Does steam inhalation have any benefits?
Is it a Grandma tale, winter myth? The story is , that it often gives symptomatic relief, but research data give surprising answers.
When to take steam?
Steam inhalation for cold and Flu
Steam inhalation when you have sinusitis and postnasal drip
Allergic rhinitis needs steam inhalation as a lifestyle tool habit that has good results with treatment.
When you have laryngitis and hoarseness, steam inhalation helps to give warm fomentation to your swollen vocal cords. Professional speakers, singers’ teachers, television reporters, vloggers, podcasters all will be helped with a habit of steam inhalation.
What are the benefits of Steam inhalation?
1.It helps to clear, blocked-up sinuses. The secretions which are sticky gets liquefied and gets cleared more easily. Helps clear congested (stuffy) nose.
2. It helps in the humidification of the dry nasal cavity sinuses and upper airways.
3. It helps lower dryness and stickiness from postnasal drip.
Helps with foreign body sensation of the throat and irritation of the throat
4. Headache associated with cold may be reduced.
5. Cough is relieved.
How to Start Steam Inhalation?
How to take steam inhalation?
Boil water in a kettle. Use a rolled-up paper, or an old Xray film, to take steam gently through your nose or mouth. You can also use a steam machine.
If the steam appears too hot, let it rest for some time before starting inhalation. If you feel uncomfortable, give a few minutes gap.
How long do you need to take steam?
10 to 20 minutes of steam twice a day is good cold, sinusitis, laryngitis, and allergic rhinitis.
With or without vapocap?
Plain steam with no additional vapocap or tablets works well enough.
Dangers of Steam inhalation
First do no harm is most important.
Steam inhalation not recommended for children [3,4].
It’s best to use a steam inhalation machine in a safe environment and never in front of children.
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What research says
Steam inhalation often results in lowering the cold symptoms and clearing the stuffy nose.
But a Cochrane review [2] mentioned the evidence in favor of it is ambiguous. But it also said that steam inhalation did not increase symptoms. Now most of my patients over the last 13 years have all responded favorably to steam inhalation
Is it the placebo effect? What do you think?Let me know in the comments below.
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Reference
1)https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3303983
2) https://www.cochrane.org/CD001728/ARI_heated-humidified-air-common-cold
3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4758472/
4) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3381273/