How is a nebulizer better than steam inhalation?
The nebulizer breaks the solution into particles several microns in size, which reach small bronchi; steam inhalation settles in the nasopharynx and does not reach the bronchi. In addition, the drug does not heat up, so it does not collapse and can be used at high temperatures. Breathing through a mask or mouthpiece is calm and does not require coordination of inhalation - thanks to this, the method is suitable for young children and elderly patients. It is used for bronchitis, obstructive conditions, bronchial asthma, laryngitis and stenosing laryngotracheitis in children. The drug and its dose can only be prescribed by a doctor: not all solutions can be used in a nebulizer.
Why is physiotherapy needed?
Physiotherapy enhances the effect of medications and accelerates tissue restoration: improves local blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, reduces swelling and inflammation, relieves muscle spasm and pain. It does not replace the main treatment, but complements it - and often allows you to reduce the dose of drugs.
The effect develops gradually: after one procedure, temporary relief is possible, a lasting result appears by the end of the course of 8–10 sessions.
General contraindications
- malignant neoplasms
- fever and acute infectious conditions
- bleeding and tendency to it
- presence of a pacemaker (for a number of techniques)
- pregnancy - most methods, except those specifically approved
- individual intolerance to current or prescribed drug
Why the course cannot be interrupted
Physiotherapeutic methods work due to the cumulative effect: each subsequent procedure consolidates the result of the previous one. A course interrupted in the middle most often does not give the expected improvement, and the patient concludes that “physiotherapy does not help.”