Inhalation for bronchial asthma through a nebulizer at home

• there is a hereditary predisposition;
• you were born a woman, since according to statistics, women suffer from this disease twice as often as men;
• have excessive weight;
• there is a predisposition to strong susceptibility to exposure to allergens: animal hair, dust, mold, mildew, smoking, frequent colds.

If you leave everything to chance and do not engage in treatment, then serious complications are possible. When going through a course of recovery, internal discipline must be incredibly strict. You can’t not only skip taking the drug, but even the trip to the specialist itself.

Why nebulizer therapy?

The main goals of eliminating exacerbations of bronchial asthma are reducing bronchial obstruction and achieving good gas exchange in the lungs. This can be achieved by delivering the medicine directly to the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. The nebulizer transforms medicinal suspensions and solutions into the finest aerosol particles, and delivers them to areas of inflammation under compressor pressure.

Advantages of nebulizer symptomatic therapy for bronchial asthma:

• The rapid penetration of medicinal substances into the cells causes immediate elimination of suffocation.
• The use of high doses is ensured, as well as a combination of medications necessary for initial symptomatic, then basic therapy of asthma and the elimination of exacerbations in the course of later life .
• Medicinal substances do not have a negative effect on the kidneys, liver, or other organs.
• The nebulizer is optimally suited for treating children, the elderly, as well as people in extremely difficult conditions: putting on a mask, the patient may not control inhalation and exhalation, the medicine is delivered as needed.
• Portability: in addition to inpatient treatment of bronchial asthma, if necessary, the nebulizer can be used at home or while traveling (pocket).
• With mechanical breathing, a continuous supply of medication is produced.
• Nebulizer therapy is considered safer for the cardiovascular system than injections and tablets. Medicines do not contain freon.

In a critical condition of a sick person (loss of consciousness, status asthmaticus), it is possible to connect a nebulizer to an oxygen apparatus with the function of artificial pulmonary ventilation.

Which is the best nebulizer for asthma?

Nebulizers are widely used for the treatment of bronchial asthma; its main functional part is the compressor. The device also consists of a reservoir for the drug, a tube and a mouthpiece. Bronchial asthma is treated with a solution, which, when passing through a tube, turns into an aerosol; the method ensures instant delivery of solutions to the bronchi.

When using a nebulizer, it is recommended to follow the following recommendations:

• after inhalation treatment, all parts of the device should be carefully washed and dried;
• If glucocorticosteroids were used during treatment with a nebulizer, it is necessary to wash your face and mouth.

Main types of devices:

• compression - the most accessible and inexpensive, they are easy to use, the economizer ensures the supply of medicine during inhalation;
• ultrasonic - the transformation of liquid into an aerosol occurs under the influence of an ultrasonic wave produced by a generator, the device is easy to use, quiet, the main disadvantage is the limited list of drugs, since the structure of large molecules changes under the influence of ultrasound;
• electronic mesh devices - drugs are transformed into an aerosol under the influence of a vibrating membrane - the device has all the advantages, the only disadvantage is the high price.

Which nebulizers are better? Reviews of the best nebulizers can be found on the Internet, where you can also write which nebulizers you use.

Indications for using a nebulizer

It is important to remember that you should not constantly breathe through this inhalation device. Drug nebulizer therapy is prescribed by a doctor individually and only in the following cases:

• Symptomatic initial therapy,
• basic treatment
• then worsening (exacerbation of asthma),
• and planned (annual) treatment with allergens according to the ASIT program.

The rest of the time, the nebulizer is not used, and the supply of vital medicinal substances into the bronchioles is ensured using metered-dose inhalation aerosols ( compact inhalers ).

If you have bronchial asthma, you cannot breathe through a nebulizer with means not prescribed by a doctor; increasing the dosage of the prescribed medication is prohibited. Self-medication is dangerous due to bronchospasm, pulmonary edema, or intoxication.

