Treatment of pneumonia includes a set of procedures that have a complex effect on the lesion.
One of the procedures is inhalation for pneumonia. They have a good therapeutic effect. However, the procedure has some limitations and features that cannot be ignored.
Pneumonia
Indications
With pneumonia, inhalations are prescribed to liquefy and accelerate the excretion of viscous sputum. Antibiotics have the main therapeutic effect, since pathogens stop reproducing and die. However, they accumulate in the bronchopulmonary tree and mix with mucus. To prevent inflammation from recurring, residual symptoms need to be treated quickly. At the same time, inhalations help with various types of pneumonia, including bilateral.
It should be noted that the procedure is useful not only for pneumonia, but also for inflammation of other respiratory organs. Solutions can be purchased at the pharmacy or prepared independently, for example, a folk decoction of chamomile, sage, pine buds and marshmallow root. High-quality mineral water also has a good effect. Before use, you need to make sure that there is no allergy to the ingredients of the solution.
Limitations
The use of inhalations for pneumonia is not always justified, since in some cases the procedure can be harmful. These include:
- nose and pulmonary bleeding;
inhalation nebulizer
- increased body temperature;
- allergy to components of medicinal solutions;
- arterial hypertension;
- strokes and heart attacks;
- damage to the head arteries by cholesterol plaques (cerebral atherosclerosis).
Before using a nebulizer, you should consult your doctor. Once the diagnosis is made, he will compile a list of solutions suitable for treating pneumonia and determine the frequency of procedures. In this case, the inhaler can be used at home.
Inhalation efficiency
The main purpose of the procedure is the local therapeutic effect in the respiratory organs. With pneumonia, inhalation therapy gives the following results:
- improves the waste of phlegm and the work of cilia in the ciliated epithelium of the bronchi;
- relieves inflammation and slows down the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms;
- reduces the frequency of bronchospasm ;
- improves immunity and microcirculation in mucous membranes.
The effectiveness lies in the fact that drugs can reach deep lesions, for example, alveoli. Due to this, the local antibacterial and regenerative effects significantly speed up the treatment. However, steam therapy for pneumonia will really make sense when using a nebulizer , since the “classic” method, boiled potatoes in a saucepan and a towel, practically do not give results in case of serious pathologies.
Varieties
Inhalation solutions are divided into the following types:
- Steam. These are the most affordable procedures suitable for acute and chronic airway pathologies.
Steam inhalation
- Heat and humid. Such inhalations suppress cough and have a mucolytic effect.
- Oil. The basis is vegetable oils with regenerating and bronchoprotective effects.
- Air. This type of procedure has a positive effect on the affected areas during the acute or chronic stage of the disease, as well as after surgery and complications.
- Ultrasonic. They are used in especially difficult cases, as they show high efficiency.
Inhalers are divided into three types according to the principle of operation:
- steam;
- ultrasonic;
- compressor rooms.
The first type of device is the simplest. The main part of the steam inhaler is a container containing several compartments for essential oils. Warm water is poured into it, then a funnel is put on top, tightly covering the solution. The liquid heats up quickly and becomes vapor, which the person inhales. In addition to essential oils, decoctions and infusions on medicinal herbs are often used.
It should be noted that most drugs are destroyed due to high temperatures, so the steam inhaler has a number of limitations. In addition, steam particles with this heating method are too large to get deep into the respiratory tract, they settle on the walls of the bronchial mucosa.
A nebulizer is a more common type of inhaler that can be used even by children under one year old. The ultrasonic type converts the solution into steam with fine particles using high-frequency ultrasonic action. Thus, the treatment of bronchioles and alveoli – distant parts of the respiratory tract is carried out. Silence is also ranked among its advantages.
However, ultrasonic inhalers have one drawback: it is impossible to set the intensity of splitting, so antibiotics, oil and water suspensions as a solution will not work. It is advisable to use saline or mineral water.
Compressor devices are considered universal: it is allowed to use any solutions in them, since the properties of medicines do not change due to the absence of external influences. The principle of operation of the inhaler consists in forcing air into the container with the medicine. The mask has special holes that break the air into small particles. Their size can be adjusted so that the treatment solution reaches the lower respiratory tract when needed. This type of device is often used in hospitals and hospitals.
Features of the procedure
Modern vaporizers have one important property – they monitor the consumption of drugs. But there is also a minus: the temperature of the liquid in the device drops by about 10 degrees from the beginning of the procedure, which makes the solution more dense. For this reason, the volume of steam at the outlet decreases.
Inhalation helps only if done properly. There are a few rules to keep in mind:
- The procedure is carried out for 10 minutes 4 times a day.
- Do not exercise and eat 20 minutes before inhalation. You also need to postpone food for 30 minutes after the procedure.
- Antiseptic mouth rinses and expectorants are applied 1 hour in advance.
- You cannot reuse the same solution.
- Exceeding the prescribed dose is not allowed, as there is a risk of adverse reactions.
- The inhaler should be flushed after each use.
- The procedure is best done while sitting.
The first step is to make and prepare the medicinal solution by pouring it into the nebulizer container and adding water. If the drug was stored in the refrigerator before and had time to cool, it must be warmed up to 25 .C. Tap water is not suitable for the procedure, as it contains impurities that can settle on the walls of the respiratory tract.
It is necessary to control the breaths: compliance with the smoothness of the movements of the chest ensures deep penetration of the medicinal vapor. You should breathe calmly, keeping steam in yourself for a short time.
Inhalation for pneumonia is indicated for both adults and children, however, before the procedure, it is necessary to consult a doctor, as there are contraindications. In pneumonia, examination and accurate diagnosis for the prescription of potent drugs play an important role. It must be admitted that it is impossible to cure pneumonia by inhalation alone.