Home Remedies for Bronchitis

Home Remedies for Bronchitis






What Is Bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a type of respiratory disease blocking the soft membranes of the pathways of lungs. It causes swelling of mucous membrane causing Nasal Congestion. Allergy and bacterial/viral infections are the major causes of bronchitis. Changes in weather condition, intense smoking and pollution can also trigger bronchitis. Bronchitis can be either short-lived (acute) or chronic (long term). Medical treatment is to be given if bronchitis continues for over three weeks. Some of the common symptoms of bronchitis are nasal congestion, difficulty in breathing, fever, tiredness and tightening of chest.

Mild form of bronchitis can be treated with simple but effective home remedies.

1. Steam Therapy

This is the traditional home remedy for treating bronchitis. Lean your face over hot water bowl covering it with a blanket. The hot water vapor will enter directly into the lungs clearing off the Mucus thus reliving the nasal congestion. Steam therapy is highly effective for tightening of chest and it would certainly help in loosening of secretions in the nasal pathways. If you wish, you can add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil to the hot water to get added effect; Eucalyptus is effective in fighting bacterial infection thus helping in clearing off the mucus from your lungs. You can use pine oil also to get the same effect.

2. Humidifier

If you are having cold and bronchitis you can run additional humidifier in your room to keep the air moist. Additional moisture in your bedroom would help in relieving the phlegm and nasal congestion. Remember to clean the humidifier regularly failing which you are prone to bacterial infection.

3. Drink Water

Drink plenty of water if you have Running nose or severe cold. You would be losing water particles from your body in the form of mucus/phlegm by repeated coughing and Sneezing. Hence it is necessary to hydrate your system to makeup the loss of water ions in the body. You can drink 8 glasses of water a day under normal conditions and two more glasses if you have cold.

4. Honey

Honey not only cures nasal congestion but also soothes your throat. It is a natural agent fighting against bacteria and virus. Honey helps in strengthening your immune system. You can add a tsp of honey to your regular tea while having cold. Alternatively, you can add 1-2 tsp of honey to a mixture of 3 crushed black pepper corns and crushed ginger and a pinch of clove powder. Drink this mixture to keep your throat smooth during bronchitis. It helps in reducing inflammation of Sore Throat. You can also drink few drops of honey to warm water mixed with few drops of lemon juice.

5. Oregano Oil

Repeated coughing can cause sore throat when you have a cold. Place few drops of oregano oil in your tongue and leave it for few minutes before swallowing. This oil is an effective remedy for sore throat and severe cough and it helps in reducing nasal congestion also.

6. Salt Water

Gargle salt water (2 tsp of salt mixed in a cup of water) (preferably warm) to get instant relief from sore throat. Salt is a natural anti-inflammatory agent clearing off the inflammation caused due to coughing. Irritation caused in the bronchial membrane is considerably reduced by simply gargling salt water several times a day. Salt is capable of removing any micro-organisms present in the oral cavity thus relieving you from bad breathe.

7. Fresh Ginger

Ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory agent for treating bronchitis and any type of cold. You can use ginger in various ways. Mix a pinch of fresh ginger with 2 pepper corns and a pinch of cloves. Add 2 tsp of honey and little milk to this mixture and drink this several times a day. Fresh ginger piece and cloves can provide good relief from cold. Add few pieces of ginger and cloves to hot water and drink it. Ginger can also be added to herbal tea for getting instant relief from swelling of throat. In a cup of boiling water add ginger powder and crushed black pepper. Sieve this and add a tsp of honey before drinking it.

8. Orange

It is good to eat plenty of oranges when you have cold since it adds vitamin C to your system. Any kind of citrus fruits are ideal for bronchitis. Orange helps in reducing inflammation of sore throat and nasal congestion.

9. Turmeric

Turmeric is a simple home remedy for bronchitis. Excess of phlegm from the nasal path will be cleared by taking pure turmeric. Drink a glass of warm milk mixed with a tsp of turmeric powder. It can free you from cough, if you drink this turmeric milk before going to bed.

