Inhalation with mineral water

Inhalation is a physiological procedure aimed at treating the nasopharynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs using steam and aerosols. It allows medicinal substances to penetrate deep into the upper respiratory tract, provide a quick therapeutic effect on their mucous membrane, and alleviate the symptoms of the disease: cough, pain and sore throat, runny nose, and nasal congestion. The procedure is used for both acute and chronic conditions. Most often, medicinal plants are used for inhalations: chamomile, calendula, eucalyptus, lavender, mint; essential oils of anise, sandalwood, cedar, and bergamot. They have a bactericidal and anti-inflammatory effect. Inhalations with soda and mineral water are no less popular.

What are the benefits of inhalation with mineral water?

Mineral waters are extracted from underground depths or come to the surface themselves, they are rich in dissolved salts, microelements, some biological substances. Their classification depends on the chemical, gas composition, pH level. What are the benefits of inhalation with mineral water? When evaporating or spraying, useful substances penetrate the mucous membranes, softening the throat, upper respiratory tract, lungs. At the same time, blood circulation is enhanced, the process of regeneration of the affected epithelium is launched, bronchial secretions are liquefied and removed faster, the inflammatory focus is eliminated.

To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect, you need to know which mineral water to choose for inhalation. The most suitable for this purpose are hydrogen sulphide, radon and carbon dioxide. Some of them are used only in sanatorium treatment conditions. At home, alkaline waters are used, such as "Narzan", "Borjomi", "Essentuki 17, 4":

• inhalations with Borjomi - sodium hydrocarbonate water with natural mineralization, it contains many chemical compounds and components: potassium, calcium, silicon, sulfur, aluminum, fluorine, magnesium, sulfates and hydrocarbonates. Through the smallest particles, they penetrate the surface of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, cleanse them from mucus accumulation, facilitate expectoration, help penetrate into the bloodstream, accelerating metabolic processes, thereby reducing the recovery period;
• inhalations with mineral water "Essentuki 17" - chloride-hydrocarbonate, sodium, boric high mineralization. The number 17 in the name indicates the number of the source. Inhalations alleviate the painful condition during colds and other respiratory diseases, soften the course of acute inflammatory processes, protracted chronic, reduce the intensity of cough, help get rid of phlegm.

Indications for the procedure

Each mineral water has its own indications. Borjomi and Essentuki 17 are very suitable for inhalation with symptoms of acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections, flu, tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and even more serious diseases: bronchial asthma, tuberculosis and cystic fibrosis. The procedure with their use is indicated for when the nose is stuffy, runny nose, sore and scratchy throat, dry or wet cough.

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Preparation

In order to carry out inhalation at home, you need to buy mineral water, open the bottle in advance and release the gas from it, have an inhaler or nebulizer, if you don’t have one, you can use a kettle or a saucepan. The procedure does not require any special preparation. There is a recommendation not to eat 1.5-2 hours before and an hour after.

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And inhalation of mineral water for dry cough

Dry cough brings a lot of suffering, because after convulsive reflex attempts to push out the irritant and clear the respiratory tract, a new wave of spasms occurs. Inhalations of mineral water for dry cough help healing components, salts in the form of small aerosol particles to penetrate deep into the respiratory system, kill pathogenic microbes, reduce inflammatory foci, reduce irritation of the mucous membrane. This contributes to the transition to the stage of productive cough.

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Inhalation of mineral water for bronchitis

Bronchitis is an inflammatory process in the bronchi, which is most often preceded by a viral or bronchial infection. The disease is accompanied by general weakness, apathy, fever, dry cough at first, gradually turning into a wet one. It can last for quite a long time. Often, the pathology requires medical intervention and drug treatment. Inhalations for bronchitis with mineral water are prescribed both as part of complex therapy and separately, without the use of drugs, along with other non-drug methods: drinking plenty of warm drinks, humidifying the room, rubbing the chest with camphor oil, warming compresses.

Inhalation of mineral water for laryngitis

Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx is called laryngitis. The disease manifests itself as a sore throat, hoarseness, dry mouth, and a dry cough. Sometimes this condition is called a "lump in the throat." Inhalations of slightly alkaline mineral water can alleviate catarrhal symptoms, relieve swelling of the larynx, soothe the mucous membrane, and generally make you feel comfortable.

