One of the most popular ways of treating respiratory conditions like Asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) is through the use of aerosol therapy. Now, aerosol therapy often relies on either a nebulizer or a humidifier as an aiding device in administering medication. In essence, the main use of these two devices is just to convert liquid substances (often water or a liquid medicine) into fine vapor that can be inhaled by the intended user in a bid to rapidly cure an ailment. This is why if you just went on Google with the question “…how do nebulizers differ from humidifier?” you’re very unlikely to get any satisfying answer.
I mean, though the two devices do differ, not many people can distinctly draw a line between these two gadgets. That’s why in this edition we ventured to comprehensively explore the two and help you get to “what is” and “what is not” about humidifiers and nebulizers. That said, let’s begin with…
So, what is a humidifier?
As outlined before, a humidifier generates water aerosols that increase the humidity of the surrounding air which in turn creates a breathable mist that gets dispersed throughout an entire room. Humidifiers are often used to disperse water vapor with an exclusion of any other substance. However, a special type of humidifier known as vaporizers is occasionally used to administer medicinal substances besides water mainly due to its portability.
Humidifiers are used to …
The main use of humidifier is just to act as a natural moisturizing agent that can relieve ailments associated with dryness. These common uses of humidifiers include:
Restoring a dry skin, throat or lips
Relieving nasal or vocal irritation
Sometimes it can help you to control a bleeding nose
Please take note!
Humidifiers are recommended only for dry environments. Highly humid areas encourage the growth of fungus and growth of microorganisms that may affect people who are allergic to molds or people who are easily susceptible to contracting fungal-related flu.
How about nebulizers?
Nebulizers utilize compressed air (oxygen) or sometimes ultrasonic power to break down medical solutions into tiny gaseous particles that can get inhaled directly through the mouthpiece of the device (often looks like a gas mask). This is why nebulizer users frequently appear to be wearing some sort of “facial gas mask”. Unlike humidifier, nebulizers are used strictly to administer medicinal prescriptions that are usually related to the respiratory.
Nebulizers are used to…
As shown before, nebulizers are mainly used to administer medicinal prescriptions for respiratory complications. Thus, the most common uses of nebulizers include the administration of medicine for diseases like asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis among others.
“…hang on a second, why inhale a prescription? Can’t I just take my pills? It’s normal stuff; it doesn’t need calculus here. What difference does it make now?” The answer to this worry is simple: inhaling targets the affected regions directly. This has two main benefits: first, fastens the speed of one recovering from a condition and also minimizes side-effects that could have been incurred from ingesting the medicine.
Nebulizers and humidifiers are similar because …
Mechanism of operation: both humidifier and nebulizers are used to convert liquid substances (can be water or a solution) into some form of mist that can be utilized for medicinal purposes. This is also the main similarity between the two.
Are Nebulizers and Humidifiers similar?
In as much as the two gadgets have a similar mechanism of operations, they differ very greatly when it comes to their function and the intended users as well as scope operation as outlined in the paragraphs below:
Nebulizers
-Are intended to be used by purely people with respiratory disorders under the guidance of a doctor.
-Are intended to be used in administering aerosol therapy to people with respiratory disorders like Asthma
Humidifiers
-Are intended to be used for the general public. They have no strict guidelines of use. They are used to increase the humidity of a specific environment.
They can be used by a whole house at a time.
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