Using an air purifier to ease respiratory disease symptoms

If you are suffering from a respiratory disease or know someone who is, an air purifier may provide some much-needed relief. Below we will talk about some common respiratory diseases and how an air purifier can help.

What is respiratory disease?

According to the National Cancer Institute, a respiratory disease is any disease affecting the lungs and/or other parts of the respiratory system (such as the airways or other parts of the lungs). These diseases have various causes, some of which include firsthand or secondhand smoke, infection, radon, asbestos, or other pollutants found in the air we breathe¹.

What are some common respiratory diseases?

Some of the most common respiratory diseases include:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Asthma
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Pneumonia
• Lung cancer¹

Asthma is suffered by 262 million people worldwide². COPD is the third leading cause of death in the world, responsible for 3.23 million deaths in 2019³. Indoor air pollution is one of the most common risk factors of COPD and asthma, the two most common respiratory diseases.

How can an air purifier help?

Anyone can experience the negative effects of indoor air pollution; however, people with respiratory diseases are particularly vulnerable. The presence of pollutants in the air for people suffering from respiratory diseases can lead to coughing, difficulties breathing, or can cause the airway to be completely blocked. Asthma attacks, for example, are often triggered by poor air quality (indoor and outdoor). While there’s often not much that can be done on an individual basis to prevent outdoor air pollution, an air purifier can help you control the pollutants you breathe inside your home (let us remember that indoor air is 2 to 5 times more polluted than outdoor air!).

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What is an air purifier?

An air purifier is a device that pulls in air from a given room in your home or office using an internal fan. Once the air is inside the device, it passes through various filtration technologies which then remove unwanted particles. The newly purified air is then recirculated back into the room. Depending upon the level of indoor air pollution in your space, the process is then repeated up to several times an hour.

What is a HEPA filter and why is it important?

“HEPA”, or “high-efficiency particulate air”, is a filter capable of filtering at least 99.97% of particles of a size greater than or equal to a diameter of 0.3 µm in a single pass. All filters that fulfil this criteria receive this designation. HEPA is a European certification overseen by European standards EN 1822 and EN ISO 29463. These filters have employed for decades in various industrial settings, some of which include laboratories and cleanrooms. A HEPA filter can remove bacteria, viruses, household allergens (such as pet dander and pollen), pollution such as dust and smoke, mould spores, VOCs (volatile organic compounds that can be dangerous to our health), and more from the air⁴.

All air purifiers available at Eoleaf contain HEPA filters in addition to other technologies, such as activated carbon filters, which help fight bad odours.

Although air purifiers do not serve as a cure to any respiratory disease, they can facilitate easier breathing by providing the sufferer with pure air in the home. They have been shown to help ease symptoms of these diseases by removing aggravating pollutants from the air. Here at Eoleaf, we can help you achieve relief from your respiratory symptoms. Reach out today to find the perfect device for your needs and start breathing cleaner air.

References

¹ National Institutes of Health. (2022). NCI Dictionary of Cancer terms. National Cancer Institute. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/respiratory-disease

² World Health Organization. (2022). Chronic respiratory diseases. World Health Organization. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/chronic-respiratory-diseases#tab=tab_1

³ World Health Organization. (2022, May 20). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). World Health Organization. Retrieved December 5, 2022, from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-(copd)

⁴ Engel, P., Barnes, C. (2022, September 20). Do air purifiers really work? CHOICE. Retrieved November 23, 2022, from https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-living/cooling/air-purifiers/articles/are-air-purifiers-worth-it