The COVID-19 pandemic has placed health and wellness at the forefront of all of our minds, and the changing of the seasons brings about a whole new set of health concerns to worry about. As winter approaches, you may find yourself growing increasingly anxious about ailments like influenza, the common cold, seasonal allergies, or sinusitis.
As the pandemic continues, it is more important now than ever to protect ourselves against preventable health problems like these. The good news is that you can take tangible steps to do so, and one of those steps is utilizing a humidifier in your home.
Humidifiers offer a wide range of benefits, including improving our sleeping conditions, soothing our skin, and allowing us to breathe more easily. In this article, we will explore one of the most relevant of these benefits: the improvement of sinus health.
Can humidifiers help with sinus problems? The short answer: yes! They can help with nasal congestion, reducing the effects of allergens, and even help with cold symptoms. However, if you have never used a room humidifier before, the thought of choosing the perfect one may seem daunting. Now, we will delve into the details of exactly which type of humidifier—cool mist or warm mist—is better for sinuses.
How Do Humidifiers Work?
First, it is important to understand exactly how humidifiers function to improve the air in your home.
In the winter months, the air inside our homes often becomes very dry. If the humidity level in your home drops below 30%, you may experience nosebleeds, dry skin, and excess static electricity in your home. This is a sign that the air is too dry and that you could benefit from adding a humidifier to your home.
Similarly, if the humidity levels in your home drop too low, the dry air can irritate your nasal passages. Dry air may cause the mucus in your nose and sinuses to stop flowing properly, creating congestion and a stuffy nose. Of course, this can lead to sinus pain, sinusitis, or sinus infections. Fortunately, experts agree that using a humidifier in your home to add moisture to the air can help you avoid this sinus congestion.
Both cool mist and warm mist humidifiers function by adding moisture to the environment of a room, thus increasing the humidity levels in that room and combatting dryness. Both types are equally effective in achieving this end. However, there are significant differences between the two types of humidifiers that should certainly be considered if you are aiming to alleviate your sinus issues so that you can find the best humidifier for you.
Cool Mist Versus Warm Mist
Warm mist humidifiers, also called steam vaporizers, use electricity to heat the water tank to its boiling point, ultimately creating steam. This steam, which cools down before escaping the humidifier, enters the air you breathe and, eventually, enters the body.
Cool mist humidifiers, on the other hand, function differently. There are three main types of cool mist models, which we will explore now.
Evaporative Humidifiers
Evaporative humidifiers utilize a built-in fan to blow warm air onto a wet, absorbent piece of material, such as a wick. The wick holds water inside of it, and when the air hits the wick, the water evaporates and enters the air as vapor. This process sends moisture out into the air in your home.
Ultrasonic Humidifiers
Ultrasonic humidifiers function similarly to evaporative humidifiers, but they do not use a fan. Instead, as the central mechanism for creating moisture, ultrasonic humidifiers employ high-frequency, ultrasonic vibrations. These vibrations turn the water inside the humidifier into vapor and then release that vapor into the air.
Impeller Humidifiers
Finally, impeller humidifiers use a rotating disc to create moisture. This disc moves quickly, sending water through a diffuser. This diffuser then breaks the water droplets into very small particles which are released into the air as mist.
How Do Humidifiers Improve Sinus Problems?
Now that you understand the key differences between warm mist and cool mist humidifiers, let us examine exactly how each type may help alleviate sinus issues.
In general, both warm mist and cool mist humidifiers add moist air to your home. This function is essential for sinus-related issues, like sore throats, because indoor air that is too dry can aggravate your sinuses. Thus, both types of humidifiers would be suitable options for alleviating sinus issues.
That being said, warm mist humidifiers do have certain features that are particularly effective in this regard. They produce steam by heating up the water in their reserves. Like taking a hot shower as a decongestant, the warm steam from the humidifier will provide relief for sinus and congestion issues.
