Hi all,
I've been struggling to find the right nebulizer for months. I'm concluding there is little consensus and a lot of confusion around this. Manufacturers are not licenses to dispense medical advice and doctors won't discuss equipment. This leaves us to struggle for ourselves. I think we should have a dedicated forum post on this topic. Here are some preliminary thoughts:
- Compressors: Look at PSI and heat dispersal The Trek-S and apparently the Vios (above) don't have the horsepower to operate for more than a handful of minutes before heating up and eventually burning out. A compressor is a piston which will inevitably generate heat. A rep. at Pari told me that a compressor is nothing more than a "dumb" air pump. Implying there is no difference between a DeVibliss or the Mobilaire (or the tire pump compressor at your local gas station... not her words). This said, what is the value of a more expensive model? Why pay more? Certainly I'd pay more for a smaller unit but I would need assurance they addressed the heat transfer issue. I'd like to develop a chart showing the various characteristics of each device side-by-side. One metric should show the compressor's internal temperature after 60 minutes of continual use (stress test).
- Ultrasonic: I'm assuming the eFlow is ultrasonic. It is is temperamental and requires careful cleaning. And not available to everyone. I have mixed feelings about my Trio.
Incidentally, there are articles out in the Web that stress that it's not all about PSI. Laminar flow is important to deposition. Like when they taught you to use an asthma inhaler. All you'll do is coat the back of your throat if you shove the thing in your mouth.
- Chipper