Respiratory Treatments

💡TL;DR: Most reusable masks, cups, and tubing should be replaced about every 6 months; disposables are for roughly 5–14 uses. A mesh nebulizer’s mesh nozzle has no fixed timeline—replace it when mist output declines despite cleaning. Watch for weaker mist, longer sessions, or visible wear and

💡TL;DR: The right-size pediatric mask with a snug seal gets more medicine into little lungs than a loose or adult mask. Kids under about 5 usually do best with a mask; older children can switch to a mouthpiece once they can keep a tight lip seal and breathe through

💡TL;DR: Sterile saline for nebulizers is simply sterile 0.9% sodium chloride made for inhalation. It adds moisture and thins mucus, which can ease cough and congestion, but it isn’t a bronchodilator and doesn’t replace asthma/COPD meds. Use single-use, sterile vials and a clean nebulizer. For

💡TL;DR: Replace compressor nebulizer filters every 3–6 months (or every 1–2 months with daily use or dusty air). Never wash disposable filters; a clogged or wet filter can cut mist output and strain the motor. Filters are inexpensive and model-specific; always match your device’s manual. Prefer

💡TL;DR: You can buy saline solution for nebulizers at TruNeb.com, Amazon, and over the counter at pharmacies. Hypertonic saline can cause cough or wheeze; follow your clinician’s directions and ask if a bronchodilator pre-treatment makes sense. The safest rule: use a fresh sterile vial each time and

💡TL;DR: Most nebulizer treatments take about 5–15 minutes, with many finishing near 10 minutes. Faster devices (vibrating mesh) and smaller volumes finish sooner; larger fills and older jet compressors can run longer. Medication matters: bronchodilators often run 5–10 minutes, while 4 mL hypertonic saline can take closer

💡TL;DR: For most coughs, start with sterile normal saline (0.9%) in your nebulizer; it hydrates airways and helps loosen mucus with minimal risk. For thick phlegm, hypertonic saline by TruNeb (3% or 7%) can thin secretions but may briefly increase coughing; ask your clinician if you have asthma

💡TL;DR: A mucus plug is a thick mucus blockage that can obstruct an airway and cause part of the lung to collapse. Most plugs clear with a layered approach: hydration, bronchodilator if prescribed, postural drainage, and controlled or huff coughing; severe or stuck plugs may require bronchoscopy. In COPD,

💡TL;DR: Orange or rust-colored phlegm usually means a small amount of dried blood in your mucus, most often from infection or irritation (for example, sinusitis, bronchitis, or a minor nosebleed). Color alone doesn’t diagnose the cause—track other symptoms and how you feel over 3–5 days. Rusty