The inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes is known as bronchitis. The bronchial tubes carry the air to and from the lungs and the inflammation cause the excess production of mucus which leads to lingering cough. The bronchitis can be acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is usually caused by infection of the respiratory tract or due to cold. Chronic bronchitis is caused by the constant irritation of the bronchial tubules mainly due to smoking. Acute bronchitis condition improves within a few days but the cough may continue for weeks. Chronic bronchitis however requires medical attention. There are many effective home remedies for treating bronchitis and to relieve your symptoms.
Causes Of Bronchitis
As there are two types of bronchitis, the causes are different.• Acute Bronchitis- It is caused by viral infection. Viruses which cause cold and influenza can cause bronchitis. Irritation of the upper respiratory tract by dust and inhaling smoke or fumes also can cause acute bronchitis.
• Chronic Bronchitis- The most important cause of this bronchitis which can last for months is smoking. Exposure to some pollutants is another cause for chronic bronchitis.
People who are more than 45 years of age and who are constantly working in the coal fields, welding jobs, asbestos factories are at increased risk of developing bronchitis.
Symptoms Of Bronchitis
The common symptoms of acute or chronic bronchitis are• Cough
• Mucous production in the respiratory tract
• Chest discomfort
• Fatigue
• Slight fever
The unique symptoms of acute bronchitis are
• Problem starting with a dry cough
• The mucus or sputum is yellowish or greenish in color
• Wheezing after coughing
The unique symptoms of chronic bronchitis are
• Regular cough with large amount of thick mucous
• Difficulty in breathing
• Cough lasting for three months
Most of the people go for over the counter medicines to manage the symptoms. There are many simple and effective home remedies which can provide excellent relief from bronchitis.
Quick Home Remedies For Bronchitis
1. Onions
One of the easiest home remedies that you can try to treat bronchitis is onions. Shallots or small onions will be offering a better remedy for bronchitis than the normal large big onions. The onions have the characteristics to dissolve the mucus and the phlegm.• Eating five to six shallots with a little bit of sugar is an excellent remedy that will help to remove mucus and phlegm. Eat this every day for several times to get better relief from bronchitis.
• You can also extract the juice from a medium sized onion and take a teaspoon or two of raw onion juice every say morning to deal with bronchitis.
• Adding raw onions to your daily vegetable salad or even using onions while cooking will work out to be effective in treating bronchitis.
2. Epsom Salt
The Epsom salt bath is a well known home remedy to treat symptoms of acute bronchitis. It is important for people suffering from chronic bronchitis to take a bath twice a day in the Epsom salt mixed water. If you are suffering from acute bronchitis, then it is ideal that you take a hot Epsom salt bath every night to get relief from bronchitis.• Add one kilogram of Epsom salt in 60 liters of warm water.
• Let the Epsom salt dissolve in this water completely and then you need to immerse your entire body in this warm Epsom salt water for about half an hour.
• Repeat this process daily if you are suffering from acute bronchitis to get instant relief from bronchitis.
3. Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds is said to be an effective ingredient that will help in reducing the symptoms linked with chronic bronchitis. It will help in giving excellent relief to the chest pain that is associated with dreaded bronchitis disease.• Mix half a teaspoon of the sesame seeds powder in two tablespoons of water.
• Have this sesame powder mixed water twice every day to get relief from bronchitis.
• You can also take a teaspoon of linseed, a teaspoon of sesame seeds and a pinch of common salt and mix it very well. To this mix, add a tablespoon of honey.
• Drink this mixture every night before going to bed to get relief from bronchitis the next day.
4. Salt Water Gargle
Various symptoms associated with bronchitis can be stopped by gargling salt water several times. This will help in soothing your throat inflammation and also will help in reducing the mucus in the throat that is causing irritation.• Add a teaspoon of table salt or rock salt to a glass of warm water. Let the salt dissolve in the water completely.
• Gargle for several times a day to reduce the irritation and inflammation in your throat.
• You need to take in the same quantity of salt every time you add salt to water for gargling as too much salt has the tendency to cause a burning sensation in the throat. Little amount of salt will not be effective for bronchitis. So, stick on to one teaspoon for a glass of warm water always.
