Can A Humidifier Help With Allergies? 9 Best Ways It Helps
Allergy sufferers know how miserable allergies can make you feel. That’s why some people search for a common question “Can a humidifier help with allergies?”
The answer is Yes. A humidifier can help with allergies in many ways! It works by adding moisture to the air, which can help to soothe and relieve the symptoms of many allergies.
Can A Humidifier Help With Allergies? 9 Ways
Allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to something in the environment that is otherwise harmless.
When the allergens come into contact with the nose, breath, eyes, or skin, they can cause some symptoms. Like, sneezing, itchiness, watery eyes, or respiratory difficulties.
About 30% of the general population suffers from some type of allergy. And most common allergies are pollen, dander, dust, and mold.
Dry air is a common cause of allergies. In addition, dry air can make pre-existing allergies worse.
Now, you might think, can a humidifier help with allergies?
The answer is quite positive. Yes! A humidifier can help alleviate allergy symptoms by adding moisture to the air.
Here are some major allergic problems that you can control by using a humidifier:
1. Reduce Sneezing:
Sneezing is a reaction to allergens in the air. These allergens can become more prevalent when the air is dry and cause more sneezing.
Some common allergens include dust, pollen, and pet dander.
When you breathe in dry air, you inhale these allergens, they can irritate your nose’s lining. As a result, your body responds by trying to remove the irritants through sneezing.
If you are allergic to any of these irritants, using a humidifier can help. It reduces the amount of sneezing you may experience.
A humidifier helps allergies by adding moisture to the dry air.
The added moisture reduces the number of allergens in the air. First, It reduces allergens by trapping them in the water. Then, it prevents them from becoming airborne.
Further, it can also help to lubricate the lining of your nose. By doing so, it helps to reduce irritation due to dry air.
2. Eyes Infection:
The eyes are the most delicate part of our body. Even a little dirt or smoke can cause eye allergies. Dry air can worsen the situation by making the eyes dry and irritated.
We need tears to keep our eyes healthy and lubricated. The lacrimal gland produces tears. This gland is present in each eye.
Dry air can prevent the lacrimal gland from producing tears. Conversely, the eyes become dry and irritated.
We rub our eyes when they feel dry. However, this irritates the eyes and causes infections.
A humidifier can help to prevent all these problems by adding moisture to the air. Moist air prevents the eyes from getting dry in the first place.
Also, it helps to keep the lacrimal gland working properly. As a result, the eyes produce tears and stay healthy.
3. Dry Mouth Allergies:
Saliva plays an important role in our oral health. It helps to prevent tooth decay and infections. Moreover, it aids in the digestion of food.
But, dry air can reduce the production of saliva. As a result, we may experience a dry mouth.
It is very uncomfortable and can lead further to other problems. For example, dry throat, snoring, sleep apnea, etc., are some common problems with a dry mouth.
A humidifier prevents these issues by producing moisture and keeping our mouths hydrated. When the air is humid, our mouth produces more saliva, and we stay healthy.
In addition, dry mouth is a symptom of allergies and reason might be dehydration or any medicine. So, a unit keeps the mouth moist and prevents dehydration by managing such allergies.
4. Prevent Dust Mites And Dust Particles:
Dust is the most common allergen and is the leading cause of allergies. It is a mixture of dead skin cells, dirt, pollen, and pet dander.
This mixture can cause sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, and difficulty breathing.
While inhaling, we take in all these particles, which can irritate the nose and throat. That’s why we start sneezing or feeling a burning sensation in the throat.
A humidifier adds moisture to the air and prevents the floating of dust particles. As a result, it helps in reducing allergies due to dust.
Moreover, dust mites are tiny creatures that live in textile fibers and human skin cells. They are one of the most common causes of allergies. These mites thrive in dry and warm conditions.
When the air is dry, it becomes easier for dust mites to float in the air and cause allergies. But when you use a humidifier, it makes the air moist and makes it difficult for the dust mites to survive.
