Consider adding a nebulizer to your home emergency medical kit.
This is not medical advice.
- I am not a medical professional.
- All the information here is about what I personally do, use or have experienced.
- I get regular help from medical professionals.
- You might want to as well if you can find people who are knowledgable about the topics on this page.
Nebulizing has saved me trips to the emergency department
- I've had several severe viral infections that affected my lungs and made it quite challenging to breathe.
- A few times my O2 saturation, as measured by a pulse oximeter, had dropped to 90% and below.
- Each time I was able to get my O2 sats back up to 98% by nebulizing.
Purchasing a nebulizer
- The brand doesn't matter
- Dr. Joseph Mercola recommends that you get a desktop model.
- not a handheld, battery operated one
- He says that the desktop motors may be stronger and the mist may be a higher quality.
- The nebulizer I use: a Devilbiss PulmoNeb LT Compressor Nebulizer
- I got that one because it's inexpensive and because it was the only kind at my local medical supply store.
- There are nicer looking ones and possibly quieter ones on the market.
- I like this one and would purchase it again.
Products I use when nebulizing
L-Glutathione Plus by Theranaturals
- L-Glutathione Plus is made for nebulizing.
- The instructions on the container say, 'Break open one capsule into 1-2 milliliters (1/2 tsp) pure distilled water or pure saline solution.'
- I've only used saline with it (haven't tried distilled water).
- I dilute it more than they suggest.
- I initially started with 1 capsule in about 3-5 ml of saline.
- Now I do 2 capsules in 5-10 ml of saline when I need it.
Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide
- Please get trustworthy instructions on how to use hydrogen peroxide safely.
- It could be dangerous to use it in the wrong concentration.
- I purchase 3% food grade hydrogen peroxide.
- One product I use is: Essential Oxygen Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide 3%
- The brand doesn't matter.
- I get the 16 oz bottle or smaller.
- Hydrogen Peroxide degrades over time even if you keep the cap on.
- The non-food grade hydrogen peroxide might have stabilizers or additives.
- I've read that it could be used in an emergency situation, but I've never tried it.
- I often use 2 cc of the 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with 2 or more cc of saline solution and 4-6 drops of 2% Lugol's iodine.
- If I didn't have the Lugol's iodine, I'd use the hydrogen peroxide by itself.
- Dr. Levy recommends using a 3% solution, but I find it can be irritating to my lungs at that concentration.
- Dr. Brownstein and Dr. Mercola recommend a much more dilute solution, which is mentioned in the podcasts below, but which I can't remember off-hand.
- When I get the right concentration
- it feels great
- very smooth
- No irritation
- If there is any irritation, I immediately stop nebulizing, dilute it further and try again.
Lugol's iodine
- Dr. David Brownstein, MD, has mentioned in various blogs and interviews that he uses this in addition to the hdyrogen peroxide.
- The brand doesn't matter.
- I buy this one: J.CROW'S Lugol's Solution of Iodine 2%
- The cap is hard to remove the first time, but otherwise I would purchase this product again.
- The 5% one is fine, as well.
- I typically use 2-3 drops of the 5% or 4-6 drops of the 2%.
- I add this to the hydrogen peroxide described above.
Saline
- I use saline with the glutathione product above and with the hydrogen peroxide + Lugol's iodine solution, as well.
- You can mix your own saline or purchase pre-mixed vials.
- The vials
- don't need a prescription to get the vials.
- Brand doesn't matter
- I typically buy 3ml and 5ml vials.
- If you want to mix your own saline
- There's much information online about how to create a saline solution.
- It's less expensive to make your own saline, but if I'm sick with an infection and have to nebulize every few hours, then it's really nice to have the pre-made vials.
Frequency of nebulizing
Extremely sick with a viral infection: I nebulize every 2-3 hours (including overnight when it's really bad).
When I catch it early (nose is stuffed up or mild symptoms): I nebulize 1-3x a day.
Prevention: If I am healthy but was exposed to someone who is sick or was sneezed or coughed on by someone, I might nebulize once.
Hearing Protection
Consider purchasing ear protection if the motor of your nebulizer is loud (mine is).
I use 3M Pro-Grade Earmuff that I got at Home Depot.
Youtube video on how to nebulize
How to Use Your Nebulizer
Better to catch it early
- Much of the viral replication
- happens in the first week or so of the infection.
- occurs in throats and nasal passages
- places nebulizing reaches
- It's better to catch an infection early before the virus has a chance to replicate as much.
Pulse Oximeter
- Handy to have.
- Not critical.
Some of my favorite resources about Nebulizing
Podcasts
Free ebook - includes nebulizing instructions
Rapid Viral Recovery
- Author: Thomas Levy, MD, JD
- There's information about nebulizing in 2 different chapters
- One of the chapters has very specific information.
- Dr. Levy in my humble opinion is one of the most fascinating doctors on the planet right now.
- I most highly recommend his 'Curing the Incurable' and 'Primal Panacea' books.
- They aren't about nebulizing, but are about vitamin C. Mind blowing books.