13 home remedies for bronchitis that may eventually relieve your cough

Sometimes, upper respiratory tract infections worsen and are no longer just common colds. You cough, you gasp, you are short of breath. You said that you have a cold, but your doctor calls it acute bronchitis, also known as lower respiratory tract infection. It sounds terrible, but it's usually not very serious. In most cases you don't need antibiotics because most cases are caused by a viral infection, such as a cold or flu.

13 home remedies for bronchitis that may eventually relieve your cough

Bronchitis causes the mucus lining of the bronchi (which brings air to the lungs) to become inflamed and full of mucus. This is temporary, most people feel better within one to ten days, but your cough will last for a few weeks.

Fortunately, you don't have to grin. There are many home prescriptions for treating bronchitis that can alleviate your symptoms and pain.

Chris Carroll, board member of the MD Chest Physician Association, said: "These [bronchitis therapies] will not reduce your course of disease." "But you will feel better, this is very important."

When you fight the infection, your body longs for time. Power outages and logouts can be difficult, but it is necessary. "The rest is a forgotten ticket for the treatment of many acute diseases.


Experts say you need enough sleep to maintain a healthy immune system. A study published in the September 9 issue of Sleep found that people with insufficient sleep were more likely to have a cold virus than people who slept seven hours. . This is important because a cold is usually a precursor to bronchitis.


When you fight bronchitis, keeping plenty of water helps to dilute the mucus and make it easier to expel. If you have a fever, you may have already dehydrated, so you have to replace the lost fluid. Water is good, but warm liquids may be more soothing. (Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages, which will dehydrate you).

Although doctors widely recommend that patients with acute respiratory infections drink extra fluids, a scientific examination in 2011 found no evidence of increased or prevented fluid intake. So far, there have been no randomized controlled trials to prove its benefits or harms. Still, keeping plenty of water will only help your overall health; understand why dehydration is harmful to your body.


Some herbs have a soothing effect on mucous membranes that are inflamed in the respiratory tract. Rosenborg likes licorice, flowering plants called mullein, and bark of wild cherry trees (Prunus serotina). Health food stores carry a variety of recipes for these herbs, including liquid extracts, powders and teas.

The discovery of bromelain, a pineapple enzyme, has been shown to be effective in reducing inflammation. It also helps to cough up.

Ginger is a good choice because it soothes and acts as a cockroach, says Rosenberg, who is also the chairman of the Massachusetts Association of Natural Therapists

One of her favorites: the medicinal properties of ginger slices, add a mixture of lemon and honey, and drink!


Honey has been used as medicine since ancient times. Its antibacterial properties are very good. But the main reason honey is a friend of bronchitis patients is that honey can soothe the inflamed mucous membrane, which is a sweetener for tea or lemonade. (Lemon is widely used as a tincture.)

Do not give honey babies and children under 1 year of age because it can cause poisoning, a rare but potentially fatal type of food poisoning.


If you like spicy foods, antidote your cough and stuffy nose may be hidden in your refrigerator and pantry. Powerful condiments such as mustard, horseradish, and mustard can help relax bronchial secretions, Rosenberg said.

Unless someone has allergies or sensitive foods, she suggests that these spicy foods help deaf patients "make things go."

Capsaicin-containing peppers can also be relieved by diluting mucus. This recipe pumpkin chili specializes in chili and fresh pepper that will warm your stomach and will also cleanse your sinuses.

Rosenborg added that some people add a small amount of chili powder to the tea. She explained that pepper can be used to promote blood flow and improve the effectiveness of other treatments.


Inhalation of vapor is widely recommended for relieving mucus and relieving wheezing. You can use a warm air humidifier or vaporizer, but you don't need fancy equipment. When you breathe in warm moisture, soaking in hot water with a towel can help you. Repeat several times a day.

Adding a drop or two essential oils, such as eucalyptus, also helps to open the blocked airway. (The eucalyptus is known for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties).

Note: Children can withstand burns caused by hot water spills or steam burns from steam generators. Instead, sit with your child and close the bathroom in a running steam shower. Or consider using other treatments.


