Does a humidifier help with allergies: recommendations for allergy sufferers and asthmatics

Unfortunately, the prevalence of allergic diseases is increasing throughout the world. More than a third of the world's population is already susceptible to this insidious disease. The occurrence of allergies is influenced by various factors, the most important of which is environmental pollution.

Let's look at how progress comes to help a person solve this problem. Let's look at what household appliances are needed in the apartment of an allergy sufferer. Let's explore whether a humidifier helps with allergies and what the real effect is when using this device.

In our article you will find a detailed description of all types of devices designed to saturate the atmosphere in a confined space with moisture. We will talk about how to create an ideal atmosphere for allergy sufferers. We'll show you how to choose the right device.

Air humidity for allergies

In a polluted human environment, conditions are created for an increase in the number of aeroallergens and an increase in tissue hyperreactivity of the respiratory tract. In addition, the number of airborne allergens, which cause the development of allergic respiratory forms, increases.

With climate change, there is an increased formation and increase in the concentration of pollen in the air and its properties change. All this helps to increase the sensitizing activity of aeroallergens.

Air humidification will help fight the army of allergens. A noticeable increase in allergic exacerbations has become especially noticeable in recent decades.Atopic dermatitis, bronchial asthma, allergic rhinitis - alas, these names of diseases are heard more and more often

The dust that settles at home, along with chemical pollutants, also includes other harmful agents: dust mites, fungal spores, and numerous microorganisms. All this biological collection often leads to chronicity of these diseases.

Even without going into the complex mechanisms of the development of such pathologies and a thorough analysis of predisposing factors, it is necessary to pay attention to the importance of regular wet cleaning of living rooms.

Normalization climatic parameters to create a comfortable environment for humans, and this is healthy and clean air - a necessary condition for an active human life.

Only regular wet cleaning will help cope with dust in which dust mites, fungal spores, and numerous microorganisms live

The connection between household allergies and sensitivity to house dust was established back in the 60s. Since then, regular studies have shown that asthma may be preceded by symptoms of allergic rhinitis. 70% of people with dust allergies develop asthma within 8 years.

Based on these studies, it was concluded that there is a direct correlation between some types of allergies from the indoor microclimate and air pollution. The development of technology makes it possible to reduce the “pathogenic” load on the body in simple ways.

In dry air, allergens spread more actively. In addition, with prolonged stay in a room with dry air, the immune system is weakened. Do you suspect an allergy? Buy a humidifier

What can fly in dry air:

• dust with microorganisms and fungal spores;
• pollen in spring and summer flying from windows;
• pet hair and epidermal particles.

Dry air contains an excess of positively charged ions, which is why dust particles may not settle for hours, which creates unfavorable conditions for allergy sufferers and for patients with various pulmonary diseases.

If the room is humidifier With ionizer, then this entire mass becomes heavier due to the moisture with which it is saturated and falls down or is attracted to positively charged surfaces.

The moistened dust and dirt are then removed through daily wet cleaning (recommended for allergy sufferers). Thus, for allergy sufferers, humidifiers create a purified and humidified air environment.

To ensure a healthy microclimate in your apartment, buy the right humidifier. To furnish a nursery, it is better to purchase a safe and virtually silent device.

If for healthy people the recommended air humidity in a living room should be 50-60%, then for allergy sufferers it should be 40-50%. Otherwise, they will be bothered by various problems - rhinitis, various inflammatory processes. Especially for patients with respiratory allergies.

Air condition and allergic rhinitis

Allergic rhinitis is the most common manifestation of allergies. Periodic breathing problems, mucus discharge from the nose, sneezing are all symptoms of an allergic reaction. They are united by the common name of the reaction - allergic rhinitis.

The basis of any allergic reaction is inflammation of the nasal mucosa, which is caused by allergens. Swelling and congestion of the nasal passage, sneezing attacks, itching are the first symptoms of an exacerbation of allergies.

Allergic rhinitis can be permanent or seasonal. If the air in the room is too dry, the allergy sufferer’s condition worsens, since under such conditions the mucous membrane becomes more sensitive to irritants.

If you have frequent allergic rhinitis, purchasing a humidifier is necessary. Some bacteria and viruses also thrive in high humidity. Dry air, on the other hand, activates other pathogens

Allergies can occur both against the background of dry air and excessively humid air. Fine humidity balanced air (40-60%) prevents dust from rising into the air mass from objects, preventing its penetration into the respiratory system.

Excessive humidity leads to the activation of mold spores, which are constantly in the air. Water in large quantities acts as a catalyst for their development process. Also, high humidity promotes the active reproduction of dust mites.

Types of household humidifiers

If you go into a room where a humidifier has been running for several hours, breathing will be unusually easy. Moreover, in such conditions, falling asleep quickly and sound sleep are guaranteed. To achieve this result, you need to choose the right technique.

Let's look at the types of modern humidifiers:

• mechanical traditional;
• steam;
• ultrasonic;
• combined with an air purifier.

Traditional mechanical humidifiers are designs in which water is poured into a tank, from where it flows into a tray onto replaceable humidifying cartridges. The fan drives air through the cartridges and humidifies it naturally.

At the same time, the air is cleared of dust.The disadvantage of such humidifiers is the inability to increase the humidity above the natural level of 60% and the operating noise is about 35-40 dB, so you cannot turn on such a device at night.

To maintain natural humidity levels, it is better to choose a traditional humidifier. However, if you need to increase the humidity above 60%, this option will not work.

In steam humidifiers, water is boiled and released as steam. The disadvantages of this method are obvious: hot steam up to 60 degrees, high noise level, high power consumption.