10. Garlic

Garlic is known to give relief from gas and acidity problem. But garlic is an effective antibiotic for treating bronchitis and any kind of bacterial infection. Crush few pods of garlic and add this to a glass of milk. Boil this milk for few minutes before drinking. You can take this milk at bedtime for getting quality sleep without any disturbance of coughing.

11. Epsom Salt Bath

Add one kg of Epsom salt in your bathtub and relax yourself in this warm water for 20-30 minutes. Epsom salt is good enough to give relief from acute as well as chronic form of bronchitis. You can try this simple home remedy before bedtime.

12. Sesame Seeds

Mix 1 tsp of powdered sesame seeds with little honey. Drink this mixture 2-3 times a day to get quick relief from bronchitis. You can also take sesame seeds with little water for getting the same effect.

13. Mullein Tea

Boil a cup of water after adding few mullein leaves to it. Strain this tea before drinking. Mullein has the property of clearing the mucus from the lungs thus restoring free breathing.

14. Supplements

A kind of amino acid by name NAC (N Acetyl Cysteine) is effective in clearing off the mucus. This can be taken up to 600 mg daily. Similarly Echinacea herb is effective for allergic cold and bronchitis. It destroys the bacteria from the system strengthening your immunity. Alternatively, you can also try using R lipoic acid which helps in repairing the airways and reducing inflammation.

How To Prevent Bronchitis?

• Pollution can be a good source for bronchitis. Avoid dust pollution and air pollution by wearing protective mask on the go.


• Wash the hands frequently and avoid touching your face or nose with dirty hands.


• You can use a saline nasal spray for cleaning any dirt from your nose instead of putting your fingers into it.


• Eat a well balanced diet. Include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated.


• Avoid dairy products when you have a cold.


• Quit smoking and drinking.


• Avoid using scented sprays and perfumes in your room.


• Cold is contagious and spreads through air. Hence take complete rest if you have a cold.

Can Bronchitis Turn Into Pneumonia?

Can Bronchitis Turn Into Pneumonia?

Conditions that affect the respiratory system are called respiratory ailments. These include both bronchitis and pneumonia, which commonly affect people during the winter months. The two tend to have similar symptoms, which can make it hard to diagnose which affects a specific individual. Since pneumonia seems more serious than bronchitis,many people wonder, "Can bronchitis turn into pneumonia?"

Can Bronchitis Turn into Pneumonia?
It is not a guarantee that bronchitis will turn into pneumonia. However, for some people, the condition that is caused by bacteria and results in inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes can turn into pneumonia, which occurs only when the bronchitis goes untreated and the bacteria multiplies.

Bronchitis, as mentioned above, is caused by bacteria. The bacteria cause the inflammation in the lining of the bronchial tubes, and then those tubes constrict. That results in difficulty breathing for the individual who is ill. The condition is highly contagious and can affect the sufferer for up to two weeks. Smokers can even suffer the condition for months, and they tend to deal with chronic bronchitis onset.

Pneumonia is considered a severe respiratory disorder and tends to affect young children and those over the age of 60. However, anyone with untreated conditions like bronchitis can develop pneumonia. The condition involves chest pain, a cough that typically brings up phlegm, a high fever, chills and trouble breathing.

Bronchitis can develop into pneumonia for those who leave the condition untreated. The young and old and those with a weakened immune system are particularly susceptible to the possibility. For individuals whose bronchitis turn into pneumonia, the bacteria multiply and the immune system is unable to fight it off without help. Therefore, the condition worsens within the individual, and medical intervention becomes necessary. Pneumonia can develop at a variety of levels of severity.

