How to choose an inhaler

Now many people are actively stocking up on various pills, drugs and medicines, as the cold season is gradually approaching. For this reason, people began to wonder more often how to choose an inhaler.

Often this method of treatment is chosen by supporters of folk remedies, since the inhaler is inherently a more modernized method of treatment than special pots for inhalation. The fact is that the principle of action is the same, only using the inhaler you do not need to specially prepare the necessary substances, since they will already be inside the drug.

The inhaler is used to ensure that the aroma of medicinal herbs is delivered even to the most distant places in the respiratory tract. In addition, such a drug is perfect for the prevention of the respiratory tract. Therefore, do not rush to the nearest pharmacy to buy expensive medicines.

How to choose the right company that makes the best inhalers

Many buyers are wondering which inhaler is the best to choose. The inhaler is a device that is primarily used in the home, and consumers often expect to use the drug with their entire family when purchasing. Medical equipment is produced by quite a few companies, however, among the most popular and suitable for the case with the highest quality, such companies should be distinguished as:

• B. Well;
• Omron;
• A&D;
• Little Doctor International;
• MED 2000.

The products of these companies are highly reliable, and therefore consumers often trust these particular manufacturers. When buying funds from one of these companies, you can definitely be sure that they will not let you down and will last for a long time.

How does the inhaler work?

Each inhaler that is intended for use at home is designed according to the same principle. It includes elements such as:

• a body into which the liquid itself with extracts of medicinal herbs is poured, which subsequently turns into steam;
• flexible hose with a special shutter;
• nozzles, which can be of very different shapes - in the form of a mask, a special tube, and also a mouthpiece.

Perhaps every person who first encounters such a remedy is asked about which inhaler is better to choose. However, first you need to know the principle of operation of the inhaler itself in order to correctly use it for the treatment and prevention of lungs.

Liquid is poured into a special tank, which the device, by converting into steam, must be delivered to the lungs, trachea and bronchi without fail. However, the very method of transfer of this medical solution will directly depend on the design features of the drug itself.

For example, if it is a steam inhaler, then the device gradually heats up the poured liquid, after which the steam naturally rises through the hose to the mask or mouthpiece, and from there to the lungs, trachea and bronchi.If the device is of a more complex format, then a special compressor is installed inside it, with the help of which an excess pressure is created inside the body, after which a specially installed sprayer enters in small doses, which evenly distributes the liquid when it is fed into the human larynx.

What are the types of inhalers

Before choosing an inhaler for home use, it is very important to familiarize yourself with their types. There are several main ones.

Steam or heat-humid inhalers

Such devices, perhaps more than others, are close to the very saucepans over which each of us was forced to breathe in childhood, while covering our heads with a towel. However, such tools are much more convenient to use, besides, in this modification they are also more effective than the "grandmother's" method.

The vapors that gradually rise from the tank along the tube to the mask or mouthpiece, filled with aromas of essential oils and medicinal herbs, perfectly clear the respiratory tract, and after the first use you will feel much better. Such a remedy will be the ideal solution in order to cure or prevent coughs, runny nose or any other symptoms of a gradually approaching cold.

Doctors advise this remedy because it is considered the most effective among all others. In addition, they are also the fastest-acting, so after a few applications you will not only feel relief, but you can almost physically feel that the cold is leaving you. However, there are limitations in this seemingly miraculous remedy. It is recommended to use it only if your body temperature does not exceed +37.5 degrees. The volume of liquid that can fit in the tank at a time can reach 100 ml, depending on how large the inhaler you get. Therefore, the device can operate smoothly and continuously for 10 minutes.

Steam inhalers are often portable, since they do not exceed 25 cm in length and barely reach 700 g in weight.

Pros:

• very small, so you can take it with you on trips or even just to work or study if necessary;
• a very simple and easy-to-use device, so that even a person who has not previously dealt with this device will quickly find out what's what;
• such devices are very effective in treating the upper respiratory tract, and can also be used to prevent the common cold and neutralize its symptoms;
• at their cost, they are quite cheap, so that almost every family can afford to purchase such a device in their first-aid kit.

Minuses:

• you should not use such a device if your body temperature exceeds 37.5 degrees;
• if heating occurs to 100 degrees, then this aspect may impose some restrictions on the use of other related drugs;
• for the treatment of children, such a drug is not recommended, since too powerful an effect of the therapeutic steam can lead to certain complications.

Nebulizers

When using such a more powerful device, the liquid enters in a slightly different way than in a steam inhaler. In this case, the liquid with the extract of medicinal herbs and essential oils does not evaporate, but is sprayed into small particles, which go through a special tube into the human larynx. In this way, droplets of the solution are delivered to the most distant places of the lungs without losing even a small part of the solution.