Technique mineral water inhalations

How the inhalation is organized and carried out depends on what the patient has at his disposal. The technique of carrying out with the help of a teapot consists of pouring a glass of plain water and the contents of a bottle into it, putting it on the fire and heating it to 50-60 ⁰. A funnel or other device is inserted into the spout of the teapot to obtain a conical shape, for example, a sheet of thick paper, convenient for adhering to the lower part of the face. You need to breathe in the steam without removing the improvised inhaler from your mouth. Another option is to simply pour hot water into a bowl or saucepan and cover yourself with a towel. You cannot talk during the procedure, breathe shallowly, calmly and measuredly. To treat a sore throat and cough, breathe through the mouth, and a runny nose - through the nose. An inhaler makes the procedure more convenient, it is inexpensive, so such a thing has the right to be in the house. These three methods relate to steam inhalations, their duration is 5-15 minutes. It is best to do them at night so that you can go to sleep right away.

Mineral inhalations with a nebulizer

The work of the nebulizer is based on a completely different principle. Its name comes from the Latin nebula - cloud, fog and it works under pressure. Mineral inhalations with a nebulizer, as with other medicinal substances, consist of converting the contents poured into it into an aerosol. Microparticles penetrate deep into the respiratory system through a special mouthpiece, are quickly absorbed, giving a good result in overcoming the disease. They are most effective in the treatment of pneumonia, bronchial asthma, tuberculosis.

Inhalation of mineral water for a child

Moisturize the mucous membrane of the nose, throat, upper and lower respiratory tract, deliver useful substances to its surface that can suppress inflammation, accelerate the regeneration of damaged epithelium, bring the fastest recovery - these are the tasks that parents and pediatricians assign to inhalations of mineral water for a child. In addition, this is a completely harmless procedure. The water temperature should not exceed 40 ⁰, and its duration is 3-5 minutes. The only obstacle to its implementation may be the reluctance of the little patient to sit covered over warm steam. In this case, a nebulizer will come to the rescue. It can be carefully adjusted even during the baby's sleep.

Inhalation of mineral water during pregnancy

Unfortunately, pregnant women often suffer from colds, because their immunity is significantly reduced during pregnancy. The question arises as to how to treat without harming the fetus. In this case, the safest method of treating a runny nose, sore throat, and cough is inhalation with mineral water. If a woman has no other contraindications that limit steam or aerosol treatment, then mineral water cannot harm her. On the contrary, timely treatment will moisturize the mucous membrane, provide a feeling of relief, and stop the development of more serious consequences.

Contraindications to the procedure

Despite the harmlessness of the procedure, steam inhalations have their own contraindications for implementation, which can cause complications:

• body temperature above 37.5 ⁰;
• purulent inflammatory processes (sinusitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis), since heating promotes the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms;
• cardiovascular and respiratory failure;
• hypertension;
• pronounced arrhythmia;
• nosebleeds.

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Consequences after the procedure

It is most reasonable not to prescribe treatment for yourself, but to listen to the doctor's recommendations. The patient is not able to objectively assess his condition and be sure that there are no purulent foci. The consequences after the procedure may be associated with this. Other adverse effects are failure to maintain the temperature of mineral water; when it is heated to boiling, burns of the mucous membranes and face are possible. Knowing the contraindications and following all the rules will help to avoid complications in the form of problems with the heart, high blood pressure, and the nervous system.

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Care after the procedure

Inhalation of mineral water relaxes and soothes. You need to try to prolong this state, lie down and lie quietly, do not eat, drink, talk, or go outside right away.

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Reviews

According to many people, they felt relief after the first inhalation. Its advantages include the absence of an allergic reaction, gentle effect on the mucous membrane, the ability to facilitate the process of clearing the nose and coughing. It is noted that inhalations with a nebulizer of mineral water are used after an attack of bronchial asthma, pneumonia, to restore the bronchi and lungs. There is some evidence that after the procedure it became worse, but reading a more detailed commentary, how and when this happened, one can come to the conclusion that it was carried out in the first days of infection with the virus and this led to even greater proliferation of microorganisms and penetration into the trachea and bronchi. There are also radical opinions: you cannot use mineral water for inhalation, saline solution is best. This leads to only one thought: a doctor's consultation is necessary: only a specialist can determine the usefulness and appropriateness of such treatment.