{"id":556247810121,"title":"AirPhysio Review: Better Than An Inhaler?","created_at":"2022-02-25T18:31:24-05:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"AirPhysio Review: Better Than An Inhaler?\",\n \"keywords\": \"airphysio, airphysio reviews, airphysio review, airphysio side effects\",\n \"description\": \"Our MD and research team reviews medical research to determine if the AirPhysio device is likely to be safe and effective, compared it to other OPEP devices, and highlights any side effects shown in the data.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/airphysio-review\",\n\"author\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Taylor Graber\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": \"M.D.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/taylor-graber\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/taylor-j-graber-md-81351642\/\",\n \"https:\/\/www.asapivs.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Content Partner\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"medicine, health, anesthesiology, iv therapy, science, drugs, pharmaceutical, medical research, scientific research, medical journals, entrepreneurship, healthcare, orthopedic surgery, biomedical engineering\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"University of California San Diego\",\n \"Arizona University\",\n \"University of Arizona College of Medicine\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. 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We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regards to medical devices.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eA\u003c\/span\u003eirPhysio, short for Airway Physiotherapy, manufactures a medical device that they claim can help treat asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by expanding the lungs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn this article we’ll review medical research to determine if the AirPhysio device is likely to be safe and effective, and whether we recommend the product.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow Does It Work?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAirPhysio is one of a class of medical devices called Oscillatory Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP) devices. These devices have been studied in published medical research, and proven to be at least somewhat effective.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC8640712\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e of non-pharmaceutical treatments for airway clearance detailed how OPEP device use can clear mucus from the airways through targeted pressure changes. The review does not detail the ability of these devices to increase airway volume, other than one device called the VersaPAP.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBoth asthma and COPD are associated with increased mucus in the lungs, so the AirPhysio may help to treat these conditions because of its potential impact on mucus function rather than lung expansion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt’s worth noting that we couldn’t find any medical research on the AirPhysio device specifically, just the broad class of OPEP devices. AirPhysio doesn’t appear to publish any medical research on their site, so we’ll assume none exists.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eAirPhysio Side Effects\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBecause OPEP devices use manual methods to clear airways rather than chemical, they tend to have a negligible side effect profile. The reviews we examined while researching this article didn’t even contain side effect or adverse event sections, which are common in medical review of different therapies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC7585550\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e on an OPEP device for COPD highlighted how the devices “have low safety risks compared to pharmacologic therapies.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis seems to be a major benefit of OPEP devices, because even asthma inhalers can cause side effects, and the corticosteroid inhalers have some \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/7847437\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003edocumented serious risks\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e such as adrenal suppression and bone loss.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Recommendation\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWhile OPEP devices generally seem like a safe and effective way to manage asthma and COPD effects, we would recommend that patients speak to their doctor about the VersaPAP rather than the AirPhysio.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs referenced in the section on device efficacy, the VersaPAP was the only OPEP device shown in the previously-linked medical review of OPEP devices to create airway expansion. This furthers clearance of mucus and causes lung expansion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIt’s unclear from VersaPAP’s site if this is even available for long-term use by patients, or if it’s only cleared for post-surgery use, so we recommend that patients speak to their doctor about this.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe AirPhysio is likely to improve asthma and COPD symptoms based on our review of medical literature due to its function of mucus clearing in the lungs.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe don’t find any evidence suggesting that the AirPhysio is superior to any other OPEP device, so we recommend that patients speak with their doctor about whichever device is the most affordable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend the VersaPAP device if it’s available in your country, because this was the one device shown to cause lung expansion, which can improve patient quality-of-life because lung function is compromised in both asthma and COPD.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOverall we think that OPEP devices seem to be great options compared with other pharmaceutical treatments for lung conditions, which can cause severe side effects.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2022-02-26T20:23:17-05:00","updated_at":"2022-12-18T19:40:02-05:00","summary_html":"We review medical research to determine if the AirPhysio device is likely to be safe and effective for asthma and COPD improvement, compared it to other OPEP devices, and highlight any side effects shown in the data.","template_suffix":"","handle":"airphysio-review","tags":"_related:asthma"}

AirPhysio Review: Better Than An Inhaler?

AirPhysio Review: Better Than An Inhaler?


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Read our Editorial Guidelines to learn more about what makes our site the premier resource for online health information.

Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regards to medical devices.

AirPhysio, short for Airway Physiotherapy, manufactures a medical device that they claim can help treat asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) by expanding the lungs.

In this article we’ll review medical research to determine if the AirPhysio device is likely to be safe and effective, and whether we recommend the product.

How Does It Work?

AirPhysio is one of a class of medical devices called Oscillatory Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP) devices. These devices have been studied in published medical research, and proven to be at least somewhat effective.

A medical review of non-pharmaceutical treatments for airway clearance detailed how OPEP device use can clear mucus from the airways through targeted pressure changes. The review does not detail the ability of these devices to increase airway volume, other than one device called the VersaPAP.

Both asthma and COPD are associated with increased mucus in the lungs, so the AirPhysio may help to treat these conditions because of its potential impact on mucus function rather than lung expansion.

It’s worth noting that we couldn’t find any medical research on the AirPhysio device specifically, just the broad class of OPEP devices. AirPhysio doesn’t appear to publish any medical research on their site, so we’ll assume none exists.

AirPhysio Side Effects

Because OPEP devices use manual methods to clear airways rather than chemical, they tend to have a negligible side effect profile. The reviews we examined while researching this article didn’t even contain side effect or adverse event sections, which are common in medical review of different therapies.

A medical study on an OPEP device for COPD highlighted how the devices “have low safety risks compared to pharmacologic therapies.”

This seems to be a major benefit of OPEP devices, because even asthma inhalers can cause side effects, and the corticosteroid inhalers have some documented serious risks such as adrenal suppression and bone loss.

Our Recommendation

While OPEP devices generally seem like a safe and effective way to manage asthma and COPD effects, we would recommend that patients speak to their doctor about the VersaPAP rather than the AirPhysio.

As referenced in the section on device efficacy, the VersaPAP was the only OPEP device shown in the previously-linked medical review of OPEP devices to create airway expansion. This furthers clearance of mucus and causes lung expansion.

It’s unclear from VersaPAP’s site if this is even available for long-term use by patients, or if it’s only cleared for post-surgery use, so we recommend that patients speak to their doctor about this.

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Conclusion

The AirPhysio is likely to improve asthma and COPD symptoms based on our review of medical literature due to its function of mucus clearing in the lungs.

We don’t find any evidence suggesting that the AirPhysio is superior to any other OPEP device, so we recommend that patients speak with their doctor about whichever device is the most affordable.

We recommend the VersaPAP device if it’s available in your country, because this was the one device shown to cause lung expansion, which can improve patient quality-of-life because lung function is compromised in both asthma and COPD.

Overall we think that OPEP devices seem to be great options compared with other pharmaceutical treatments for lung conditions, which can cause severe side effects.




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