Fans and Lung Disease?

[tim]

My father-in-law is dying of lung cancer. As the disease progresses and the tumours on his lungs grow, his coughing and breathing gets worse. We are under no illusions as to the outcome. Sigh.
His specialist nurse told my wife, Lynn, that a fan circulating the air in his bedroom at night might help alleviate the symptoms a little, so I bought him one. It's starting to warm up for the summer here, so it was probably a good idea anyway.
Over these last few nights he's had the fan in his bedroom. He's reporting that it helps him sleep easier and it helps him breathe easier, with less coughing.
This surprises me, because I cannot think of a mechanism that would have do this. It could be a placebo effect, but can anyone think of how else this might work?
Lynn told him, in an effort to get him to try it, that it would "help to create more oxygen". Yeah, well. But that worked - once he had a 'reason' to use it, he didn't question it. We sleep with a fan going in the warmer weather and thought he might be more comfortable that way. We didn't expect the reported bonus!
Any ideas?

 

[neutrino_cannon]

Could it be clearing away particulate in the air?

Could it be affecting the temperature of the air?

Could it be affecting humidity (pumping in or out amore or less humid air than the ambient humidity of the room)?

Could the soothing sound of the fan relax your father-in-law to the point that he coughs less?

Could moving air cause less coughing than stagnant air?

Could it have a leaky electrical connection which is making ozone that has the hitherto unknown property of a cough suppressor (hey, heroin was orginally a cough suppressor)?

That's the crazy ideas I can come up with.

 

[Vitnir]

I guess temperature and ventilation is OK in the room to start with, if the air is a bit stale a fan would be an improvement, if the ventilation doesnt work properly a fan might at least mix the air better but it could also disrupt a working ventilation system.

Most people are happy at a temperature at 21-22 degrees celcius, unless the air is very dry there is probably no need to alter humidity. If you are concerned about ventilation efficiency carbon dioxide is a good proxy, idealy levels should be less than 800 ppm.

Otherwise I would also go for the soothing and relaxing sound.

 

[tim]

Interesting thoughts, thanks!
He lives in the hills of Yorkshire - Never very warm, so it's probably not temperature. It's a very green area, so not dry, but not very humid. It's just a straight desk fan, so it's not changing the air quality.
The soothing noise? Could be a factor.
Could moving air cause less coughing than stagnant air? Dunno. Hmm. There's a thought. But why would it?

 

[richardm]

If our bedroom gets more-or-less sealed, with window and door closed, I tend to get quite snuffly. If I open the door so that air can circulate from downstairs, the snuffliness goes away. So I imagine your Father-in-Law experiences a similar thing.

If he's lying very still, is it not possible that he gets a cocoon of stale air around him? And the fan disrupts that and provides him with fresher air?

Sorry to hear he's so ill, by the way. Very hard for all involved.

 

[Vitnir]

Yes, I'm sorry too, its a terrible period for you and your family.

There is an effect called personal cloud effect in Indoor Air Quality. That means that the indoor pollutants have an higher concentration around persons than the average in the room. I highly doubt anyone can perceive this with his senses though.

That moving air feels more fresh because of the cooling factor and this will suppress the coughing reflex doesn't sound impossible to me.

 

[Darat]

Sorry to read about your family's situation Tim, all the best for such a harrowing time.

I was wondering if your father-in-law may have a slightly raised temperature and the fan is cooling him slightly which makes him more comfortable and relaxed?

 

[tim]

Bump to catch US posters!

 

[wollery]

There is an effect called personal cloud effect in Indoor Air Quality. That means that the indoor pollutants have an higher concentration around persons than the average in the room. I highly doubt anyone can perceive this with his senses though.

But a small change in air quality could be the diference between a repetitive low level irritated cough and a good nights sleep.

Best wishes to your family Tim.

 

[IllegalArgument]

White noise that many eletrical devices like computers or fans, can be very soothing.

 

[tim]

My thanks for your replies folks, and for your kind comments.
Colin was diagnosed last September. We were told "weeks or months". He had radiotherapy, but declined chemo because of the side effects. He was 76 and a smoker since he was a kid.
Last week was his 77th birthday, a date nobody thought he would live to see. My daughter is due to have a baby in a couple of weeks and I was damn sure he wouldn't live to see that, but it looks like he's going to prove me wrong. But. This last week he's been coughing up some blood, and a scan shows over 75% of his right lung is lost to the tumours. He has them on the left lung too, but they've not grown. I suspect we're into the downward spiral now. Sigh.