Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath - these symptoms are all too familiar to those who suffer from asthma. Sadly, the number of people being diagnosed with this lung disorder is on the rise and has been since the late 1980's. Allergies, too, have become of high concern with over twenty percent of children and adults in America suffering from allergic disorders, making allergies the sixth leading cause of chronic illness in the United States.

A variety of factors can be attributed to this rise in the number of respiratory illnesses in America, including the spread of air pollution, a decrease in sufficient building ventilation due to airtight building materials, and an increase in the number of positive ions (greatly generated by electromagnetic fields) circulating in modernized environments. While outdoor air pollution is a concern, indoor air, which is known to be two to ten times more polluted than that outdoors, appears to be the greater culprit.

Negative ions, as created in the earth's natural atmosphere, actually work to counteract these effects. In nature, these ions form as a result of moving or evaporating water. For instance, as water flows over a waterfall, electrons from the neutral water molecules are easily disturbed. When an electron escapes, it then attaches itself to another nearby particle. If the resulting atom or molecule contains more electrons than protons, a negative charge is created and, thus, a negative ion.

Around areas such as waterfalls and beaches, these negative ions are abundant. Upon visiting such places, many sufferers of allergies and/or asthma experience immediate relief from their symptoms; some who are able to relocate to these settings even claim to be cured completely. Numerous studies have proven the natural benefits of negative ions, demonstrating their positive effects on the body as well as their ability to remove pollutants, literally, from the air.

In modern environments filled with positive ions and pollution, the number of negative ions in the air is greatly lacking. However, the technology of negative ion generators, as used in many homes, offices, and hospitals, has helped to counteract this depletion. Just as negative ions work in nature to alleviate the symptoms of allergies and asthma, manmade air ionizers can accomplish the same effect. In one study, for example, patients felt so much better after fifteen minutes of being exposed to such an air ionizer that they did not want to leave.

One reason negative ion generators work so efficiently is due to the negative ions' ability to actually remove triggering pollutants from the air. Upon being released from an air ionizer, these negatively charged ions attract positively charged particulates, including allergens and other air pollutants such as smoke, dust, mold, pollen, and animal dander. As these positively charged pollutants and negative ions form clusters, they become heavy and fall out of the air to surfaces where they can be easily vacuumed or dusted away rather than inhaled.

In addition to removing triggering particles from the air, negative ions provide many other benefits which help alleviate symptoms associated with asthma and allergies. For instance, studies have shown that negative ions actually appear to neutralize the effects allergens and other pollutants have on the respiratory system. When these ions are inhaled, breathing becomes easier, respiration is stabilized, and the activity of the respiratory system's cilia is increased, allowing the body to filter out polluting particles more efficiently.

The benefits of negative ions are so strongly proven that many sufferers of allergies and asthma are able to rely less on other treatments or even to forego the use of medicine completely. Air ionizers have further been used in treating many other respiratory illnesses, including sinusitis, emphysema, and bronchitis. While positive ions prolong physical recovery, accelerate respiration, and decrease cilia activity, negative ions counteract these effects, making the benefits of negative ions extraordinary.

In environments where pollution and technology allow positive ions to thrive, negative ion generators can help to counteract their effects and allow those residing in such settings to experience the many benefits of negative ions. Sufferers of allergies and asthma who have experienced these positive effects can attest to the fact that negative ions provide exceptional relief. In fact, anyone who has been exposed to a negative ion generator can benefit from these charged particles, just as if breathing in the ocean air.