What Are the Differences Between Bronchitis and Pneumonia?
Although you have gotten a "yes" to the answer "Can bronchitis turn into pneumonia?" it can be still challenging to tell the difference between bronchitis and pneumonia. One of the most important things to remember is that bronchitis that lasts beyond one week needs to be addressed with medical help. That way, it has less chance of turning into pneumonia. If pneumonia does develop, a visit to the doctor can provide access to the appropriate medication to address it.

One difference between bronchitis and pneumonia is that bronchitis often makes yourcough up phlegm – typically clear or green or yellow. Pneumonia, by contrast, is an infection in one of both lungs. This means the cough tends to cause chest pain and the phlegm with pneumonia is typically thicker and harder to bring up with a cough.

Another difference to take note of between the two conditions is the level of issue when it comes to shortness of breath. Pneumonia makes it harder to take in adequate oxygen in a breath. The oxygenated blood is also impacted, as it is harder to circulate that blood throughout the body.

If a person finds him or herself coughing up bloody Mucus, this is also a strong indication of pneumonia. This symptom rarely occurs with acute bronchitis. Meanwhile, a high fever also indicatespneumonia.

What to Do to Avoid Bronchitis Turning into Pneumonia
Since you have known the answer to "Can bronchitis turn into pneumonia?" you must want to know how to avoid its happening. Addressing the symptoms of bothbronchitis and pneumonia makes a big difference in avoiding the onset of pneumonia. With this in mind, keep track of symptoms and go to visit a doctor for bronchitis that is longer than one week. If necessary, the approaches below can help resolve issues.

1. Medication
If you are dealing with a prolonged case of bronchitis, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. He or she may also recommend an inhaler or other medications if you suffer from Asthma or severe allergies. Finally, the use of cough medicine to help minimize the coughing spells until your body has a chance to fight off the bacteria may be a wise idea.

2. Therapies
For those who deal with chronic bronchitis, pulmonary rehabilitation may be a consideration. This therapy helps improve the use of the patient's lung capacity, making breathe easier and exercise successfully.

3. Home Care
For those who deal with bronchitis regularly, these tips hereshould be part of your routine. Consider adding a humidifier to the home. Warm air that is moist rather than dry helps alleviate cough issues. Another thing to consider is the use of a face mask while outdoors or while exposed to lung irritants, like paint fumes, cleaner fumes or even smoke. Avoid smoking yourself, since that increases the odds of developing bronchitis.

Bronchitis

Bronchitis






Bronchial tubes are organs that carry oxygen and carbon dioxide to and fro from your lungs and when there is any inflammation or swelling in the lining of these tubes, it causes bronchitis. Bronchitis develops due to many causes ranging from Common Cold to acute respiratory infection. The tiny airway passage of the lungs gets blocked due to bronchitis leading to breathing problems.

In case if it becomes chronic (serious) it can cause serious irritation of the lining of these tubes and mainly this condition happens due to repeated smoking. Acute bronchitis does not need any treatment but chronic type needs medical treatment. Bronchitis can be fully cured with corticosteroid medications and by using bronchodilators.

Types :

There are 2 types of bronchitis namely acute and chronic bronchitis :

Acute bronchitis is not much serious one which may last for few days to couple of weeks. Often there is no need to take medication and it is enough if you use humidifiers to clear the block in the airway of lungs.

Chronic bronchitis may last for months or even years and this can lead to Asthma or other serious lung problems. You should take regular treatment to overcome the symptoms of chronic bronchitis.

Symptoms :

Some of the common signs of bronchitis are repeated cough, mucus (phlegm) secretion, discomfort in chest and mild fever. It can cause difficulty in breathing and fatigue. Nagging cough is the worst symptom of bronchitis which can be there for several weeks even after the airway becomes clear. You need to see your doctor if the cough lasts for more than 2 weeks causing disturbance in sleeping and if you have fever and yellowish mucus discharge often. For some people it may cause wheezing making them unable to breathe normally.