However, such humidifying systems also have enough advantages: they can increase the humidity in the room by more than 60%. These devices can work with hard water. They do not require consumables and can be used for inhalation.

The steam humidifier should be placed on a cabinet or top shelf to avoid accidental burns. Steam-type devices can be used as inhalers

In design ultrasonic humidifiers there is a special membrane that, thanks to its high vibration frequency, converts water into cold steam. These are modern systems that allow you to regulate the level of humidity. Some models have the option of heating water.

If you have children at home, the best choice is an absolutely safe ultrasonic humidifier. They work almost silently. The main disadvantage of such systems is the need to use filtered water and the need to replace the cartridge filler

More complex combination devices are an air purifier and a humidifier in one system. New models are called climate complexes.The design of the most common devices is a system of hydrodynamically shaped plastic disks rotating in a reservoir of water.

Dust entering the device settles on the discs and is then washed off with water. Climate control systems usually have a mechanical humidifier, but recently systems with ultrasonic devices have also appeared on the market.

If your budget allows, the climate control system will be the best option for cleaning and humidifying the air. In addition to saturating the air with moisture, it also removes harmful impurities and microorganisms from it.

The climate control system is a more complex device that requires maintenance. It will have to change a fairly large number of consumables. In particular, many systems are equipped with high purity HEPA filters, as well as carbon and humidification filters.

Option for saturation with useful ions

Most modern humidifier models are equipped with an ionization function, that is, they allow you to saturate the air with ozone. This function is controversial. The argument of manufacturers of humidifiers with ionization comes down to the fact that there are many negative ions in clean natural air (in the mountains, in forests, near waterfalls).

However, for allergy sufferers, this option will be a useful addition to the humidifier. Dust, pollen, allergens, bacteria, in a word, particulate air particles, under the influence of ionization, are charged and begin to drift to the positive electrode, which in the apartment are the walls, floor and ceiling, where they settle.

If possible, choose a humidifier with an ionic function. After moistening, all settled contaminants are then mechanically removed from all surrounding structures during the wet cleaning process

However, you need to be careful with ionization - it can be activated for no more than a couple of hours per day. There is no point in ionizing the air in a closed room 24/7. Increased concentrations of ozone in the air are harmful to the human body.

If the air is excessively saturated with ozone, when inhaled, a person may develop various unpleasant consequences - cough, sore and irritated throat, redness of the face, difficulty breathing. In patients with asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema, the condition may worsen. The ionization function must be switchable in the device.

How to relieve allergies?

Of course, having consulted a doctor, an allergy sufferer or asthma sufferer receives a list of medications that alleviate the condition during attacks. In addition, it is advisable to find out as soon as possible what allergen the painful reaction occurs to. The doctor also gives a number of recommendations for organizing everyday life in order to increase the periods of remission as much as possible.

This includes regular wet cleaning, reducing the number of items in dust collectors, etc. However, if the allergen remains at home and there are problems with indoor humidity, the likelihood of relapses remains high.

If your budget allows, purchasing an air washer will be the optimal solution to the problems of creating a healthy microclimate for allergy sufferers

Therefore, allergists recommend the use of modern household appliances to improve the indoor microclimate:

• installation of a humidifier with an ionization function capable of maintaining the recommended humidity level;
• installation of an air purifier capable of effectively purifying the air from many causative agents of allergic reactions.

The ideal option would be to purchase a so-called air washer - an air purifier-humidifier or climate control system. Such devices can be installed both in residential premises, including children’s rooms and bedrooms, and in offices.

How to choose a humidifier?

When choosing a humidifier model for allergy sufferers and asthmatics, you should pay attention to the following technical characteristics:

1. Tank capacity and evaporation rate: these parameters determine how long the device operates without refueling. For example, if a humidifier consumes 400 ml per hour and is equipped with a 3 liter capacity, it will work for no more than 8 hours without adding water.
2. Volume of the room served: the instructions for the device indicate the area of ​​the room it is designed for. However, here you need to make an adjustment for the height of the ceilings, since the device is designed for the volume of the room. If the ceiling height is much higher than average, you need to buy a device designed for a larger area.
3. Noise level is a key criterion if the humidifier will be used at night. It is necessary to pay attention not only to the noise level when the mechanisms are operating, but also to the gurgling and operation of warning signals (especially if they are repeated).
4. The built-in hygrometer is a controversial option, since it only measures humidity near the humidifier itself. It would be much more useful to purchase a separate humidity meter and install it near your bed.
5. The choice of control type—mechanical, from a remote control, from a smartphone—depends only on the planned purchase budget.
6. Ergonomics - how convenient it is to fill the tank with water, the ability to adjust the direction of steam: all this will make using the device easier.
7. Consumables: how many replaceable filters are installed, how often they need to be replaced.
8. Water requirements: while some devices can be refilled with tap water, complex models may even require distilled water.
9. Air ionization is a necessary option for allergy sufferers.

Choosing the design of the device for allergy sufferers is only a matter of budget.

Excessive air humidity is just as harmful for this category of users as dryness. Therefore, any device that guarantees an increase in humidity to 50% will be useful for them.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Video recommendations for choosing the ideal humidifier for you personally:

Buying a humidifier for allergy sufferers is a must. It will have an undoubted healing effect on the condition of people suffering from respiratory diseases. In addition, the device will significantly improve the microclimate in the room, which will not be unnecessary for other household members.

Do you have personal experience using a humidifier? Would you like to share useful information on the topic of this article? Please write comments, ask questions and post photos in the block below.