Do Air Purifiers Help with COPD and Emphysema? Residential Air Purification and Lung Conditions While air purifiers can help with many respiratory issues, it is just part of the cure. The EPA estimates that up to 24 million Americans -- primarily over the age of 45 -- suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and many more are diagnosed with similar symptoms caused by emphysema. Both conditions restrict airway passages and are aggravated by airborne contaminants, especially cigarette smoke and synthetic surfaces that create volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Most residential air purifications units remove a portion of these irritants from the immediate environment, but their effectiveness is limited and determined by the features included in each model. Both emphysema and chronic bronchitis sufferers experience: Shortness of breath, especially after engaging in physical activity A feeling of tightness in the chest A chronic cough or wheezing

(image courtesy of Wikipedia Commons) These symptoms are no doubt affected by air quality, and studies by the EPA in 1990 ranked indoor air quality as a "high-priority public health risk," especially for persons suffering from such serious respiratory conditions. best air purifier singapore hazeAlthough proper air purification may help alleviate many irritants and possibly even prevent the development of these ailments, it is by no means a cure and will only help lessen the symptoms once the patient's airways have been compromised. vornado room air purifier reviewsConsequently, just having a top-of-the-line air purification system will not replace medically prescribed treatments such as inhalers, antibiotics and steroids that may be recommended to keep the disease from escalating.sportster air cleaner adapter

Do Doctors Recommend Air Purifiers? Most doctors do, however, highly recommend air purification equipment as part of a restorative regime for patients who have COPD or emphysema, and physicians can recommend the right type of system on a case-by-case basis. Traditional HEPA filters only remove particles down to .03 microns, and bacteria can be as small as .01 microns. so these are not adequate for combating the types of infection for which that COPD and emphysema suffers are especially susceptible. To effectively remove the majority of the irritants, patients with respiratory illness need to select a multi-stage filtration system. For ultimate protection, residential air purification systems (portable or HVAC) should contain several of the following: A pre-filter for removing large particles UV light exposure long enough to eliminate mold and mildew A membrane filter or a micro-filtration unit to capture pollutants down to .01 microns Does NOT emit ozone which can further restrict lung capacity

The National Air Filtration Association recommends that to obtain maximum effectiveness, there should be an advanced filter and UV light system hooked up to the HVAC unit in the residence so that the large amount of the contaminants can be removed before entering the home in the first place. Standard air filters for these units are limited by the small horsepower output of the fan motor, so a self-contained filteration system with its own fan will be more effective.  However, since a high rate of air flow is necessary for HVAC systems, HVAC filters typically cannot incorporate HEPA filters due to air flow restriction.  HEPA-type filters are usually sufficient to filter most of the larger particles. No Air Purifier is a Complete Solution Medical professionals always point out that no air purification system can be expected to eliminate all airborne contaminants, especially those stirred up by walking across a carpet or laying on a pillow since they must enter the airstream of the unit before they are filtered out.

They strongly recommend that steps should be taken to remove items that generate dust and eliminate any mold or mildew at the source. Frequent vacuuming and dusting of surfaces is highly recommended. Sources Used in This Guide: EPA - Guidelines for healthy homes: http://www.epa.gov/region1/healthyhomes/iaq.html EPA - Study on Cleaning Residential Air: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/residair.html#Will%20Air%20Cleaning%20Reduce%20Health%20EffectsIf you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you know what a difference the quality of the air around you can make. You may be careful to keep a smoke-free environment at home to protect your health, but there are many less obvious indoor air-quality challenges caused by mold, dust mites, and even the fragrances in a scented candle. If you can improve air quality not just in your home, but at work and outdoors, too, you’ll make great progress in managing COPD by being able to breathe easier and avoid worsening symptoms such as shortness of breath and coughing.

Improve Air Quality in Your Home Start by focusing your attention on the air quality at home. Here are some essential steps: • Mandate a smoke-free environment. “Make sure no one is smoking in your house,” says Raymond Foley, DO, a pulmonary medicine specialist at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. Cigarette smoke aggravates COPD symptoms, so simply not smoking yourself isn’t enough — everyone in your home, from other inhabitants to visitors and even close neighbors, needs to abstain from smoking. This can be a challenging step if you have smokers living with you or nearby, so identify a spot outside your home where they can smoke, and ask them to stick to the rule that no smoking is allowed in your home at all. • Vent wood-burning stoves and fireplaces. If you have a wood-burning stove or fireplace, make sure it's clean and well-vented to carry all smoke out of your home. Also, get fireplaces and chimneys checked and cleaned at least once a year, Dr. Foley says.

