Home Remedy Expectorant for Bronchitis
Bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchial tubes due to infection or irritation. A person with bronchitis usually suffers from chest congestion, wheezing and coughing. If these symptoms have persisted more than a couple of days, it is likely that the bronchitis is caused by a viral infection. Unfortunately, traditional medicine cannot cure the bronchitis, and an expensive expectorant is usually prescribed to treat the chest congestion. Home treatment is just as effective. The cost for a home remedy expectorant are minimal.
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Things You'll Need
- Distilled Water
- A Cold Mist Humidifier
- Chamomile Tea
- Mint Leaves
- Eucalyptus Essential Oil
- Coffee
Instructions
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How to Treat Bronchitis with a Homemade Expectorant
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1
Relieve discomfort immediately. Boil two bags of chamomile tea with four mint leaves in two cups of water until the water turns green. While the tea is still too hot to drink, drape a towel over your head and the pot and inhale the vapors. The combination of mint and chamomile will soothe nasal passages, and the steam will quickly break up mucus in the bronchial tubes. Do this again before bedtime to sleep more soundly.
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2
Fill a humidifier with distilled water, and place three drops of eucalyptus essential oil into the water. This must be a cool mist humidifier as opposed to a vaporizer. Aim the humidity directly at your face. This must be done throughout the course of the illness, including sleeping time. The humidifier will keep the mucus thin, while the vapors from the eucalyptus soothe your bronchial tubes while you cough. According to the University of Maryland website, eucalyptus contains expectorant, antibacterial and antiseptic properties.
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3
Drink coffee in the morning. The steam from the coffee will loosen up the mucus. According to The New England Journal of Medicine, coffee contains a substance very similar to theophylline, a medication used to dilate the bronchial tubes. It is easier to expel phlegm through dilated bronchial tubes than narrow ones.
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4
Repeat steps one through three until your bronchitis clears up and the mucus is out of your lungs. This should take about three days.
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Tips & Warnings
If you experience any allergy, chest pain or fever that cannot be controlled, visit an emergency room.