Bronchodilators

These medications are more often used during periods of exacerbation of asthma, as they are intended to relieve asthma attacks. These include the following drugs:

• Beta-agonists (Salbutamol, Terbutaline, Levalbuterol). They act on bronchial receptors, which leads to the expansion of capillaries. This allows you to keep the bronchi in an “opened” state and quickly stop the attack.
• M-anticholinergic agents (Atrovent). They reduce the effects of stimulation of parasympathetic nerves, thereby providing an antispasmodic effect on the bronchi.
• Phosphodiesterase inhibitors (Theophylline, Aminophylline). Relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi and eliminates bronchospasm.

Main goals achieved with nebulizer therapy

During inpatient treatment of bronchial asthma (or allergies according to ASIT), at a certain time (usually from 6 am and 6 pm in the evening), patients undergo breathing procedures through a nebulizer. The duration of the session depends on the severity of the condition: 5, 7, 10 minutes. For children: 2, 3, 5 minutes. Course of nebulizer therapy for asthma: from 5 to 14 days.

The doctor may prescribe: bronchodilators, glucocorticosteroids, cromones, antibiotics.

With the help of medicinal inhalations, long-term stable remission of bronchial asthma is achieved, improving the quality of life:

• The likelihood of bronchospasm is reduced.
• The drainage function of the respiratory organs increases.
• Swelling of the bronchial mucosa decreases.
• Vascular microcirculation improves.
• The protective barriers of the mucous membranes against allergens are increased.
• The immune response to the introduction of microbial proteins and allergens foreign to the body is corrected.
• The branches of the bronchi are rehabilitated.
• After treatment of an acute attack of bronchial asthma in a hospital, a person is offered a plan for further outpatient treatment.

Basic rules for inhalation

The effectiveness of inhalations for asthma depends on the correctness of its implementation. If it is a nebulizer or steam inhalers, then there are no particular difficulties.

However, it is worth remembering that when using glucocorticosteroid solutions for inhalation with a nebulizer for bronchial asthma, it is necessary to rinse your mouth after the procedure, as a fungal infection may develop.

General rules for inhalation:

• breathing should be smooth and calm;
• Clothing should be loose so as not to interfere with breathing;
• Incorrect position of the body is not allowed;
• the break between inhalation and food intake should be 1 hour, the same applies to physical activity;
• After the procedure, you should rest for 15-20 minutes, in winter - up to 40 minutes. During this time you cannot talk, eat, smoke or sing;
• for bronchial asthma, you need to inhale through the nose, then hold your breath for 2 seconds and exhale slowly through the nose;
• when using several drugs simultaneously, their compatibility should be taken into account;
• before manipulation, breathing exercises help clear the airways;
• solutions are prepared immediately before the procedure.

Nebulizer treatment at home

For self-treatment, you need a compressor nebulizer that breaks medicinal suspensions into ultra-small particles, but does not destroy the medicinal components of the main active ingredient .

Before opening the medicine and placing it in a cup sprayer, be sure to check the serviceability of the device, then check the expiration date of the medicine.

Rules for using a nebulizer in the treatment of bronchial asthma:

• Fill the spray container strictly according to the recipe.
• The medicine is diluted exclusively with saline; water can cause bronchospasm.
• You should not eat an hour to an hour and a half before and after the procedure (except in emergency situations).
• Inhalations should be carried out sitting, reclining.
• Children and infirm people can use a mask during an acute attack; everyone else can breathe through a mouthpiece.
• During the inhalation process, you need to relax your body, breathe without tension, slowly.
• Inhalation through the mouth during bronchial asthma should not be forced, and a smooth exhalation is done after 2 seconds of delay, with maximum release of air from the lungs.
• In order to reduce the severity of the attack, bronchospasmolytics are initially poured into the nebulizer: Berodual (1:1 with saline), or Salbutamol, Ventolin, Fenoterol.
• If necessary, after 15 - 20 minutes, an anti-inflammatory agent is used for a new procedure: Benacort, Pulmicort.
• Constrictive clothing items must be removed.
• Going outside after the procedure is allowed no earlier than an hour later.
• It is prohibited to use medications through a nebulizer while intoxicated.
• Smoking is prohibited indoors. Also eliminate tobacco for the entire course of treatment.
• At high (38.3 or more) body temperature, inhalation is unacceptable.
• Contraindications for using a nebulizer at home are heart disease, vascular disease, diabetes, purulent infections, and epileptic seizures.
• It is prohibited to use crushed tablets for preparing solutions.

