Disposable vs Reusable Nebulizer Kits

Many people get a new compressor, take it out of the box, and assume that is all they need to do for the next few years until their compressor stops working. In reality, however, the compressor is just the brawn of the operation, and you need to keep the brains, or the nebulizer set and any accessories, in working order by replacing them frequently.

While many nebulizers work out of the box, they often do not work their best without continual maintenance and a few tweeks. First, most compressors come with one disposable nebulizer set. These are the clear type of nebulizers that you get from the doctor. Many people believe these are the best nebulizers because they come with the compressors and doctors use them in the office and often send them home with patients. But when was the last time your doctor told you to take a piece of expensive medical equipment with you? These sets are disposable and often only get about 38% of the medication in the respirable range. This means you are only getting about 38% of the prescribed medication for the first ten treatments.

After those first treatments, the cup is intended to be thrown away, but many people go on to use them for months and even years. The respirable range will continue to decrease, meaning you will get less and less medication. This leads some people to believe their medication is not working, when in reality it is the nebulizer that is not working. You will still see “steam” coming out of your nebulizer. Anything you can see is out of the respirable range, so it is actually better not to see much coming out. While all inhaled medications are dosed with some waste in mind, simply switching your disposable nebulizer to a reusable one can double the medication administered. This means a better treatment and a more complete dose.

When buying your replacement nebulizer set, some things to keep in mind are:

• Is it reusable?
• What is the average treatment time for that nebulizer cup?
• Is it breath enhanced?
• Is it dishwasher safe?
• How often will it need to be replaced?

All these questions help you get the best nebulizer for your situation.

One of our most popular reusable nebulizer sets is the PARI LC Sprint. This easy, fast nebulizer attaches to nearly any compressor and shortens treatments to 5-7 minutes. It is dishwasher safe and intended to be used up to 6 months.