Beware: Use of hydrogen peroxide nebuliser not recommended
Queen Bee Samantha Ruth Prabhu made headlines recently but for the wrong reasons. She took to her Instagram to suggest an alternative approach to treat viral infections. She urged her followers to try nebulizing with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and distilled water instead of resorting to medications.
Queen Bee Samantha Ruth Prabhu made headlines recently but for the wrong reasons. She took to her Instagram to suggest an alternative approach to treat viral infections. She urged her followers to try nebulizing with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and distilled water instead of resorting to medications.
“Before taking medication for a common viral, consider trying an alternative approach, One option is to nebulize with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and distilled water. Works like magic. Avoid unnecessary use of pills” was the caption of the image she shared. She tagged alternative medicine and also dr_mitra_basu_chillar in this post.
This post attracted the attention of Dr, Cyriac Abby Phillips, who is also known as The Liver Doc on social media. He criticized her for being health and scientific illiterate. The Liver Doc criticized Samantha’s recommendation and issued a warning about the potential dangers of hydrogen peroxide nebulization.
Reacting to this, Samantha posted an extensive post where she expressed her disagreement with the Liver Doc’s words. She explained how she has been undergoing expensive treatments and while conventional treatments were not making her better, she had to seek help from alternate medicines. After trial and error, some treatments worked for her wonderfully. She also expressed “it would be kind and compassionate of him, had he not been so proactive with his words. Especially the bit where he suggests I should be thrown in prison. Never mind, I suppose it goes with the territory of being a celebrity. I posted as someone who needs medical treatment and not as a celebrity”
So let us try to understand the facts about Hydrogen Peroxide and what happens if it is used in nebulization.
Hydrogen peroxide is an antiseptic frequently used to clean cuts or disinfect surfaces. Due to its versatility, hydrogen peroxide is a staple medicine and readily available at most drug stores. Some people gargle with hydrogen peroxide to benefit from its cleansing properties. It is an oxidising agent, which means that it can kill living cells such as bacteria.
There is not enough scientific evidence to support the use of nebulizing hydrogen peroxide as a treatment, as it might have dangerous side effects.
But inhaling hydrogen peroxide can cause irritation in the nose and throat and also in the lungs. It can also cause buildup of fluid in the lungs, which is a medical emergency and can be fatal.
Ingestion of diluted solutions of hydrogen peroxide may lead to vomiting, throat irritation, and mild irritation of the gastrointestinal system. Medical practitioners had strongly advised against inhaling a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and saline solution as a home remedy for COVID-19 or pneumonia.
For anyone who would use a nebulizer during a viral infection, doctors recommended to use solutions that typically include medications such as bronchodilators or corticosteroids that are formulated for safe inhalation.
Alternatives to hydrogen peroxide for nebulizing
According to Cambridge University Hospitals, saline nebulizers help to thin down the secretion, which makes it easier to cough up and swallow. It can mitigate the functional signs of threatening pulmonary obstruction and treat mild respiratory problems, according to a study published in the journal, Physiological Research.
It can mitigate the functional signs of threatening pulmonary obstruction and treat mild respiratory problems, according to a study published in the journal, Physiological Research. Besides this, it is recommended to use prescribed medications from your healthcare provider and use steam inhalation and humidifiers to add moisture to the air.
So before using hydrogen peroxide nebulizer or any other inhalation processes, consult a doctor to avoid health risks.