Take warm salt water in your mouth and throat several times a day. When you have bronchitis you can wash away excess mucus.

Dr. Carroll explained: "It is not an antibacterial drug. If you have a bacterial infection, it will not help treat the virus or bacteria." "But it helps to improve your symptoms."

Mouthwash can also help to prevent future upper respiratory tract infections, such as colds, which can develop into bronchitis. Japanese researchers randomly assigned nearly 400 healthy volunteers to mouthwash or diluted disinfectant, or kept their habits, found that clear water rinses three times a day, reducing 36% of upper respiratory tract infections. Even if people don't get infected, water licks the symptoms.


For sore throats, try to use a diamond-shaped piece to relieve inflammation and keep the soft mucous membrane moist. (This is a DIY cough drop formula.)

The zinc flakes pack an extra punch. In randomized controlled trials, taking zinc within 24 hours of the onset of a cold symptom can reduce the duration and severity of a cold in a healthy population.

Rosenborg likes lozenges, combining zinc and herbs, like elderberry. Elderberry has been used throughout the history to stimulate immunity and fight inflammation.

She said: "There are some very delicious foods on the market."

Tablets are not suitable for children because they pose a choking hazard, but they are bigger children and adolescents.


Cold medicines like phlegm, antitussive and decongestants cannot treat bronchitis. There are still some questions about their interests.

Dr. Carol, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Connecticut, said: "At least in children, there is no over-the-counter medication that can improve symptoms or duration of illness."

Despite this, adults seeking to relieve cough or sinus congestion may be relieved. (Read about treatments for over-the-counter drugs, don't use them.) In addition, these drugs can be used with other family drugs.

As for antihistamines, there are no good quality tests to prove whether they can alleviate the symptoms of acute bronchitis. The sleep-induced antihistamine diphenhydramine (Diphenhydramine) provides an advantage, Dr. Carroll said: It can help children and adults sleep well.


If you are having a fever or seeking to relieve pain, acetaminophen (paracetamol) can help. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen (Advil, ibuprofen, Aleve), aspirin are also good choices because they address pain, fever and inflammation.

You can give your child a fever or ibuprofen, but don't take aspirin. (Aspirin and Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal condition that causes brain edema and liver damage.)

For high fever or persistent high fever, seek medical attention immediately.


Not just folklore. A steaming bowl of homemade chicken soup (here a simple recipe) may have medicinal properties that help soothe the respiratory tract.

Researchers at the University of Nebraska published their chicken soup experiments in the "Chest" magazine published in October 2000. Using homemade soup and some store-purchased versions, they showed how the soup inhibits the movement of anti-infective white blood cells collected from healthy volunteers. The results indicate that the chicken soup has a moderate but measurable anti-inflammatory effect.

Dr. Carol said: "The soup on the market is indeed better than the soup of Grandma." Of course, he added, this is just a recipe: your own grandmother's soup may actually do better.

So go for a bowl of comfort.


If you are a smoker, your bronchial inflammation is good: smokeless.

Dr. Rosenborg said: "We know that smoking can stimulate and aggravate bronchitis." "It can prolong acute symptoms."

Also, if your goal is to eliminate your bronchitis, it will help to have your tube rest. She said: "If you don't smoke, you will definitely expand the effectiveness of all natural methods of treating bronchitis."


Want to prevent future bronchitis episodes? Consider taking vitamin D (the following are 12 ways to increase your D intake)

Observational studies have shown that low vitamin D levels are associated with frequent and severe episodes of upper respiratory tract infections in children and adults. (Low vitamin D levels are also associated with many health conditions), but is the pop-up supplement helpful?

Canadian researchers tested vitamin D3 with placebo and mouthwash (recommended in Japan) with no sputum, involving 600 young people in a randomized controlled trial. People who take 10,000 IU of vitamin D per week for eight weeks can significantly reduce the risk of upper respiratory tract infections. (The mouthwash did not reduce the infection in the study population. The vitamin D showed a promise, but larger, and it took longer to study, the authors concluded.

Recently, a randomized trial compared the use of high-dose and low-dose vitamin D in nursing home patients, reducing the incidence of acute respiratory infections.