Now rarely are any of the children ill with colds. Babies are born already weakened, and poor ecology and poor-quality food contribute to an even greater decrease in immunity. Therefore, often for the treatment of colds and viral diseases, immunostimulating drugs are used. One of the most common is Interferon. This is a natural protein substance that strengthens the body's defenses and helps fight viruses. This drug is available in drops, so it is very convenient to use Interferon for inhalation in a nebulizer. This procedure is especially often used to treat children and to protect them from viruses.
General characteristics of the drug
One of the most common and long-used immunomodulatory agents is Interferon. This is a natural substance created on the basis of proteins that are secreted by the body upon contact with the virus. Therefore, interferon helps fight infection and supports the immune system. This drug is effective for the prevention and treatment of many viral diseases. The main property of interferon is that it prevents the penetration of the virus into the cell, thereby preventing the spread of infection.
The product is available in drops and solution for injection. This form allows you to use "Interferon" for inhalation in a nebulizer. Scientists have proven that this is the most effective way to treat respiratory viral infections. After all, the virus enters the body through the nasopharynx, starting to multiply in the mucosa. And the intake of medication in the form of inhalation contributes to its distribution just in the respiratory tract. In addition to the antiviral effect, such a procedure has a moisturizing, cleansing and expectorant effect.
Inhalation through a nebulizer
Inhalation is one of the most common treatments for respiratory problems. This procedure is the inhalation of drugs. However, they quickly spread in the respiratory tract, immediately starting to act. Recently, devices have appeared for more effective inhalation - nebulizers. This device breaks the liquid drug into tiny droplets and sprays them in the airways. Irrigation of the mucosa occurs, which is more effective than the use of sprays, gargling or drops in the nose. The action of this procedure is soft, painless, the child just breathes calmly, putting on a face mask.
Modern nebulizers allow you to adjust the size of the sprayed particles, depending on the application. For example, with bronchitis or pneumonia, it is necessary that the particles of the solution are 2-5 microns. And with viral diseases, they should be larger so that they settle in the upper respiratory tract. But the medicine does not remain in the oral cavity, therefore, does not enter the gastrointestinal tract. Due to this, there are no side effects. The advantages of using nebulizers for treating children include the fact that they are often made in the form of toys, which makes the process more enjoyable.
How to use Interferon for inhalation
In order for the drug to spread well through the respiratory tract, a certain size of its particles must be achieved. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the nebulizer breaks the drug into drops greater than 5 microns. Smaller particles bypass the focus of infection and quickly penetrate the lower respiratory tract. Especially effective is the procedure in which the drug is broken into droplets of about 10 microns.
Inhalation with "Interferon" in a nebulizer for a child is more convenient than spraying or instilling drugs into the nose. After all, when spraying the medicine into the smallest particles, they are evenly distributed throughout the mucosa of the respiratory tract. The advantages of this procedure also include the fact that it successfully prevents the spread of the virus, preventing it from entering the bronchi and lungs.
This drug begins to act almost immediately after penetration into the respiratory tract. It activates the body's defenses and strengthens cell membranes, preventing the entry of viruses into them. The highest activity of the drug is observed when the body temperature is 37 ° C. Therefore, it is recommended to take an antipyretic agent only if it rises above 38 ° C. The treatment features also include the fact that it should be comprehensive. Inhalations have a local effect, so systemic drugs are still prescribed.
Indications for use
Often "Interferon" for inhalation in a nebulizer is used to prevent infection. This is especially necessary for children in contact with a large number of people during the epidemic of viral infections. It is recommended that such inhalations be taken if one of the family members is already sick.
But reviews of inhalations with Interferon in a nebulizer indicate that it is good to use them in the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, rhinitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, herpes and other viral infections. Such a procedure becomes effective only if treatment is started at the initial stage of the disease. It is advisable to carry out the first inhalation when the patient only felt the following symptoms:
- mild malaise;
- temperature rise;
- nasal congestion;
- sneezing, lacrimation;
- runny nose, cough;
- sore throat.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that “Interferon” for inhalation in a nebulizer is considered safe, it can only be used after consulting a doctor. After all, this is a drug based on a protein component, so it can cause a strong allergic reaction. In addition, there are some contraindications for such treatment. First of all, they do not inhale and do not use Interferon for the treatment of children under one year old. Such treatment is contraindicated for people with chronic vascular diseases, heart failure or impaired renal function. You can not use this remedy for hepatitis, epilepsy, serious nervous or mental pathologies, allergies to chicken protein
Possible side effects
Typically, such procedures are well tolerated by patients. But some people have an individual intolerance to this remedy, so after its use allergic reactions occur. In addition, the instruction for Interferon for inhalation in a nebulizer warns that other side effects are possible. This may be malaise, nausea, impaired stool, headaches. Sometimes there are problems with sleep, pain in the muscles and joints, increased sweating. If any such effect occurs, treatment should be discontinued.
"Interferon" for inhalation in a nebulizer: instructions
For children, such procedures are done only as directed by a doctor. A specialist will help you choose the right dosage, duration of inhalation and frequency of use. It depends on the age of the patient and the severity of his condition. Parents, whose children often suffer from colds, already know how to breed “Interferon” for inhalation in a nebulizer. The drug is produced in powder, packaged in ampoules. Usually take one ampoule of the product and dilute with 3 ml of saline or distilled water. You can store the prepared medicine for no more than a day in a cool place, but it is better to use it right away, it just lasts for 1 inhalation.
The duration of the procedure is 5-8 minutes. Such inhalations are usually recommended every 4 hours. This will ensure the maintenance of a constant concentration of the active substance. But it is undesirable to do inhalations more often than 4 times a day. For children, the dosage of "Interferon" for inhalation is usually prescribed individually by a nebulizer.
Rules of procedure
Despite the fact that such drugs are considered safe, it is necessary to use Interferon, especially for children, as directed by a doctor. And in order for the treatment to be effective, it is important to observe several rules:
- Start using Interferon as soon as possible. Such treatment a week after the onset of the disease will be useless.
- You can not heat the drug, it must be at room temperature. After all, already after 35 ° C, its active substance begins to collapse.
- Breathe during inhalation with the nose. Indeed, this is how an infection enters the body. With nasal breathing, the drug most effectively spreads through the respiratory tract.
- The interval between inhalation and food intake should be at least an hour.
- After inhalation, you can not go outside for an hour.
Inhalation with Interferon in a nebulizer: reviews
For children, this procedure is not only more effective, but also much more convenient than rinsing, irrigation of the nasopharynx with sprays and drops. Such treatment is perceived negatively by many children, and inhalation with a nebulizer usually does not cause any discomfort. Most parents who use this procedure to treat their children note that after 1–2 days the child is feeling better, nasal breathing improves, coughing becomes moist, the sore throat goes away, and the temperature drops. With proper use of a nebulizer, recovery usually occurs after 4–5 days.