Ultimately, however, both warm mist and cool mist can help to alleviate sinus issues. When you inhale water vapor, whether it is warm or cool, it will reach the same temperature by the time it enters your lower airways. Thus, both methods are effective.
Warm Mist Versus Cool Mist: Other Factors To Consider
Both types of humidifiers can help to relieve sinus issues. If you are searching for a way to alleviate your sinus discomfort, it is clear investing in a new humidifier is an excellent option. However, be sure to consider these other factors before making your decision. For one thing, ultrasonic humidifiers allow you to use essential oils with them to get even more out of your moist air.
Noise Level
One additional factor to consider before making a purchase is the noise that your humidifier will create.
Because evaporative humidifiers utilize a fan, they are often louder than other types of humidifiers. In addition, warm mist humidifiers tend to be fairly loud, as well. The heating mechanism and the boiling water can be noisy.
The quietest option is an ultrasonic cool mist humidifier. These types of humidifiers rely on vibration to function, and they do not include a fan of any sort. For this reason, they simply let off a quiet hum.
It is crucial to consider the noise level before purchasing a humidifier to help with sinus problems. If you are planning to place your machine in your bedroom, for example, you may want to consider a quieter option like an ultrasonic humidifier.
Safety
Safety is, of course, hugely significant to your decision. You are searching for a humidifier that will help to alleviate sinus problems, not to create larger health issues. When selecting and using your humidifier, be sure to research and understand the potential safety risks involved.
Firstly, be sure to keep an eye on the humidity levels in your home. As we mentioned above, a humidity level below 30% can be harmful. In fact, the ideal humidity level is 45%. Any level higher than that may be causing more harm than good.
If your home is too humid, it can actually aggravate or induce allergies. Organisms like dust mites, mold, and mildew thrive in humid environments. If you decide to utilize a humidifier, it is vital to monitor your home’s humidity levels so that they do not go beyond the ideal level of humidity.
You face this risk with both cool mist and warm mist humidifiers. Fortunately, a tool such as a hygrometer will allow you to measure the humidity levels in your home.
There is one more safety factor to note: if you have young children, you should always opt for a cool mist humidifier. This is because the hot water and steam from a warm mist humidifier can cause burns. If a child were to get too close to a warm mist humidifier, he or she might end up getting hurt. Even if you don't children, make sure that a warm mist humidifier has an automatic shut off function so that you don't need to worry about a fire hazard.
Required Cleaning
Both warm mist and cool mist humidifiers must be cleaned regularly to remain safe and effective. As you consider purchasing a humidifier, be sure that you are prepared to maintain it. It is crucial to replace the water in the tank each day and clean the machine every third day to avoid mineral deposits and buildup that can lead to bacteria.
Warm mist humidifiers are sometimes considered more hygienic than cool mist humidifiers. This is because the heating mechanism boils the water before releasing it into the room. With that in mind, it is especially important to replace the water reserve in cool mist humidifiers because they do not contain heating mechanisms.
In Conclusion
So, which type of mist is better for your sinuses? According to Mayo Clinic, warm mist and cool mist humidifiers are equally effective in humidifying the air. Ultimately, your personal preference and needs are the most important factor to consider.
Do keep in mind safety, hygiene, and noise level as you make this decision.
- If you intend to place your humidifier in a child’s room, a cool mist humidifier is the safest option.
- When it comes to cleaning your product, warm mist humidifiers tend to release fewer bacteria into the air.
- If you are searching for a quiet option, an ultrasonic humidifier would be ideal.
Finally, if you have severe sinus problems, you may need to consult a doctor. However, either a cool mist or warm mist humidifier can be an excellent supplement to your current sinus treatment. With winter approaching, now is the perfect time to treat yourself to a new humidifier!
Sources:
https://asthma.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/asthma_humidifiers
https://www.everydayhealth.com/ear-nose-throat/humidifier-for-sinusitis
https://www.healthline.com/health/humidifier-vs-vaporize
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