ml. This will allow the baby to receive the necessary amount of medicine without creating additional discomfort.
Thirdly, regardless of the form in which the medicine for the nebulizer was purchased, in the finished solution or concentrated drops, they need to be stored in the refrigerator. After the pharmacy packaging has been opened, the preparations should be used within 14 days. Each time before use, they should be warmed to room temperature.
What medications should not be used?
Among people who are often self-medicating, there is an opinion that it is impossible to harm the inhalation of aromatic oils in any disease. But this is far from the case. The manufacturers instructions clearly state that if a nebulizer is used, the use of oils and drugs based on which they are used is strictly prohibited. To convert such substances into an aerosol, you can use only steam devices that produce coarse particles that settle on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. If you ignore this warning and make such inhalation using a nebulizer, the body's reaction can be unpredictable. Small particles of such an aerosol can penetrate the lungs and clog the passages. The consequence of such carelessness can be oil pneumonia, which requires a long and expensive treatment. You should not lose sight of the possibility of allergic reactions after such a procedure, to an excess of the drug on the membranes of the bronchi and in the lungs.
The effectiveness of inhalation therapy for acute respiratory infections and colds
The most common mistake of many patients who use a nebulizer for coughing is incorrectly selected drugs, due to self-medication or an erroneous diagnosis of the disease. As a rule, the inhaler becomes, of course, the culprit of treatment failure, and the disease spreads further in the body and leads to serious complications. To avoid this situation, before starting treatment, you should consult a doctor and establish the correct diagnosis of a respiratory disease. If necessary, the patient will need to pass a general blood test, according to which a specialist will be able to accurately diagnose the etiology of the disease and prescribe the correct medication.
So, for example, with a bacterial infection, an antibiotic may be recommended, which is extremely useless for viruses that are sensitive only to antiviral drugs. For the same reason, a nebulizer with a runny nose can also be ineffective. Of course, the use of vasoconstrictor drugs for a short period of time can improve the condition, but you should not count on the long-term effect without proper treatment. Therefore, it is recommended to start treatment for acute respiratory viral infections or acute respiratory infections only after medical consultation and examination of the patient, this is the only way to quickly treatment.
Basic rules of operation
In order for the treatment to be effective, it is not enough just to purchase an inhaler and medications. It is important to know how to properly carry out this procedure and what safety measures must be observed in order not to worsen the condition of the patient. Of course, each type of inhaler has its own individual characteristics, so before using it, you should read the operating instructions from the manufacturer. However, there are many general recommendations that should be followed, regardless of the type of device.
Firstly, during inhalation you need to sit as comfortable as possible so as not to be distracted by discomfort. The back should be kept straight, this will allow you to gain a large amount of therapeutic aerosol into your lungs, and, of course, not to slow down your breath by talking.
Secondly, you need to use only those drugs that were prescribed by the doctor. Before filling the chamber, the expiration date should be checked on all medicines, otherwise treatment with a nebulizer will not only be ineffective, but may also harm the patient's health.
Thirdly, do not experiment and use any liquid as a solvent, preference should be given to physiological saline. In addition, the filling of the inhalation device should be carried out with sterile dispensers (disposable syringes and needles), no more than 5 minutes before using the nebulizer.
Fourthly, it is recommended to set the working gas flow in the range from 6 to 10 liters per minute; at a higher speed, the time of the inhalation session should be reduced. In compressor inhalers, this parameter is already set.
Fifth, during the procedure, special attention should be concentrated on breathing, slowly and deeply inhaling the aerosol through the mouth. The therapeutic effect of the procedure will be better if you try to hold your breath for a couple of seconds before exhaling. If a nebulizer is used for children, it is advisable to use a mask that should fit snugly against the face of the crumbs, this will greatly facilitate inhalation. This is especially true for the smallest peanuts.
Nebulizer reliability and storage conditions
Each class of nebulizers has its own life, and in order for the device to work qualitatively for the specified period of time, the storage conditions must be strictly observed. Therefore, after each inhalation, removable component parts must be washed with clean water and dried. Such hygiene rules will prevent the crystallization of drugs and bacterial contamination on the inner surfaces of the nebulizer. In addition, if several people do inhalation in the family, then after each use, additional cleaning and disinfection should be performed. It is desirable to store the device unassembled, to increase the safety of component parts. Attention should be paid to the fact that even the best nebulizers require timely replacement of air filters. And if you do not do this within the time stipulated by the instructions, the functionality and wear resistance of the device is significantly reduced. Therefore, it is extremely important not to neglect the above recommendations, because they can extend the period of use of the device.
Which nebulizer to choose?
To talk about which nebulizer is good and which is not very good is not entirely correct, since each model has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, choosing an inhaler for your household, you should pay attention to the main technical characteristics, which we will try to understand in more detail. So, the first criterion requiring consideration, of course, is the type of device. It can be ultrasonic, compressor and electronically-mesh (mesh) nebulizer. Each of them has a different degree of quality of drug delivery to the respiratory tract.
When purchasing the first one, one should take into account the fact that under the action of ultrasonic waves, many drugs are destroyed. Therefore, if a nebulizer is selected for systematic home use, it is better to give preference to compressor and mesh inhalers. The second selection criterion is an indicator such as the residual volume of the drug solution. Before using a nebulizer, everyone strictly measures the dose of the drug, but not all devices are able to fully convert liquid to aerosol. As a rule, in the chambers of ultrasonic and compressor nebulizers , part of the drug remains even after inhalation. The new mesh devices do not have such problems, so they are called the most effective inhalers of our time. It would seem that such a nebulizer is the best and you should not consider other options, however, it also has a significant drawback - high cost.
An alternative is a compressor inhaler, which is significantly cheaper, and is only slightly inferior in efficiency and quality of liquid medicine conversion. But even in this case, the choice of a device for inhalation should be approached with particular responsibility, paying attention to the type of nebulizer chamber. In devices with convection (direct-flow) capacity, 65-70% of a useful medicinal aerosol is simply lost in the atmosphere, without reaching its destination. If the inhalation activated camera is used in the nebulizer, the loss of medication is only 10%.
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Another manufacturer whose inhalation devices deserve attention is Mikrolife. The products of this brand are used by the most famous clinics in Europe, and more recently, are available to our consumer. However, in a short period of time, the advantages that the Microlife nebulizer has have managed to gain respect and receive grateful feedback. The compact, easy to use and effective inhalers of this manufacturer are already in high demand today. However, in addition to the quality and additional characteristics of increased comfort, these two manufacturers of medical equipment have one more advantage - affordable price. Many families have already realized that by purchasing this device, they significantly save their home budget. After all, it is often possible in the early stages to stop many diseases. At the same time, the need to purchase expensive medications simply disappears.