Causes :

Bronchitis is caused by the same virus that causes common cold. Viral infection is the most common reason for developing bronchitis. For some people it can be caused by bacterial infection and allergies. Bronchitis is often developed after common cold or flu. Children who have developed Whooping Cough, diphtheria or any serious infection have increased chance for getting bronchitis.

Cigarette smoke exposure (both active and passive) is another major cause for bronchitis. Exposure to smoke of any kind and environmental Allergy like dust (from cement, asbestos, fumes, and organic dust) can also cause bronchitis. Severe infection of the airways can lead to chronic bronchitis thus making it serious disorder.

Who are at risk?

People who are exposed to cigar smoke are at high risk of developing bronchitis (acute or chronic). Individuals with low immunity level and those affected with common cold or any other illness often may develop bronchitis. Young children and older adults are weak in immunity are at high risk of developing bronchitis. If your nature of job warrants you to work in heavy polluted area (cement dust, grain dust or chemicals) you are likely to develop chronic bronchitis. In severe cases, chronic bronchitis may lead to asthma, Tuberculosis, Cystic Fibrosis, and Sinusitis. Lung diseases and heart problem can develop due to chronic bronchitis.

Smokers (habitual) often come up with acute bronchitis initially which may gradually develop into chronic problem. Every time you inhale smoke, hair like structures present in your lungs get affected. Gradually it may not be able to work properly leading to inflammation of airways. The mucus will get clogged in the airway making it difficult to breathe. In some cases it can permanently damage the airways of the lungs leading to COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

Diagnoses :

Many times, doctors get confused with the symptoms of common cold with bronchitis. There is possibility that your doctor may recommend taking sputum culture and chest X-ray to confirm the diagnoses. Chest X-ray can give clear idea about the condition of your lungs and indicate if you have developed Pneumonia or not. Presence of virus/bacteria on the sputum indicates bronchitis infection. In rare cases (for smokers) pulmonary function test will be done using spirometer to determine the functional capacity of your lungs.

Treatment :

For acute bronchitis medical treatment is not required. You need to take plenty of rest and use humidifiers. Drink plenty of fluids (preferably lukewarm water, soup etc.) to clear the airways. Over the counter medications can give relief from chest discomfort and irritant cough. For chronic bronchitis your doctor may prescribe inhaler apart from giving medications. Bacterial infection is treated with antibiotics and viral infection with antiviral drugs. For chain smokers with chronic bronchitis the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to prevent the risk of getting serious infection on the lungs.

For people with wheezing and breathlessness inhalers are the best option. Medications are prescribed to control the inflammation of the lungs and narrow airways. It is better not to use cough suppressing agents when you have bronchitis since mucus may not come out by taking cough medication. Cough suppressants can be used if you have dry cough. Cough expectorants are given for productive cough to help the mucus to clear off the airways.

Corticosteroid medications like Medrol, Beclazone or Flixotide are prescribed for preventing acute exacerbations due to chronic bronchitis. Often a combination of inhalers and steroid drugs are given for treating chronic problem. Breathing exercises are given by therapist for helping the person to breathe easily.

Lifestyle Changes :

Drink plenty of fluids to keep hydrated. Breathe in warm air to get relief from inflammation of airways and to clear off the blocked mucus. Bronchodilators like ventolin can be used for opening the obstructed airways of the lungs. You need to cover your mouth while sneezing/coughing. Children and adults should thoroughly wash their hands before and after eating.

Avoid sending your child to daycare centers or school. Give Paracetomol for managing fever and fatigue. Quit smoking before your cough turns into chronic problem like pneumonia or COPD. In case you are exposed to passive smoking then you can cover the face with mask. Using humidifiers and inhaling moist air can give relief from irritant cough and helps in loosening the mucus that has clogged inside.

Prevention :

Avoid smoking in any form since it is the root cause for many lung disorders. Get vaccinated against Influenza and flu which prevents you from getting bronchitis. Use hand sanitizers or wash your hands properly with soap solution to reduce the risk of getting viral infection.