If you have asthma, you cannot breathe through a nebulizer with decoctions of medicinal herbs, solutions with large suspended particles, or essential oils, as this will lead to swelling of the airways (or pneumonia).

It is unacceptable to use folk recipes for nebulizer mixtures without a doctor’s permission (no doctor will allow it) for bronchial asthma.

When should an asthmatic not use an inhaler?

As with any disease, there are contraindications. Here are the main ones:

• individual intolerance to a particular drug;
• pulmonary hemorrhage;
• increased body temperature;
• presence of chronic pulmonary diseases;
• post-infarction and post-stroke condition;
• hypertension.

Important! If a patient needs to use a nebulizer more than 8 times a day, it is necessary to contact the attending physician to adjust therapy.

Nebulizer therapy

The tactics of symptomatic treatment of bronchial asthma are determined by a pulmonologist, allergist - immunologist individually, taking into account the severity of the disease.

Algorithms of action to relieve exacerbations

The dosage is determined by the doctor.

• Mild asthma attack. A single inhalation of a bronchospasmodic drug using a nebulizer. May be repeated after 4 hours.
• For moderate (and severe) attacks - 2 - 3 doses over an hour (every 20 minutes), repeat after 4 - 6 hours.

If no improvement is observed, the patient must be hospitalized.

List of bronchospasmolytics

Inhalation of these drugs for bronchial asthma allows you to block asthma attacks and carry out therapeutic therapy:

• Ipratropium bromide for inhalation by nebulizer. It is a blocker of M cholinergic receptors. Dilute with saline solution.
• Salbutamol sulfate. Fenoterol hydrobromide is a selective b2-adrenergic receptor antagonist.
• Berodual. Combined drug. Combination of Ipratropium bromide and Fenoterol.
• If there is no improvement, the doctor may prescribe glucocorticosteroids: Budesonide, Beclazone, Cromohexal.

Carrying out inhalation treatment of bronchial asthma with a nebulizer causes a decrease in the regularity and frequency of attacks, the disappearance of acute symptoms , and a reduction in the number and volume of doses of aerosol drugs for systemic treatment of asthma.

Preparations for inhalation with a nebulizer

Using this device, you can provide both emergency assistance during the development of an attack, and basic therapy, which helps control the disease and avoid severe bronchospasm in the future. First aid medications that eliminate bronchospasm include the following solutions for inhalation:

• salbutamol (“Ventolin Nebula”, “Salbutamol-native”, “Salgim”);
• fenoterol (Berotec);
• ipratropium bromide (Atrovent);
• combined bronchodilator drug "Berodual".

As maintenance therapy for inhalation through a nebulizer, topical corticosteroids are prescribed:

• "Budesonide-native" ("Pulmicort");
• "Beklazon";
• "Cromohexal".

In some cases, doctors prescribe inhalations for asthmatics with mucus thinners. However, they should be used with caution, since the presence of a large amount of sputum in the bronchi can cause spasm and the development of an attack. To facilitate the removal of sputum, you can use saline sodium chloride solution for inhalation. Please note that bronchodilators should be inhaled first, and only then corticosteroid and mucolytic drugs.

The choice of medications and determination of their dosages is carried out individually, depending on the age, course and type of bronchial asthma. The use of other drugs plays an important role; for example, the use of systemic corticosteroids leads to the choice of the minimum dosage of topical hormonal drugs.

Types of nebulizers.

A compression or jet nebulizer is the most famous and cheapest device. In it, the transformation of a pharmaceutical solution into a fine aerosol occurs due to the operation of a compressor, which generates a powerful air flow.

