Relief From Mold and Mildew Allergies - Can Air Purifiers Help?

I used to start sneezing, sniffling and asthma from mold and mildew exposure (although my allergies also included dust, pollen, and pets). Shots at the allergist and medications were a weekly routine. I began to experiment with air purifiers and air cleaners of all kinds at age 11. When allergic to mold you'll try anything for relief.

hepa filter vacuum

Thirty years of experience has given me a lot of experience with air purifiers and mold problems. The following represent the primary types of air purification, with a quick rating on their effectiveness for mold and mildew allergies.

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Electrostatic Plates

An electrostatic machine is basically a machine with positive and negatively charged plates. Oreck may call these plates "Truman Cell" (maybe it stands for Harry Truman??) but they're most often called "ionic" or "electrostatic". Works for pollution since carbon from car exhaust is charged, and they are washable but since most pollen and dust carries little charge however they are not effective for pollen or dust or mold FOR MOLD & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED POOR

HEPA Filters

The 1st choice for allergies like pollen and dust HEPA traps and holds pollen and dust. Allergists recommend it most. The downside = you have to replace it every year or so. It will remove mold spores to reduce the spread of mold but will not kill mold or mildew. If you include HEPA find affordable replacement filters as some companies can soak you after you own their Hepa air purifier. Avoid the expensive air purifiers like IQAIR ($and Austin Air which are primarily HEPA and forget about them for mold & mildew. They're over-priced for a HEPA filter, and even though they are well made you can find better mold air purifiers for less than 0. MOLD & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED FAIR (removes mold spores only)

Ozone Producing Air Purifier Machines

Ozone, which is isimply Oxygen with an added particle of oxygen (o3), works for odor, mold, and mildew, but is not good for gathering pollen and dust. Too much ozone will irritate the lungs, especially in asthmatics. Ozone machines did little for allergies. Today's primary Ozone brand is Ecoquest (formerly Alpine). MOLD & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED EXCELLENT FOR MOLD AND MILDEW REMOVAL, BUT DANGEROUS TO LUNGS.

Ionizers Air Purifiers

Ionizers put negative ions into the air. Will kill some forms of mildew, pollution, and odor, but not very good for pollen or dust since there is nothing to collect the pollen in the air. MOLD & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED FAIR

Carbon and/or Zeolite

Primarily for smoke, chemicals, odors and fumes since these organic minerals absorb and trap gases. Not effective in any way for mold or mildew. But they do not trap dust and pollen. MOLD & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED POOR

Ultraviolet (UV) Air Purifiers

UV (ultraviolet light) and Tio2 ( Titanium dioxide - nanotechnology) are used by hospitals and dentists because they kill bacteria, germs, and mold/mildew. UV light has a frequency which kills micro-organisms and hence is effective for mold, while Tio2 magnifies UV light up to 1000 times MOLD & MILDEW ALLERGIES: RATED EXCELLENT AND SAFE.

So: Should You Buy A "UV ONLY" AIR PURIFIER?

I would avoid UV only air purifiers and get a combination of UV, Tio2, HEPA and Ion. That's because you can find many air purifiers for 0-300 using a combination of these technologies to do an effective job on mold and mildew, plus clean the air completely.

Relief From Mold and Mildew Allergies - Can Air Purifiers Help?

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Heartburn Relief Side Effects

Just like most other medications, there are some side effects that may arise due to taking Prilosec. Below is a look at are various Prilosec side effects categorized by body system.

Gastrointestinal - Gastrointestinal symptoms occurring as a result of taking Prilosec include gastric polyposis, as well as hyperplastic and fundic gland polyps which have been reported as having developed in the stomachs of some patients. There have also been some reported cases of hyperplasia of gastric enterochromaffin-like cells, as well as atrophic gastritis. Other gastrointestinal side effects include diarrhea, nausea, anorexia, abdominal pain, vomiting, flatulence, constipation, irritable colon, dry mouth, esophageal candidiasis, along with persistent cases of achlorhydria in patient's with Zollinger-Ellison. Gastric polyps, hyperplasia of gastric enterochromaffin-like cells, atrophic gastritis and campylobacter gastroenteritis have also been reported, as well as rare cases of pancreatitis.

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Endocrine - Endocrine symptoms reported as having occurred due to taking Prilosec include breast enlargement in females, breast tenderness and gynecomastia.

Hepatic - Hepatic disease and other hepatic symptoms have been reported as occurring due to Prilosec. These include elevations in bilirubin, serum transaminases, alkaline phosphatase and rare cases of hepatitis and hepatic encephalopathy, as well as reported cases of fatal fulminant hepatic failure.

Renal - Renal symptoms arising due to Prilosec include renal failure, elevations in serum creatinine, as well as rare reports of interstitial nephritis.

Hematologic - Hematologic symptoms occurring due to Prilosec include rare cases of hemolytic anemia, agranulocytosis, pancytopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and leukocytosis.

Respiratory - Respiratory symptoms occurring due to taking Prilosec include chronic, persistent coughing, as well as rare reports of epistaxis and pharyngeal pain.

These are just a few of the many side effects that you could experience when using Prilosec otc. If you experience any adverse side effects when taking Prilosec otc it is always wise to consult a physician immediately. There are several other heartburn medications that are available as over the counter remedies for heart burn. These include Prevacid, Nexium, and other generic brands containing omeprazole. Omeprazole is the active ingredient in most of these heartburn medications. Omeprazole reduces the stomachs ability to produce excessive amounts of acid which is the leading cause of heartburn.

If your thinking about buying a heartburn medication like Prilosec be sure to have a look for coupons available. Prilosec coupons can be used to save you money on your next purchase of Prilosec otc. These coupons can be found online printed off and used the next time you visit the pharmacy.

Heartburn Relief Side Effects

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