Salt Pipes?!

Hi there, I have just been reading an article on something called a salt pipe which is supposed to beneficial to people with breathing problems such as asthma. You inhale the salt and it is meant to give the feeling of a healthy sea breeze! I did consider buying one of these to use alongside my standard athma treatments, but I was just wondering if anyone had had any experience of them or if I would just be wasting my money. (They cost £29.99 including P+P) I am on Income Support due to ill-health and I am not sure if it would be worth it. Any input would be very appreciated. I am not really interested in complementary therapies, but it sounded as if it was worth a look. Thanks, EmmaC

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Hi,

I bought one of these and did not find it had any benefits for me at all. Being very new to asthma and having an incredibly severe first episode I am under very careful monitoring with my fabulous asthma nurse at GPs practice so was able to chart my use of the pipe and the progress of my inflammation. No difference using the pipe, in fact my inflammation went up at one point when I was trying it. Only repeated doses of prednisilone have brought my inflammation down a bit although it is still high. Do tread carefully with all these alternative therapies, check with your Dr first and see what they have to say. Hope this helps

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Hi, Edwina, Thanks for your advice. It doesn`t sound as if it is really worth spending out on. I think I will give it a miss! What you say makes a lot of sense, so I appreciate you replying to my message. I will now just stick to my conventional medication! EmmaC

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Hi Emma

I bought a salt pipe a while back now, and did use it daily, but to be totally honest, after using it daily for 6 weeks, I never really saw much of an improvement in my PF readings, or how I felt. The research is sound, and there is even a new facility in London IIRC, where you go a sit in a salt room for 30mins. The problem I think with the salt pipe, and that is the lack of moisture going in through the salt, but I've not experimented with that, but do find sea air of benefit, so that would support my theory on the moisture content.

If someone like you asked the question, would I recommend someone buy one, then the simple answer is NO.

Chris

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Hi woody-som (Chris), Thank you for your input. I will definately give buying one of these pipes a miss now, because it seems as if it can make peoples asthma worse or no better at all !!

I love the sea, and that does often do the trick, so I think I`ll stick to nature! That, and my usual meds (ventolin and seretide). I appreciate you replying, as hearing from other people can really be of use. I CAN SAVE MYSELF £30 NOW!!

Thanks, EmmaC

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Salt air good, salt pipe i'm not good at using.

I have only had asthma daignosed six months ago, so not very experienced at anything, I think I've had it mildy when I've had coughs and colds all my life, it runs in my father's family) I went to the south coast recently, it was breezy and I found the air very soothing, I have a salt pipe (I still use my inhalers as advised) and find the breathing difficult, out through the nose, I'm not very coordinated but I think it is soothing, damp weather is a trigger, I dont know whether damp air though it helps or how to get moisture through?

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Hi Ann50

So do you get any noticeable benefit from the salt pipe?

To get more moisture through it, and bear in mind that higher humidity suits me, i was thinking of using it in a steamed up bathroom, or holding a hot mug of water underneath, but too lazy to try either at the moment.

Yes, what ever you do, do keep using your normal preventer meds etc, as this is only meant to be a help, not a cure! One thing that I have found to be of benefit for me is the sinus rinse, did use it daily during the winter, but now 3-4 days a week, and it's noticeable if I don't use it for a week.

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Salt pipe

Thanks Woody-Som, the hot water sounds a good idea. I certainly found steam unseul when i had bronchitis earlier this year.

What is a sinus rinse? Sound useful

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Hi Ann

The whole topic of sinus rinsing get a bit of a mention here every now and again.

basically it's passing a saline solution (although I use sea salt) through the nasal passages, and the most common method is a 'neti pot', but I use a plastic bottle, and that came with saline sachets neilmed.com

chris