Devices of this type have their advantages:

• ease of use;
• the ability to spray all kinds of pharmaceutical mixtures while maintaining their structure;
• the presence of an economizer, which guarantees the supply of an aerosol only at the moment of inhalation;
• low cost.

An electronic mesh nebulizer creates an aerosol cloud by delivering a solution onto a vibrating membrane. In addition to the advantages inherent in a jet nebulizer, this device is characterized by compactness and silent operation. However, the very high price of such a device is a huge disadvantage for most.

An ultrasonic type nebulizer contains an ultrasonic generator. By influencing the pharmaceutical solution, the ultrasonic wave produces an aerosol. Like the electronic mesh device, it is small in size and very quiet. The price of an ultrasonic nebulizer is absolutely acceptable, but the big drawback of this device is the limited list of sprayed agents due to the ability of ultrasound to disrupt the structure of some dosage forms and large molecules.

Inhalations using a nebulizer and their advantages

Inhaler
The main difference between an inhaler and a nebulizer is their ability to convert a medicinal solution into small particles. The first converts the solution into a droplet or vapor form, due to which the medicine settles in the nasopharynx and upper respiratory tract. A nebulizer transforms the medicine into a fine aerosol consisting of microparticles, which allows them to be delivered to remote areas of the respiratory system.

Compression nebulizers are characterized by loud operation of the mechanism, large dimensions, and the ability to work with various medications. At the same time, ultrasonic versions of devices are usually more compact and operate silently. But they can be used with certain types of medications to avoid destruction of the composition and damage to the device itself. Mesh nebulizers combine all the advantages of the previous two types of devices. They are silent, compact and can be used in combination with most medications, as they do not destroy their structure. The main disadvantage of this type of device is the high price.

Nebulizer

Each nebulizer has other specific features. The selection of a suitable device is carried out not only according to the above criteria, but also taking into account the age and general health of the patients. Thus, based on the visual design, you can choose an option suitable for an adult or a child. In addition, a person’s motor capabilities are also taken into account. Thus, when the chamber or flask is tilted, some devices do not leak out the medicine, which is well suited for bedridden patients, as well as infants and sleeping children.

The operating algorithm of the devices does not imply a high complexity of their mechanisms, so the service life is, as a rule, long.

Another advantage of the latest generation of nebulizers is the possibility of economical use of medication thanks to a special valve system, which is important for asthmatics who are forced to constantly spend large sums on medications.

Drugs and rules for their use

Nebulizers for asthma are incredible lifesavers, so to speak “a doctor at home.” Nebulizer preparations for asthma should contain a substance such as salbutomol. It helps to increase the lumen in the bronchi and removes spasms in them.

This substance is contained in such drugs as Astalin, Ventolin Nebula, Salgim, etc. In addition, drugs are needed that dilute sputum, the so-called mucolytics (active ingredient Ambroxol).

In addition to the drugs described above, antibacterial drugs, as well as immunomodulators, are prescribed.

In case of drug overdose, tachycardia, pressure fluctuations, arrhythmia, etc. are possible. Therefore, if you have diseases of the cardiovascular system, you must inform your doctor about this so that appropriate treatment can be prescribed.

Please note that antibiotics are strictly prohibited from being used in ultrasonic inhalers.

People who have already been cured and have tried a lot are advised to buy less expensive models, since it will be possible to change or purchase the necessary components. Many sprayers are compatible with compressors from other companies.

It should also be taken into account that the simpler the nebulizer components, the longer the procedure itself. On average, the time varies from 5 to 30 minutes. A nebulizer for asthma is simply vital, but ALWAYS check with your doctor about the sequence of taking all medications, as well as the interval between them and inhalations in general.

Inhalation is a treatment method in which the patient, using special devices, inhales crushed particles of drugs.

This is the most effective treatment method

for the purpose of prevention and when removing from patients. Inhalations will reduce the number of attacks and significantly reduce the symptoms of the disease.