We’ve all seen them on TV. The Ionic air purifier is one of the biggest new types of respiratory aids that people are excited about. It’s interesting because the commercials show it taking in the air that’s in your house and catching dust, pollen, all kinds of stuff, which sticks to a metal strip. Then you just wipe it down. Apparently, their claims were a little bit overstated. One man bought one for several hundred dollars and found that it wasn’t nearly as good as they said it was. Meanwhile, he needed it for specific purposes relating to his health. He filed a class action lawsuit about it and they ended up settling and toning down their claims. This is good because it keeps them more honest about what it does. While there is some scientific evidence that this works wonders, but nothing can be as good as they used to say it is. Before you buy something like this, check around to see if it’s as good as they say!

The people who use CPAP machines know that there is occasional difficulty in getting the machine through security. This is moreso in an airport where the regulations are especially tough and differently enforced, depending on where you are and the equipment that they are using. But for CPAP and any other machines like respiratory machines, you should probably just treat it the same way that you would a laptop computer. You have to take the machine out of its case, but you don’t have to worry about pulling out all the accouterments, since that would slow things down too much and not give enough of a security improvement. So you pull out the machine itself, lay it on the conveyor belt and then lay the case next to it (not under it). This should get you through quickly enough. If they have a problem seeing it and such, you can just explain it to them and they can take it out of its case. After all, anything else in the case is likely to just be the tubes, facemask and a cord, etc. Nothing bad, nothing to get you in trouble, and then you’ll be on your way with that important piece of medical equipment in your bag.

When you are interested in the importance of good breathing, all you need to do is look at an oximetry reading of your own blood. Oximeters are able to verify the amount of oxygen in your blood by shooting a kind of laser through your finger, or other part, and then measuring the amound of bounce-back that your platelets give when they are loaded with oxygen. That will give you a percentage number that will let you know what level of oxygen you’re holding. The doctor might be able to tell that you smoke based on your reading, or he might ask why it’s so high. Possibly you’ve simply been jogging for a few years. This is how such things pay off. But people with respiratory problems that aren’t preventable might also get lower readings, depending on their condition, and this will be evident to the doctor. In fact, I think it might even be one of the tools that they use when making their diagnosis, because if you have something like asthma, your body might not be carting oxygen to the blood as well as in a healthy person. It’s just something to keep an eye on and some people might want to have an oximeter right in their home. They’re relatively inexpensive these days, so consider it.

It’s easy to think that respirators are only for those people who have a respiratory condition or for those who work in particularly difficult places. But in fact, many respirators are made for people in regular situations. Do you have to clean up around your basement or attic? Then you should get a little respirator. Not necessarily anything that you have to plug in or put tubes on your face. I just mean the kind of respirator that you see frequently, a face mask. You just attach the cloth face mask to you and loop the rubber parts around your ears. This seems simple and it is. But it can certainly benefit you by stopping particles large and small from entering your lungs and mouth. Your attic might not have any major contaminants in it, but just the dust can be annoying and harmful. These basic respirators can keep out most of these materials, but they are cheap and easy to use. Give it a shot and let me know how you like it!

People who are asthmatic have reported somewhat more difficult bouts of H1N1 virus when they get struck by the illness. As we have mentioned before, proper respiratory care will be able to lessen the effects of the illness and will get people back into good health much faster than they otherwise would. For asthmatic people, this is especially important. Just because you are sick doesn’t mean that you can simply forget your normal care procedures. It also doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods. Especially with all the fluid buildup that people discuss with this kind of illness, it might even become more likely to have an asthma attack. Of course, it doesn’t guarantee it, but you should be on the watchout for it whenever you’re sick with any kind of flu or pneumonia. In a few months, we’ll be able to report more information about the illness, once the numbers are fully in.

When the Emergency medical teams go to a call, one of the main things that they will take with them is an oxygen tank. It really doesn’t matter what kind of call it is; they bring them to fires, for obvious reasons, and for various medical calls too. The reason for this: when people are under stress, they do need to have oxygen to help them get better. Who knows what kind of situation it’s going to be, however. People who have fainted or passed out would do well to have some oxygen added to their breathing. The paramedics have their oxygen tanks right there, ready to go. This website for learning paramedics will help you determine how well the tank will help you, how long it will last, and how many you might need for a certain length of time. It’s a good idea to know how your oxygen is holding out so that you can make replacements as needed.

Many different respiratory illnesses are caused or exacerbated by the fact that the air is often very dry. In many parts of the country at this time of year, the air inside is expecially dry because of the kind of heating that is conducted in most parts of the country. Usually, it’s done through air vents and ducts, which allows for fast warming, but they are generally as dry as can be. Newer furnaces have humidifiers attached; my family just got a new furnace with a humidifier attached to it, but we can’t use it because the water is too hard. But even those who have no humidifier directly attached can get some water into their air. One of the best ways to do so is to just get one of those inexpensive humidifiers for your home. You can plug it in to take care of a room or two, move it around as needed. It’s a great plan for anyone; they only cost 10 or 20 dollars. This can make your winter much more comfortable, as you will be able to breathe easier and more smoothly.