• Check all ventilation systems. “You need to have adequate ventilation,” advises Janice Nolen, assistant vice president for national policy and advocacy at the American Lung Association (ALA) in Washington, DC. “If you’re cooking, that means you need an exhaust system near the stove that works well.” Also important are exhaust systems and fans in bathrooms because they help carry moisture out of the house. If you need to have exhaust systems installed, think of the expense as an investment that will pay off in the long run, Nolen says. Have fans on hand to put in windows if you occasionally need more airflow to ventilate your home well, such as during especially humid days. • Check your air filters. Make sure you regularly change air filters for your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system and furnace. Foley advises investing in the highest-quality air filters you can afford. • Keep the humidity low. Aim for an indoor humidity of less than 50 percent.

This amount will reduce the growth of mold and cut down on other common COPD triggers, such as dust mites. “Dust mites tend to stop growing in a house with low humidity,” Nolen says. Dust mites generally thrive in 70 percent to 80 percent humidity.“The biggest mold problems are in people’s basements,” Foley says. Usually you can see or smell the musty, wet scent of mold — trust your nose, but it’s a good idea to go through your home to look for and seal up any leaks. If the mold irritates your lungs, ask someone else to clean it or use a face mask to clean it yourself. • Switch cleaning strategies. Nolen advises limiting harsh chemicals and scented cleaning products: “If you can eat it, you can clean with it,” she says. Start with traditional, low-cost cleaners such as baking soda and vinegar. For hard-surface floors, try using cloths to attract and hold dust instead of brooms or vacuums that often just kick dust up into the air. • Test for radon. Although Nolen and Foley agree that you shouldn’t have to pay a lot to get your house in order — both downplay getting costly air duct cleanouts, for example — a radon test is one expense that Nolen believes could be helpful.

Radon gas in high levels is very harmful to the lungs, and radon exposure is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking, according to the ALA. • Avoid ionizing products. Some products, including hair dryers and even air purifiers, claim to ionize air particles. However, this process produces ozone, which can interfere with your managing your COPD symptoms. If you’d like help improving your indoor air quality and managing COPD, try joining My Fighting for Air Community, a service of the ALA that connects people who have lung problems with a personally created community of their family, friends, neighbors, and others who want to offer assistance. Improve Air Quality at Work Most of the steps that will benefit your work environment are the same as what you should do at home, but on a bigger scale. You might need to speak with your office’s facilities services manager or the janitorial staff to ask questions about ventilation, filters, cleaning, and mold remediation.

Fortunately, most office buildings are now entirely smoke-free, but if this isn’t the case at your place of work, be an advocate for a smoke-free environment or request a work assignment or location that takes you away from areas where people smoke. Your biggest challenge in improving indoor air quality at work may be in limiting strong fragrances. “If somebody is asthmatic, scented products can be triggers,” Foley says. This includes air fresheners and even perfumes and colognes. Managing the issue of fragrance at work requires diplomacy because some people have strong personal attachments to the fragrances they wear. Again, you could ask to be moved to a different part of the office that doesn’t have strong scents. Talk to your supervisor or human resources manager about how best to advocate for a scent-free work environment — although you may be the one raising the issue, chances are there’s at least one other person on the job who will breathe more easily without a mix of irritating products scenting the air.

Air Quality When You’re Out and About Both ozone and particulates, which are responsible for making outdoor air quality poor, are irritating for people with COPD — and just thinking about tackling the air quality of your entire town or city might exhaust you. To protect yourself, start by getting into a daily habit of checking local air quality advisories. Morning news programs will often clue you in to poor air quality days, and you can also check the air quality index for your area at Air Now. When the air quality level is orange, that’s your sign to take these extra precautions when heading outdoors: Ultimately, the changes that benefit you will benefit others in your home, workplace, and community — particularly those who have COPD or other chronic lung conditions, such as allergies and asthma. The more you know, the more you‘ll likely want to take steps to make your community healthier for everyone. This might mean joining a carpool to reduce air pollution or cutting back on your electricity use to conserve energy and resources.