Are nebulizer treatments good for COPD?
This is a question many patients and their families ask when dealing with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
As an ailment affecting nearly 15 million Americans, there currently isn’t a cure, but treatment options are available.
If you have been diagnosed or know someone suffering from COPD, let’s explore how nebulizers like the ProNebu Mesh Portable Nebulizer can greatly help.
COPD and Inhalation Therapy
Using inhalation therapy in patients is one of the primary treatment options for those with COPD and asthma symptoms.
With the help of handheld devices like nebulizers and handheld inhalers, you may experience significant relief.
The reason inhalation therapy is popular is that it delivers liquid medication far more effectively than other treatment methods.
With nebulizers and dose inhalers, liquid medicine is transformed into an easily breathable mist.
There are also dry powder inhalers, often used as a treatment for patients dealing with respiratory illnesses.
With these delivery methods, medicine reaches the lungs effortlessly, and it can be helpful for children, adults, and seniors.
That said, the goal of inhalation therapy isn’t to cure COPD but to offer significant alleviation of symptoms.
Patients can stop acute exacerbations of breathing issues while alleviating inflammation in their respiratory tracts.
It can also assist with helping you complete regular daily activities with fewer frequent exacerbations of symptoms.
Using Nebulizers for COPD
Nebulizers for COPD are a common treatment for children and elderly patients.
Depending on lifestyle and convenience, it may also be the preferred route for adults.
When using a nebulizer, you receive an effective delivery of medicine, helping alleviate symptoms.
How nebulizers are designed is one of their most fascinating aspects.
The machine takes a liquid type of medicine and transforms it into an easily breathable mist.
Patients inhale the mist medicine using a face or mouth mask and experience improved lung function.
A motor starts the entire process inside a nebulizer, transforming your medicine into a breathable gas.
Different types of nebulizers may transform the drug in different ways, but all devices work similarly to one another.
Compared to triple inhaler therapy and other treatment options, nebulizers are generally preferred.
What’s more, clinical studies and medical writing from the American Lung Association have found these devices effective for managing COPD ailments with long-term use.
What Are the Types of Nebulizers for COPD?
If your health care provider has prescribed a nebulizer treatment for you, it’s essential to know the three commonly used types.
The Innovative ProNebu Mesh Portable Nebulizer for COPD
The ProNebu Mesh Portable Nebulizer is a significant upgrade to other nebulizer models with its hassle-free design.
It doesn’t require an air source or tubing, making it an effortless solution for patients of any age.
It transforms your experience by offering whisper-quiet operation, atomization of particles under 5um, and is residue-free for easy cleaning.
As a vibrating mesh nebulizer, it is the most advanced in nebulizer devices while being the most expensive.
It is portable and quiet, but some models in the same category are as small as remote controls.
However, they need to be sanitized more thoroughly than others and used gently to prevent the mesh from rupturing.
Jet Nebulizers
Jet models are the older-fashioned version of these devices, and they use compressed air to create a mist from your medicine.
You can find them in desktop/tabletop and handheld versions.
Jet nebulizers are the treatment landscape of choice if you need a device without medication restrictions.
Ultrasonic Nebulizers
Ultrasonic nebulizers are quieter than jet models and sturdier than vibrating mesh nebulizers.
While you can use them for treating bronchospasm symptoms, these devices don’t work with every type of COPD medication.
To create medicated mist, they use ultrasonic vibrations, which generate heat and can potentially destroy the efficacy of certain medications.
Are Nebulizer Treatments Good for COPD? The Benefits
Any type of COPD treatment will likely alleviate some (if not most) of your symptoms.
As nebulizers are a commonly prescribed treatment, there are a few notable benefits to consider if you need one for COPD.
Drug Delivery Characteristics
One of the largest benefits of this route of drug administration is that it offers larger and more effective drug delivery than inhalers, for example.
The dosage sizes for nebulizers are considerably larger, which can be helpful for advanced treatment options.
In many instances, they can be the only option for patients who require premium maintenance therapy for their respiratory illnesses.
