The Inhaler machine is a trendy device used to treat many respiratory system diseases, such as allergies, colds, sinusitis, and bronchitis. It has no contraindications because it does not act systemically but allows to treat pathologies affecting the respiratory system in a localized and capillary way.
Everyone, even every day, can use it. In essence, it is easily associated with children, so it is often the fastest and most effective administration method. Still, it is also suitable for adults and can also use inhaler machines to prevent chronic pathologies.
So let’s see how an inhaler machine is used, how it works, and the best inhaler machine for our needs.
Table of Contents
When to use it?
The drugs’ vaporization through aerosol allows the local administration of the drugs, which arrive directly to the respiratory tract affected by the problem. Unlike the systemic or oral one, this type of intake has the advantage of not having any undesirable effects.
Furthermore, as it requires minimal collaboration from the ” patient, ” the inhaler machine is suitable for children and very elderly people: just put the mask on the face to take the drug. It is particularly suitable for reducing bronchospasms and edemas. Its constant and moderate use is recommended in bronchial asthma and other chronic diseases affecting the respiratory tract.
Making aerosols is often the ideal solution for the simultaneous administration of multiple drugs or active ingredients, which can be mixed directly in the nebulizer and thus be taken by inhalation.
The inhaler machine is the right solution when you have been breathing problems and don’t want to take oral medications. Similarly, it is perfect for treating chronic or chronic diseases such as rhinitis and bronchitis. Let’s now see how to make aerosols in the best way.
How is the inhaler machine used?
Let’s see schematically how an inhaler machine is used:
- First of all, the machinery must be assembled: assemble the connecting pipes between the ampoule, the compressor, and the inhaler.
- If possible, with a sterile syringe, the medical solution must be inserted inside the ampoule, generally in the glass.
- Whenever possible, make sure to assume a correct posture: the ideal would be to sit, with your torso erect, in a relaxed position; it is important to put the mask on well and keep the inhaler upright.
- Once the machine is activated, it is advisable to vaporize at least 15 seconds without load to stabilize the suspended particles.
- For the correct use of the inhaler machine, it is good to inhale slowly, trying to retain the air for at least 5/10 seconds in adults; in children’s case, it will be good to let them hold their breathless time.
- When the machinery changes the noise or no longer produces a nebulized solution, our treatment is finished.
There is no predefined duration for aerosol treatments: nebulization depends exclusively on the number of drugs inserted in the ampoule (3 ml in solution corresponds to about 10 minutes of inhalation).
Where to start?
We have seen when to make aerosols, but how does it work? And how is aerosol made?
The therapeutic qualities of the aerosol treatment are since this instrument produces a suspension, or a mixture of liquids and gas, whose particles are so small as to reach the parts affected by inflammation inside the respiratory system.
Once inserted in the prescribed dosage, the ampoule drug, and the inhaler machine compressor are activated. This will start to circulate the air at a very high speed inside the mechanism.
The depression caused by the airflow speed will push the pharmacological solution from the ampoule towards the exit, where we would have inserted the most suitable inhalation accessory.
What do we find in the box of such a device? The inhaler machine is composed of a compressor, an ampoule, and an accessory for inhalation. Generally, the most used are:
- The mouthpiece: it is the most suitable accessory for the lower respiratory tract treatment, as it is the one that disperses the least amount of nebulization. Identical to the mouthpiece that is used at sea, must hold it by clenching the teeth, with the mouth closed, while taking deep breaths using only the mouth;
- The mask is the most comfortable tool, the easiest for children to use; it is a mask that covers the nose and mouth, which is sufficient to make it adhere to the face. The vaporized drug must be breathed using both the nose and the mouth, which should be kept open, ideally by taking long breaths and trying to hold the breath for a few seconds.
- The fork is perhaps the least used accessory in making aerosol, although it is often indicated as working best. It is indicated for direct administration to the nasal mucous membranes. In case of rhinitis or sinusitis, we often prefer the nasal shower system for this problem.
Once the inhaler has been chosen, we can assemble our machinery and proceed according to the scheme above.
It is important to breathe in the right way during the nebulization: slowly, using a nose or mouth or both according to the pathology we want to cure, and trying to hold the breath for a few seconds so that the drugs can reach their destination more easily.
Some suggestions to use it at its best
However, it is important to conscientiously use the instrument, avoiding large sprays of nebulization (possible with the mask, if not worn well) and always keeping in mind that the treatment’s incisiveness also depends on us.
For example, if we suffer from sinusitis, it is good to breathe deeper with the nose, even with the mouth closed, and pay less attention to what happens in the deep respiratory tract. On the other hand, if we are treating bronchitis, the greatest incisiveness of the inhaler machine will be given by breathing with the mouth wide open and as deep as possible.
Once the inhaler machine is used, it is essential to wash it with hot water, better if distilled. The various components, including the connecting pipes, should also be washed only with hot water, also in the dishwasher, provided that no detergents are used.
Among the good habits, it is good to remember that all the plastic parts (tubes, mask, mouthpiece) should be changed at least twice a year in daily or prolonged use of the inhaler machine.
How to choose the appliance to use?
When we talk about inhaler machines, in most cases, we are talking about compression aerosols, those in which a motor circulates the air at speeds so high as to push out the ampoule contents in the form of a spray.
An ultrasound inhaler machine also exploits quartz crystals’ movement to move the pharmacological solution. Unfortunately, while allowing optimal vaporization and being much less noisy than traditional inhaler machines, these new-generation inhaler machines are costly and less resistant than the others, which is why they are not yet widely used.
When we have to choose which inhaler machine device to use, we should consider that there is no best inhaler machine on the market, but several factors will have to be assessed, in particular:
- The quality of the particles emitted by the inhaler machine: the size of the nebulized particle is expressed in microns. It is often decisive since some therapies require particles even of 0.5 microns. Almost all the inhaler machine devices on the market guarantee a level of 3 microns, but it is good to check the device’s specifications if we need a more specific spray.
- The speed of nebulization is generally measured in ml/minute. It is essential: while traditional compression models nebulize between 0.2 and 0.3 ml per minute, ultrasonic ones allow much shorter sessions, reaching twice the speed.
Must consider other needs, which to date the models on the market promise to satisfy: inhaler machine devices with the function of ” nasal shower, “ideal for those suffering from allergies and sinusitis are inhaler machines that clean themselves once finished use.
The best inhaler machine is the one that best suits our needs. If we suffer from seasonal allergies and use an inhaler machine practically every day, for example, we will opt for a model that is perhaps quieter and which allows nasal nebulization (via fork or nasal shower).
If we use an inhaler machine only to treat bad episodic bronchitis, the size of the particles emitted by the machinery and the presence of a mouthpiece will be important.