Three Types of Nebulizers and How They Work

Nebulizers are ground-breaking devices that use air compression to turn liquid medication into a fine mist or aerosol that one can breathe through the lungs. Considering that pharmaceutical companies do not sell their medicine in a “mist” form, it is difficult for asthma sufferers and patients with pulmonary diseases or throat blockage to consume their medication through regular means. Nebulizers make it possible for medicine to bypass any and all obstacles on its way to the person’s body.

Nebulizers are made in three different types: Jet, mesh, and ultrasonic. All three of these nebulizers work in different ways, so it is important to learn about how each nebulizer for sale works the best. Here are detailed descriptions of the three common nebulizers that you can buy.

Jet Nebulizer:

Jet nebulizers have been the traditional means of delivering aerosol medication to patients. These nebulizers need around two to ten liters per minute of pressurized gas to turn liquid medicine into mist that the patient can breathe. Examples of medication that work with jet nebulizers include Pulmozyme, antibiotics, and mucolytics, or medicines that make mucus thinner. Jet nebulizers have been known to deliver aerosol medicine that cannot be delivered with inhalers, and the performance of jet nebulizers is known to be unmatched with ultrasonic and mesh nebulizers. Additionally, with new jet nebulizers being introduced every few years, the atomization and drug preservation improve over older nebulizers.

Jet nebulizers are often the go-to type of nebulizer for patients with pulmonary diseases, but the downside to them is their size. They are rather bulky and require a power source, so they are not considered portable devices that you can take anywhere with you. These are great for when the patient stays in the same place for periods of time, such as home or work. These nebulizers also can be harder to use compared to other nebulizers, considering they require lots of tubing and compressed gas.

Get A Jet Nebulizer If…

You want a device with decent performance.

You typically stay at home or work for much of your day.

Noise is not a priority.

Ultrasonic Nebulizer:

Ultrasonic nebulizers work dramatically different compared to jet nebulizers. These nebulizers involve the use of an electrified crystal which atomizes medicine with vibration. The crystal is meant to vibrate at a high frequency of one to three megahertz for this to happen.

There are actually two groups of nebulizers within ultrasonic nebulizers: Large and small-volume nebulizers. Small-volume ultrasonic nebulizers are for inhaling medication, whereas large-volume nebulizers are for inhaling more specific medications such as hypertonic saline for the purpose of extracting sputum.

Ultrasonic nebulizers are considered portable, so they can be taken anywhere the user goes and is powered by battery. These nebulizers are easy to carry, store, and set up, without needing extra parts. If you need to use a nebulizer in more than one place, then an ultrasonic nebulizer would be more ideal than a jet nebulizer. Furthermore, ultrasonic nebulizers are quieter in comparison to their jet counterparts.

Ultrasonic nebulizers, however, are not without their limits. If you want to atomize a viscous fluid, for example, your device may not be able to. These nebulizers also should not be used with proteins and suspensions. 

Get an Ultrasonic Nebulizer If…

You need to use it on the go.

You want a device that is quiet.

Level of performance is not a priority.

Mesh Nebulizer:

Mesh nebulizer is the newest of the three forms, involving a micropump technology to turn liquid medicine into a mist. The liquid medicine is forced to pass through multiple sections inside of a mesh plate in order for liquid to vaporize. These new vaporizers are quiet, energy-efficient, and require very little time to use. Depending on which model you consider, you can get a mesh nebulizer that either runs on batteries or a power source. In general, mesh nebulizers cost more than jet and ultrasonic nebulizers.

Mesh nebulizers, however, are still rather a new concept, so users need to really be careful when using one so that they do not accidentally overdose. These nebulizers are capable of providing higher doses compared or jet and ultrasonic nebulizers.

Another downside to mesh nebulizers is that they can be hard to maintain, as the mesh plate inside needs to be cleaned. Without cleaning this plate, medicine cannot pass through and its will not be vaporized due to the blockage of residual medicine remaining inside.

Get A Mesh Nebulizer If…

You want the best performance from your device.

You want a device that is quiet.

Cost is not a priority:

There are many nebulizers on the market that you can consider, but it’s very important to choose the best one for you so that it can serve you at a convenience and performance that you expect.