Ease of Use
When dealing with acute attacks, such as the treatment of bronchospasms, a nebulizer can be an easier solution than additional treatment options.
With a nebulizer, you can leave the unit on a desktop; you will find it even more effortless to use if you have a portable unit.
You don’t have to worry about exhaling all your breath, administering the medicine, and trying to breathe deeply while in the middle of a COPD attack.
Instead, you simply put the mouthpiece or mask over your face and breathe as you normally would, allowing the medicine into your system.
In these instances, nebulizers can be a preferred treatment in patients for easier medicine delivery.
Training
Because of how easy to use this inhaler alternative is, an electronic nebulizer requires less training.
Nebulizer therapy is a straightforward process that requires the help of a very user-friendly machine.
In contrast, inhalers could require training with your healthcare provider to learn how to use the device effectively.
This is a massive reason nebulizers are often preferred for asthmatic children.
It is a non-invasive way to master aerosol drug delivery with accurate delivery, thanks to the inclusive face mask.
Medication Delivery
When managing the treatment of patients, the most crucial thing doctors need to consider is medication delivery efficacy.
The severe symptoms of COPD require an equally effective treatment to alleviate symptoms immediately.
This is why most patient populations agree a nebulizer could be the best option.
The drugs enter the patient’s system more easily during a nebulizer treatment, improving inspiratory flow rates.
This is especially true if they are experiencing trouble breathing, which could affect how efficiently inhalers work.
In these instances, portable nebulizer devices can be a far better alternative.
Alternative Treatments for COPD
Undoubtedly, patients may explore several other treatments when managing their COPD symptoms.
The other method we’d like to explore is using inhalers for adaptive aerosol delivery.
Handheld inhalers are often the prescription of choice when managing shortness of breath and other common symptoms.
Inhalers for COPD
Inhalers are one of the most common administration routes for respiratory medications.
They are compact devices that can be easy to use once you have mastered how to do so. Also, they’ve been prescribed for asthma and acute symptoms for quite a while.
An inhaler for COPD delivers asthma medication and other prescriptions in a short burst.
Patients must empty all the air from their lungs, place the device in their mouth while creating a tight seal, and inhale as deeply as possible.
Undoubtedly, it is an effective method to deliver aerosolized medication, but that still depends on the severity of your symptoms.
There isn’t much debate about the efficacy of using inhalers, as they are clearly a popular treatment option.
They also come with a couple of benefits compared to using a nebulizer, such as:
Affordability
Unfortunately, in many countries like the United States, patients without healthcare coverage must choose the least expensive (rather than the most effective) treatment option.
For this reason, inhalers can be a preferred choice because they are considerably less costly than nebulizers.
Another important facet is that nebulizers aren’t commonly covered by insurance plans, as the machines are expensive and require frequent maintenance.
Even with a regular cleaning routine, such as daily cleaning, nebulizer users will have to bring their machines in for repairs.
This can add extra costs to your healthcare budget that an inhaler can help you save.
No Power Required
When dealing with shortness of breath, you won’t want to worry about needing to hook up your nebulizer if you don’t have a portable unit.
This is another area where inhalers, such as a metered dose inhaler, can prove helpful. These devices don’t require batteries or have to be plugged in to be used.
Quick Administration
Manual dexterity and hand-breath coordination can be challenging during a COPD attack.
This is why inhalers can be preferred aerosol generating technologies for alleviating symptoms.
They are always ready to go, whether dealing with chronic bronchitis or treating bronchospasms.
Additionally, a major treatment difference is how quickly medicine can be administered.
With inhalers, a short burst of aerosol is given in seconds. This treatment can be faster than even high-efficiency nebulizers.
Are Nebulizers Truly a Good Treatment for COPD?
So, are nebulizer treatments good for COPD? The answer is simple, especially when you look at how highly effective the ProNebu Mesh Portable Nebulizer is.
Nebulizers are a helpful inhalation solution for adult lung and pediatric respiratory illnesses.
With deeper respiratory care, patients can get the relief they need when suffering from multiple diseases.
