Can Air Filters Ease Asthma Symptoms?

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Asthma is a chronic lung disease. When it occurs, it causes tightness in the chest, shortness of breath and wheezing. It can happen unexpectedly, and it can affect anyone at any age. The results of medical research show that asthma can be triggered by genetic and environmental factors.

If you suffer from asthma, you probably already know that the severity and frequency of the asthma attacks highly depend on the quality of the air you breathe. People who have asthma usually have more intense reactions to airborne allergens in comparison to other people.

Getting an air filter, can bring relief at home or at the office. Most air purifiers can effectively remove different pollutants and allergens such as pollen, pet dander, mold, cigarette smoke, and other. And all of these are common triggers for asthma.

Before we get to question of can air filters ease asthma symptoms, let’s first discuss their types.

Types of Air Filters

HEPA filters. A fan pushes the air through the filter, which traps in the screen any particles in the air that are larger than 0.3 microns. HEPA filters are often made built-in with central heating and air conditioning systems. If you don’t have it in your system, you can also purchase a stand-alone HEPA unit.

Ozone generators. These units create high levels of ozone to clean the air. They are often used to clean rooms filled with smoke.

Electronic air filters. These air purifiers use electrical charges to attract and trap allergens in the air. The device can either contain collecting plates for the captured particles or make the particles stick to room surface, in which case they will need to be cleared away. Also, most of them create small amounts of ozone.

Germicidal air cleaners. These air cleaners use UV light for killing bacteria, viruses, and mold.

So Which Air Filters Can Ease Asthma Symptoms?

HEPA are considered to be the best-known air filters and it’s also the most recommended for asthma sufferers. There’re also Ultra-HEPA filters available, but there hasn’t been yet convincing evidence that they’re more efficient than conventional HEPA filters.

Ozone generators are less effective for people suffering from asthma because ozone is considered to be a mild irritant. Even in low concentrations, it can cause bronchospasms in people with asthma. So it’s recommended to avoid it.

The disadvantage of electronic air filters is that they also create small amounts of ozone, and thus can also lead to irritation of your airways.

Hasn’t really been any research yet showing results of germicidal air cleaners improving respiratory symptoms in people with asthma. However, for decades, they have been used in hospitals to reduce the risk of infection with tuberculosis.

So if you looking for an air cleaner that would reduce your asthma attacks, the best option is a HEPA unit. However, to increase the effectiveness of the air filter, it’s important to maintain a clean house. So it’s best to regularly vacuum the carpets and wipe away any dust.