In recent years, the humidifier with the most discussion, the most heat and the most extensive harm is the humidifier bactericide event in South Korea in 2011.
The humidifier bactericide produced by the Korean branch of Reckitt Group in the United Kingdom contains PHMG (polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride), which causes many people to die from lung diseases of unknown causes, including many pregnant women and infants, who are also the group using humidifiers most.
This is because PHMG components after humidifier atomization can easily invade the bronchi and alveoli through the respiratory tract, causing asthma, lung diseases and other diseases, directly causing irreversible harm to the human body and even leading to respiratory failure and death.
According to the survey, about 6.3 million people in South Korea used this type of humidifier bactericide from 1994 to 2011.
In 2011, the official registered death toll was 1553, but the latest data in 2020 showed that the actual number of patients caused by this event was 670000. Among 550000 people who received treatment, the number of rhinitis patients was the largest, about 342000; The second is the patients with lung diseases, about 203000; The third is skin disease patients, about 166000 people; The number of asthma patients was 139000.
Before this event, many people would add disinfectants to the water tank of the humidifier to prevent microorganisms from breeding in the water tank of the humidifier. In recent years, some people in our country like to add some aromatherapy, essential oil, vinegar, lemon, floral water, isatis root and other things in the humidifier. They thought they could disinfect and cure diseases and clean the air, but this seemingly healthy habit may also be a "suicide button" for themselves.
Here we have to introduce "humidifier pneumonia", which is an allergic pneumonia caused by the inhalation of microorganisms contaminated in the humidifier into the respiratory tract. Most patients with humidifier pneumonia can get better after leaving the humidifier.
If the humidifier itself is not cleaned, bacteria and mold will quickly grow inside. In addition, a mess of "health accessories" will enter the human respiratory tract with water mist, causing flu like symptoms, even lung infection.
If you have a fever, cough, respiratory pain, chest tightness, asthma, poor breath, or even asthma after using the humidifier recently, you must pay attention, stop using the humidifier, and go to the hospital in time.
Generally, the mild ones will get better soon, and the severe ones may develop into pneumonia, pulmonary fibrosis and other problems. However, we should actively cooperate with doctors to treat them, and we believe they will recover soon.