5. Orange Juice
Orange juice is found to be an effective home remedy to treat symptoms of acute bronchitis. Orange juice is rich in vitamins and minerals and is also an excellent remedy for sore throat.• Drink as many glasses of orange juice as you want when you feel hungry. But, make sure that you avoid solid food for a few days to reduce symptoms of bronchitis.
• It is also important for you to just consume fresh orange juice made from oranges and do not go for orange juices with added preservatives that you get in the market.
6. Turmeric Powder
Turmeric powder has anti inflammatory properties apart from being a very effective antiseptic. It is used to treat a lot of bronchitis symptoms. It is very good remedy that you can think of for cough that is associated with bronchitis.• Add one teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of milk.
• Boil this mixture and bring it to lukewarm state.
• Now, take this turmeric milk with a spoon of ghee for three to four times a day to reduce bronchitis symptoms.
• It would be better for you to consume this milk on an empty stomach in the morning to see even better results.
• It will help in reducing the excessive mucous in the lungs and will help in getting quick relief.
7. Ginger
Ginger is a natural home remedy that you can think of to treat the common cold. It is also very effective in treating bronchitis. Ginger has anti inflammatory properties that will provide you great relief from irritated, swollen and inflamed lungs. Herbal ginger tea is a very good home remedy for bronchitis symptoms.• Add a teaspoon of dry ginger powder and a teaspoon of black pepper in a cup of water. Mix well and bring this water to a boil.
• Sim for a few minutes and then add a teaspoon of honey to this herbal ginger tea.
• Drink this tea twice a day for better results.
• You can also make a fine powder by mixing equal quantities of black pepper powder, cloves powder and dry ginger powder. Mix it well with a tablespoon of honey or milk and consume this thrice a day to reduce bronchitis symptoms effectively.
8. Water
Water is the best home remedy that you can think of when suffering from bronchitis. It is not possible to eat and swallow solid foods during bronchitis and you need to also keep your body hydrated every time. The best option is to drink plenty of water.• Make sure that you drink at least 10 to 12 glasses of water when you are affected by bronchitis symptoms.
• You can also drink vegetable as well as fresh fruit juices along with plain water.
• You can also consume ice creams or suck on a few ice chips to reduce inflammation in your throat.
• It is important for you to not consume alcohol or consume caffeinated drinks as it will lead to dehydration quickly.
9. Steam Therapy With Eucalyptus Oil
If you are suffering from symptoms of bronchitis like cough and old, then you can always think of taking steam therapy with eucalyptus oil. It will help in removing the mucus that is obstructing the airways and its antibacterial properties will help in easily healing sore and inflamed throat. It can also be applied to your chest directly to help in removing mucus from your respiratory system and improve the functioning of the respiratory system.• Add a few drops of pure eucalyptus oil in a bowl of boiling water.
• Mix it well and then inhale this medicated water by covering your head with soft cotton cloth. Do this for three to four times a day for a few days to see effective results and decrease in bronchitis symptoms.
10. Honey
Honey is a natural home remedy that has a lot of medicinal properties and is very effective to treat a cough that is a symptom of bronchitis. It is loaded with antibacterial and antiviral properties that will help in soothing the throat and to reduce throat inflammation. It will help in improving the immune system of the body.• Add a teaspoon of honey in your regular herbal tea and mix it well.
• Drink this tea three times a day to reduce bronchitis symptoms.
• You can also add a tablespoon of honey in a glass of warm lemon water. Mix it well and drink it twice a day to get relief from throat congestion and inflammation.
11. Licorice Powder
Licorice root is considered to be an effective herb that will help in treating symptoms associated with bronchitis.• Grind the dried licorice root into fine powder and add a teaspoon in a cup of water.
• Boil this mixture for 15 minutes.
• Strain the contents and drink this water two times a day for a week in a lukewarm state to get rid of bronchitis symptoms.
Are you suffering from chronic or acute bronchitis? Is your throat inflamed or irritated by mucus? You can try out the above mentioned home remedies to effectively reduce the symptoms associated with bronchitis.