So, if you are suffering from allergies due to dust mites, using a humidifier can be helpful.
5. Control Pollen Allergy:
You might have seen anyone suffering from a runny nose, itchy eyes, and sneezing due to pollen allergy.
Pollen allergy is a common problem that occurs due to the presence of pollen grains in the air. These pollen grains can come from different sources, like trees, flowers, and grass.
Pollen is a powdery substance that plants release during their reproductive cycle.
The pollen particles are small and easily enter your nose and throat. When they come in contact with the mucous membrane, it causes an allergic reaction.
In dry air, these pollen particles remain in the air for a long time and can cause allergies.
Whereas, when the air is humid, the pollen particles become heavier. That’s why they fall to the ground instead of floating in the air.
So, using a humidifier can help reduce the pollen count in the air and prevent allergies.
6. Eases Dry Skin:
Dry air can cause the skin to become dry, cracked, and irritated. This is because the moisture in the skin evaporates quickly when the air is dry.
Also, some medications used to treat allergies can further dry the skin.
In severe conditions, your skin can become scaly, red, and teary. Sometimes, the skin can also bleed. Then, applying vaseline jelly or any cream cannot heal the skin in the long run.
So it is always better to use a humidifier to prevent the skin from drying. If your skin has affected, using a humidifier can help you ease the problem.
Furthermore, a humidifier works for dry skin due to medicine’s side effects.
It keeps the skin hydrated by increasing the moisture in the air and, thus, helps dry skin.
7. Help With Itchy Skin:
Skin itching is one of the common skin problems as a reaction to skin allergy. It may happen due to several reasons, like dry skin, fungal infections, insect bites, and allergies.
Itchy skin can be extremely annoying and uncomfortable. In addition, you cannot stop scratching your skin, which further aggravates the problem.
Applying calamine lotion or cooling gels can help you soothe the itch. But, these solutions provide only temporary relief.
The best way to get rid of itchy skin is by using a humidifier. First, it helps to add moisture to the air, which in turn prevents your skin from drying out, which causes itching.
But in case you already have itching issues, a unit will soothe and provide you relief. So, a humidifier is an excellent solution to deal with allergies and itchy skin.
8. Reduces Eczema:
Eczema is an allergic skin condition that causes the skin to become dry, itchy, and inflamed.
The exact cause of eczema is unknown, but dry air is one of the triggers . In addition, some people may be genetically predisposed to developing the condition.
While there is no cure for eczema, treatments can help to keep the condition under control. One way to reduce eczema flare-ups is to use a humidifier in your home.
As mentioned earlier, it adds moisture to the air, which can help to soothe and hydrate dry, itchy skin. Therefore, you can reduce the symptoms.
So, when used with other treatments, a humidifier can be an effective way to control the condition.
9. Prevents Asthma Attacks:
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways. Some symptoms include recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
These episodes, known as asthma attacks, can be triggered by a variety of factors.
Dry air can also trigger asthma attacks. This is because the airways are already inflamed in people with asthma, and dry air can irritate them.
Humidifiers can help to moisten the air and prevent these attacks.
It works for asthma patients by hydrating the air. When air is moist, it helps to reduce inflammation and soothe the airways.
That is why people with asthma may find that their symptoms are less severe when using a humidifier.
Conclusion:
Can a humidifier help with allergies? The answer is yes. A humidifier can help to moisten the air and prevent many allergies.
For instance, a unit can control duct mites, pollen allergy, eye allergy, and dry mouth.
While if a humidifier does not cure some allergic issues, it can help ease the symptoms. Like, a humidifier produces moist air that helps to soothe Asthma or Eczema.
If you suffer from either of these conditions, it is worth considering a humidifier for your home.
In the end, if you plan to buy a humidifier to ease your allergies, don’t hesitate to see if it works or not. Just go and pick a suitable unit for your needs!