Has anyone with a known hypersensitivity to airborne allergens (dust/pollen/mold/other) tried using a Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) system, particularly during flares?
TLDR: The Title, but if you choose to comment, I would ask that you please read the full post before doing so:
In the time since I was diagnosed with ME/CFS, Dysautonomia, and MCAS, I learned that I am hypersensitive to several different types of airborne allergens, and that many of my flares are made worse, if not induced by, exposure to pollen, dust, and traces of mold. I now spend 95% of my day in bed in a room with multiple HEPA-rated air purifiers/filters, one of which is retrofitted with a 6in A/C exhaust hose that is routed to dump purified air directly onto my head when I am lying in bed. Since I have had this setup, I noticed that I tend to recover from flares faster than I used to, though I am still severely limited by my condition.
PAPR systems are commercially available (though pricey) battery-powered personal protection equipment systems designed for use by people working in environments in which airborne toxins and/or pathogens would otherwise pose a critical risk to their health.
PAPR systems work by using a battery-powered fan to force environmental air through a high-efficiency filter, through a hose, into a hood which covers the user's head/face. The function of the system is to create positive air pressure inside the hood, which forces out environmental air, ensuring that the user's head and face are only exposed to filtered air while the system is turned on. The available types of filter packs and the particulates they are rated to protect the user from vary, but PAPR systems are proven to be more effective at preventing the user from being exposed to unwanted particulates than filtration systems which utilize negative pressure, such as masks and respirators which draw air through a filter before being inhaled by the user.
Above are most of the reasons that I am considering taking things a bit further than common air purifiers by means of trying out one of the cheaper PAPR systems on the market. I think that a PAPR system would, in all likelihood, be more effective for limiting my exposure to the airborne allergens which cause me so much pain and debilitation, though I also thought it would be worth floating the idea to the community before making a decision.
thank you for reading