Can Air Purifiers offer relief to respiratory problems?

By Kartik Singhal,

Indoor and outdoor air pollution is highly disruptive for anybody’s health. Nothing beats the feeling of being able to breathe easy but for those suffering from respiratory issues like allergies and asthma, contaminants present in the air can be utterly aggravating. While everyone can have a different reaction to different air pollutants, people with breathing problems will face more trouble dealing with it, if not treated at the right time. It is also important to know every pollutant before treating or having a solution. It may lead to significant coughing and breathing issues, or rather a complete blockage of the windpipes.  

For someone experiencing facial pain, chronic cough, sore throat, stuffy nose or mucus dripping within the throat, these are signs of acute sinusitis. A large chunk of the population is unaware of the problem plaguing them and if not treated well in time, then it can jeopardize one’s productivity at work and make them feel drained in general. Many suffer from chronic sinus problems through the whole year. Hence, it’s important to understand its effects and what causes it.

Effects of Sinusitis on Normal Health

Sinus inflammation, more commonly known as sinusitis, has a range of multiple causes. In most cases, sinusitis is caused by bacterial infections which make the sinus tissue sensitive and inflamed. While in others, it is brought on by mould and viruses.

Sinus majorly has the following effects on our health:
–          Nasal Congestion

Inflamed sinus greatly controls our breathing through our nose. The infection can cause swelling in both nasal passage and the sinus. Nasal congestion affects our sense of smell and taste, and may result in a stuffy nose.

–          Nasal Discharge

The awkward action of blowing our nose is probably one of the worst after effects of developing sinus. The discharge could appear green, yellow or cloudy. The discharge may also bypass the nose and go all the way down the throat, making one feel ticklish, itchy or cause a sore throat. This is commonly known as post-nasal drip and may cause coughing in the night when sleeping. It may also lead to a hoarse voice.

–          Sinus Pain

Pain in the sinus is one of the prominent symptoms that shows when one is infected with sinusitis. Humans have numerous sinuses behind the nose as well as below and above eyes. Any one of these sinuses can get hurt when diagnosed with a sinus infection. Inflammation and swelling result in sinus with a dull pressure.

–          Throat Irritation & Cough

Discharge from the sinus flows to the back of the throat and can cause irritation over a period of time. It leads to chronic cough with the condition becoming even worse at night while lying down and in the morning immediately after one wakes up.

Air Purifiers as a Preventive Mechanism
Sinusitis is mainly caused by allergens and all kinds of bacteria and viruses found in our surroundings. Controlling outdoor pollution levels might not be in our control but the indoor air pollution levels can be considerably controlled with the use of an advanced air purifier.

Modern air purifiers are equipped with the latest technologies and can be great for ensuring the purity of air within our homes. It can easily eliminate allergens and pollutants such as dust, pollen, smoke, dander etc. from the air around us. Moreover, owing to the active air purification technology, many air purifiers are also capable of neutralizing harmful bacteria and viruses present in the air. Especially the air purifiers with 6-stage filtration mechanism can trap particles above the limit of 0.3 microns (mm) without any problems.

For example, the Plug & Play purifier by O₂Cure works on an advanced oxidation PHI- cell® technology bringing back the joy of breathing again. It operates on an active air purification technique that effectively kills microbes by altering the structure of DNA and RNA. The technology has also been successfully tested and approved by an internationally accredited virology lab in the USA over the SARS-CoV-2 virus with a 99.63% reduction rate within one hour from both the air and surface.Apart from air purifiers, even in-duct solutions are a proven way to improve indoor air quality.

Summing Up
In conclusion it can be said that air purifiers can definitely help in curing sinus symptoms provided that we choose and install the right air purifier with the correct features and functionality.

(The author is Founder of O2 Cure. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)