Nebulizers are a more complex device than a water inhaler, so they come in different types, among which the following should be highlighted:

1. Ultrasonic. These devices are quite small and affordable in price.The principle of their operation is based on the fact that in their design there are special vibrating plates, with the help of which the liquid is broken into many small droplets and is delivered through a tube to the lungs.
2. Compression. The principle of operation of these inhalers is based on the fact that the liquid is gradually blown out of the tank using a powerful stream of air. Such devices are considered universal, since almost any medicinal substance can be poured into their tanks and not be afraid of side effects.
3. Mesh nebulizers. This type is the most expensive in comparison with other types of inhalers, but today there is no more effective device. This type of device is equipped with a special vibrating mesh membrane that breaks liquid into tiny molecules and delivers it to the most distant corners of the lungs.

Nebulizers are inhalers for children and adults, as devices of this type are more professional than steam devices. Parents may not be afraid to let their children use them, since their action, other than positive, will have no effect.

Using the methods used in these devices, the liquid is broken into molecules so small that they could only be seen under a microscope. For this reason, when inhaling, the liquid is practically not felt, and the molecules themselves penetrate into the lungs as deeply as possible.

Pros:

• the effectiveness of treatment when using such drugs reaches the maximum level;
• such devices are safe not only for adults but also for children;
• there are no restrictions on drugs that could be poured into the tank of such a device;
• on sale in pharmacies you can find special rechargeable models, so that you do not even have to connect the device to the outlet every time;
• such devices always economically consume the filled medicinal liquid.

Minuses:

• the cost of such devices is several times higher than the cost of steam inhalers;
• some types of such inhalers must be handled as carefully as possible.

But this is not the whole list of existing inhalers. There are other varieties in which inhalers for adults or children appear in a slightly different form. Basically, in addition to the above, there are also glass and salt, but they have not received proper distribution for the reason that they are less effective and not as easy to use than steam or nebulizers.

What to be guided by when choosing an inhaler

When people are faced with the need to buy an inhaler, the first thing they ask themselves is how to choose an inhaler for a child. His lungs are a much more sensitive organ, so this issue must be approached as responsibly as possible.

All the parameters by which the inhaler should be selected can be highlighted in a separate list:

• some inhalers break the liquid into particles no more than 8-10 microns, and they will be enough for the prevention of the oral cavity, the treatment of diseases such as tonsillitis or allergic swelling of the palate;
• if you need to treat the nasopharynx, or the inner surface of the larynx, then an inhaler will be enough for you, which breaks the particles of the healing liquid into droplets of 5-8 microns;
• if you have problems associated with the trachea or bronchi, then an inhaler that breaks the liquid into particles of 3-5 microns would be an excellent solution for you;
• if you are faced with bronchiolitis, which quickly penetrates and affects the lungs, then you will need a more powerful inhaler that breaks the healing liquid into droplets no more than 1-2 microns in size;
• if you need simple prevention or need treatment for a common cold that does not give any complications, then a steam inhaler will be enough for you.

Almost every model of inhalers has its own amount of drug spraying, so before purchasing this or that device, read the instructions for use.

What are the ways to supply fog

In those devices that are commercially available in every pharmacy, there are several ways to supply mist:

1. Continuous. In this case, the liquid sprayed into particles enters the larynx continuously during the entire session of using the inhaler. Often the session lasts until the entire tank is empty, so it is not recommended to turn off the device earlier. As a rule, this type of mist delivery does not allow determining the exact dosage and often leads to an excessive consumption of the medicinal liquid.
2. Manual adjustment. In order for the sprayed liquid to enter the tube, you must press a special button on the device body. When pressed, the mist is delivered to the lungs, and when the button is released, it stops. Thus, this option is considered to be more economical compared to continuous fogging. However, it's worth noting that someday the button may crash or stop working altogether.
3. Automatic. This method consists in the fact that the device registers the inhalation and then supplies the required pressure of the sprayed substance, and when the person exhales, the steam supply stops. This method is now considered to be more versatile because it saves the drug being poured into the tank and also does not have a button that can break at any time.

What are the volumes of the tank

Tanks are very different, depending on the size of the device itself. Basically, tanks can be of the following sizes:

• steam inhalers come with tanks of no more than 50-100 ml;
• tanks used in compressor devices often have a large filling capacity and range from 100 ml to 150 ml;
• nebulizers belonging to the ultrasonic type are often able to accommodate very little medicinal liquid at a time - from 50 ml to 70 ml;
• membrane-type inhalers are the smallest of all possible types, so that they hold no more than 10-15 ml at a time.

When you choose an inhaler, you must remember that the contents of its tank should be enough for at least one procedure. For this reason, always look at what is the nebulization rate of your chosen inhaler, as this factor directly affects how often you have to add medication to this device. In the event that the device does not have in its functionality an independent regulation of the supply of medicinal fluid, or if it produces too large drops, it is necessary to purchase an inhaler with a rather large volume.

However, it should be borne in mind that a tank that is too large and bulky can cause you a lot of trouble if you decide to take it with you on a trip or even just to work or study. However, if such a need is not foreseen in the near future, then feel free to purchase such a model, since it will serve you faithfully for a long time.

The inhaler is a medical device that must be selected very carefully. First, you need to decide who exactly will use this device in your family - adults or children, or both at the same time. Only then can you start choosing a device. In any case, you can get the necessary advice from your doctor, or advice from a pharmacist.