How To Battle Those Bronchitis Coughing Fits
If you have bronchitis, you will be prescribed a course of antibiotics which of course you should complete in full. At the same time it is important to take a course of probiotics to avoid any damage to your gut health. But there are other ways to speed up your recovery and these include:
- Drinking plenty of fluids while avoiding alcohol.
- Getting plenty of rest.
- Taking pain relievers if necessary to ease pain and lower any fever.
- Increasing the humidity in your home or using a humidifier.
What is bronchitis?
Bronchitis makes you cough a lot. Sometimes it can make it hard to breathe too, causing wheezing, fever, tiredness and chest pain. The disease occurs when the lining of the airways in your lungs gets irritated.There are two kinds of bronchitis:
One is chronic brochitis, meaning the airways keep being irritated and often lasting for a few months. The condition can come back annually. Chronic bronchitis is caused by dust, chemicals or smoke from a fire or cigarettes. While not being contagious, this condition is a serious health problem requiring medical care.
The other is acute bronchitis caused by a bacterial virus and lasting anything from one to three weeks. Acute bronchitis is usually contagious.
Top ten tips for battling coughing fits
- When you go to bed, prop yourself as upright as possible with lots of pillows.
- A coughing fit can be very stressful and the longer it continues, the more you might panic. A warm bath before bed and a few drops of our natural Sleep Aid Formula on the back of the neck can help in the relaxation process.
- Make up a mixture of squeezed fresh lemon juice and some raw honey. Take small sips of this when the coughing starts. Honey has been used as medicine since ancient times, prized for its antibacterial properties. Honey will sooth irritated mucus membranes and a sweet addition to warm lemon juice/water. Lemon is widely used as an expectorant. Just a word of warning not to give honey to children under the age of one year because it can cause botulism.
- A hot water bottle (or heating pad) placed on the chest can soothe and warm, relaxing the chest area even further.
- If the coughing takes a hold, drink a strong cup of coffee. The caffeine acts as a bronchodilator, meaning it can help open airways.
- Another piece of advice is to take your mind off the coughing by doing something different such as watching a TV program.
- The coughing might be serious enough to cause you to throw up. This can sometimes help the situation.
- If an asthma pump is available in your home, it might be helpful to use it.
- Bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple, has been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation. Eat some fresh pineapple. It also helps with coughing up phlegm.
- Gargle "natural salt" water in your mouth and throat several times a day. It can help to wash away excess mucus and ease symptoms.
Sources
What is bronchitis? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/brnchi. (Accessed 9 May, 2021).Goldman L, et al. Acute bronchitis and tracheitis. Goldman's Cecil Medicine. 25th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2016. http://www.clinicalkey.com. (Accessed 9 May, 2021).
Bronchitis (chest cold). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/community/for-patients/common-illnesses/bronchitis.html. (Accessed 9 May, 2021).
Ferri FF. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2017. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2017. https://www.clinicalkey.com. (Accessed 9 May, 2021).
Written by Jane Chitty
Jane writes for Healing Natural Oils, a producer and retailer of high-quality, all-natural treatments for a variety of conditions as well as a range of beauty products. Apart from writing about those various conditions, she also covers general health, environmental and other subjects of interest. She has lived in Kenya as well as Cape Town, South Africa and spent time in San Diego, USA. She now lives in Somerset, England with regular visits from her far-flung children and grandchildren. She is a keen gardener and enjoys growing fresh fruit and vegetables with her husband on their joint allotment. As a result, there is something available to use in the kitchen virtually all year round. Her regular posts can be found on our blog.