How Good Is Steam Inhalation For COVID-19? Fact Check
Steam inhalation or steam therapy involves the inhalation of water vapor. It is one of the most widely used home remedies to soothe and open the nasal passages and get relief from the symptoms of a cold or sinus infection.
How does it work?
The warm, moist air is thought to work by loosening the mucus in the nasal passages, throat, and lungs. This may relieve symptoms of inflamed, swollen blood vessels in your nasal passages.
Steam inhalation helps alleviate:
- Headache
- Congested (stuffy) nose
- Throat irritation
- Breathing problems caused by airway congestion
- Dry or irritated nasal passages
- Cough
Fact Check:
1. Steam inhalation can kill coronavirus
Experts advise that performing steam inhalation may help to decrease the respiratory issues, congestion issues in the nasal passage and airways but it is not found to kill the virus.
2. Inhale Steam every time you come home from outside
Steaming raises the temperature of lungs, throat, and mouth so that if the virus is already there it gets inactivated due to high temperature.
3. Children can also practice steam therapy
Steam inhalation isn’t advised for children due to the risk of burns.
4. Steam inhalation should be practiced for 15 mins every 4 hours
Don’t steam longer than 10 to 15 minutes for each session. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose for at least two to five minutes. Repeat steam inhalation only two or three times per day.
5. Use of Camphor liquid or Steam capsules can kill the virus
Steam therapy with these capsules helps relieve nasal congestion, cold sores, common cold, Asthma, cough. But there is no evidence that these vapors can kill the virus.
Takeaways:
- Gargling with salt water and steam inhalation may not kill the virus but helps to inactivate it if it is present in the throat.
- Some experts mentioned that the lungs are delicate and inhaling hot steam more often may damage the lungs and the airways.
- If very hot water is being used for steam inhalation, it may cause burns to some people when the hot water vapor touches the eyes, face, and airways.
- Vapors for steam capsules can cause eye irritation and other side-effects with overuse.
No comments:
Post a Comment