Nebulizers Still Providing Effective Treatment for Patients Years On

Portable and mains powered Nebulisers have been around for a number of years now. These devices have changed the face of patient care for respiratory conditions such as asthma.

What are Nebulizers?

Before nebulisers it had been very difficult to treat conditions that affected the lungs and airways. The introduction of these machines was a gift for the health practitioner. This enabled them to prescribe powerful liquid medicines that could be transformed into droplets, which meant that the tiny droplets could be inhaled into the lungs safely and without risk of choking or suffocation.

Who Uses Nebulizers?

Nebulisers have stood the test of time. Although there are now more compact and efficient ways to deliver medication to the lungs and airways these older devices are still in use.

These machines still provide effective medication delivery for certain serious respiratory diseases. This includes:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) – this condition can be very serious. Nebulisers are still one of the most effective ways available of improving mucus viscosity and aiding patients with effective expectoration. This can help them to breathe more comfortably.

• Cystic Fibrosis – this is another serious condition that can result in breathing problems. Nebulizers are effective at delivering certain drugs (such as cortiscosteroids) used to treat lung problems for cystic fibrosis suffers.

• Bronchiectasis – this condition can cause a severe inflammation of the airways. Nebulisers have been used for a number of years now to deliver medication to reduce this inflammation and ease breathing for patients.

• Asthma - these days nebulizers are no longer widely used for asthma. This is because metered-dose inhalers are now the primary delivery method for asthma medications. These metered-dose inhalers are smaller and more compact. This means they can be easily carried around so the patient can take the medication when they need it. Metered-dose inhalers are also a lot more efficient than nebulisers and this reduces wastage for the medication. However they are still used in cases of severe breathing difficulties for asthma suffers and for those patients with mobility problems who find the metered-dose applicators difficult to use.

Types of Nebulizers

There are various medical companies out there providing different types of nebulizer for the health care market. The type you need will depend on the medication you are using. Your doctor will advise you on this issue when they prescribe your medication. It is important to use the right nebuliser set up so that the medication can be delivered to your lungs and airways effectively.

1. Jet Nebulizers – these devices work using compressed gas. This turns the liquid drugs into droplets that can be inhaled. Jet nebulisers are quite bulky and noisy. They are not the most efficient designs either and can waste a lot of medication during delivery.

2. Ultrasonic Nebulizers – these devices use vibration crystals to transform the medication into droplets. They are quieter and more compact that the jet devices and have been shown to be much more efficient.