What Kind of Humidifier is Best for Sinus Pressure?
If you have sinuses, a humidifier might help. At least, it is going to relieve the discomfort. So, is a warm or cool mist humidifier better for sinuses?
If you live in an area that has dry air throughout the year or in the winter, you definitely need a humidifier.
Except for one boiling water to pump out vapor and the other sending out a cool mist, there is not all that much difference in the cool mist or warm mist humidifier.
Cool mist vs warm mist humidifier for sinus problems
One of the main benefits of using a humidifier for nasal congestion is that it enhances your comfort in the house.
When you have sinusitis, the one thing that you need most is comfort. It hurts even when you inhale.
Thus, if a little humidity in the air can help you breathe much better and more comfortably, you should get that humidifier.
Thus, we agree that when you have dry air, you need a humidifier for sinus infections.
When you have sinus issues, you need this appliance in a big way. So what is better for you between a cool mist and a warm mist humidifier? We will see that later.
First, here are a few things to know about sinuses:
What are sinuses?
Sinuses are cavities found in the cheekbones, the area between the eyes, and behind the nose. These cavities contain mucus.
They connect to the nose via a narrow passage called the middle meatus. The mucus in the sinuses helps to humidify the air that gets into the nasal passage.
The mucosal tissues sometimes swell when they are affected by irritants. Eventually, this leads to blockage of the nasal cavity.
The swelling makes your sinuses feel congested, which causes difficulty in breathing. The symptoms of a sinus infection are nasal congestion, headaches, and excess mucus.
You can learn more about them here.
Doctors use various options to treat sinuses, even going to the extent of removing growths that cause air blockage.
Dry air aggravates the sinus problem as it damages the cilia, which help filter harmful microorganisms. It also causes the sinuses to become irritated.
Some people have acute sinusitis, which is very uncomfortable, but it goes away eventually. However, when you have chronic sinusitis, you have to live with the discomfort for a long time. Until you do something about it!
The first thing to do is buy a humidifier for your house.
Cool vs warm mist humidifier for sinus infection
Now that you have seen the kind of discomfort that you will experience with sinuses, you have to ask yourself how to alleviate this discomfort.
The first thing to do is to deal with the problem of dry air, which, as we have seen here, causes issues with your sinuses.
You can check several ways to humidify the air naturally. However, the best way to humidify the air is by using a humidifier.
Do you feel some dryness on your skin, mouth, and throat, mostly after waking up in the morning? Chances are that your room does not have the right humidity level.
You can use a hygrometer to detect the humidity level in your home.
You will need a humidifier for runny noses if your indoor humidity is below 30%. Using a humidifier reduces the risk of contracting sinusitis.
It also takes care of most of the indoor allergens such as dust and pollen, that would aggravate your sinuses.
It really does not matter whether you get a cool mist or a warm mist humidifier. Both are great for enhancing your indoor air quality.
You can also get an ultrasonic humidifier. This adds miniature droplets of water to the air. To relieve the symptoms of sinusitis, you should buy an ample humidifier. This means buying one that is rated for your size of living space.
If you are humidifying a large room, use a large room humidifier. If you are humidifying your bedroom alone, a small room humidifier will be perfect for your needs.
You may even get a small portable humidifier to place on your desktop for work hours.
How a humidifiers relieves sinuses
You might know that humidifiers relieve sinuses. But just how do they do this? How does a humidifier make life better?
Humidifiers allow tiny water particles to fill the air, thus increasing humidity. The moment you inhale, the nasal passages and the sinuses get moisturized.
The result of this is that the burning sensation within the sinuses is relieved, which also eases congestion. Although the humidifier does not cure sinusitis, it has proved quite helpful in de-congesting the nose.
Place the humidifier in your bedroom to breathe quality air when you sleep mostly to relieve dryness caused by the heating system. If you live in a cold area, ensure that you have a humidifier, which can serve the whole house.
This type of humidifier is built into the AC system. If you want to use a humidifier during cold seasons, then you should get a portable humidifier. This one does not cost much, and it is not complicated to use.
A humidifier relieves sinus discomfort at night
Sinuses get worse at night. Humidity and sinuses have a strange relationship. Therefore, when you get a humidifier, it will help you sleep well.
Dryness in air passages causes snoring because of blocked airways. When snoring is eliminated, you will sleep easily. If you have sleep apnea, get help from a humidifier in addition to the treatment prescribed by the patient.
Your baby will also find it easier to breathe when using a humidifier. The stuffy atmosphere can make it difficult for children to breathe appropriately.
This is not only uncomfortable for the child but also has far-ranging adverse health issues. Having moist air in the room is quite beneficial for the well-being of your child.
Flu and cold can be quite disruptive in your life. When the air has a considerable amount of moisture, airborne viruses, pollen, and bacteria do not spread too much.
When the air is humid, the viruses attach themselves to water droplets, thus falling to the ground. This reduces the chances of infection.
If you have problems with asthma and allergies, you may have noticed that these problems worsen when the air is dry.
You can get a solution to this issue using the best humidifier for congestion, coupled with a highly standardized air purifier. When you increase the moisture content in the air, allergies and irritants significantly reduce.
Humidifiers for allergies and sinuses are created differently. You need to consider some features when buying these devices.
You need to know the most appropriate type of humidifier you require. You have to pick a humidifier that is suitable for people with sinusitis and other breathing problems.
Also, look for one that can be used by children without issues.
Guide for buying a humidifier for sinuses
Choosing the cool mist vs. warm mist humidifier for sinus problems can be hard for the first time. However, after that, it gets easier.
1. The amount of mist dispelled by humidifier
Consider a humidifier that does not expel excess moisture. Those that produce a lot of water droplets can damage your furniture and electronics and intensify asthma.
Too much moisture is also going to enhance the growth of mold indoors, which can cause serious health problems.
You should also know the amount of water a humidifier tank can hold. Some have small capacities, while others hold many liters of water.
Let us just say that if the tank can hold more water, your humidifier will run more appropriately. You also do not have to refill it every day.
When there is more water in the tank, you get more mist. This keeps the air moisture at the desired levels all the time.
2. Mist settings for humidifier for nasal congestion
Know the length of time for which mist will be produced. Check the settings for mist production. You can pick a humidifier that has more than one mist setting.
Find a humidifier that has extra features that make it more helpful. You may need to look for an appliance to which you can add scents. These make the room feel more refreshed, and they can give you some good aromatherapy.
You can also find a humidifier that has a timer so that it runs for a particular duration. It should also be automated such that it turns on and off to keep the levels of humidity at the right levels.
3. The space you want to humidify
When choosing a humidifier, you ought to consider the area you want it to serve. If you have a large room, find one made for large rooms so that it can spread mist to all corners.
Since humidifiers have space ratings, you can always check that in the product description.
4. Humidifier noise level
Your cool mist humidifier for stuffy nose should have the lowest noise possible. If you will use it in baby’s room, you need it to be real quiet.
Thankfully, most produce what we call “white noise” which can even help babies sleep much better.
Since you will be using it in your bedroom, it should be quiet enough to allow you to sleep through the night while it is still running.
It can be difficult to sleep with the humidifier making a lot of noise. Find the one that doesn’t produce sounds that disturb your sleep.
What to buy: warm or cool mist humidifier for sinuses?
Both cool mist and warm mist humidifiers for sinus problems are great for giving you some comfort for your sinuses. It does not matter what you buy because it is going to give you the comfort that you need.
Warm mist humidifiers boil water and produce warm mist. In the process of boiling water, they are going to kill bacteria and viruses.
If the water has mineral deposits, you will have to clean the humidifier tank more often than you would the cool mist humidifier.
Apart from that, we cannot say that the warm mist humidifier has any other benefit over the cool mist one.
Cool misters are safer for use even in children’s rooms as they pose no scalding hazards. Just ensure that you get a humidifier, whether warm mist or cool mist.
You may also buy an ultrasonic humidifier. This is basically a cool mist humidifier and it works wonderfully well.
It disperses moisture by ultrasonic vibrations on a metal diaphragm. It is best for sleeping because of the low noise levels.
Basically, what we are trying to say here is that the question of: What is better for sinuses between the two humidifiers? Any can be a good workhorse for your needs.
Conclusion
Consult a doctor when you have problems with sinusitis and are considering buying a humidifier.
You will be advised on the best humidifier to use for your condition. Most doctors recommend a humidifier that has a filter, which helps to clean the air.
You may even get an air purifier which can work side by side with a humidifier.