Are you struggling with breathing and coughing? Chances are you may be infected with bronchitis. It is a viral infection that causes inflammation in the lining of the bronchial tubes, the passage where air enters into the lungs through the windpipe. In most cases, it is acute and goes away on its own in a week or two. It doesn’t need any medical treatment; home remedies are enough to manage the symptoms. However, if it lasts longer, then you may get chronic bronchitis which needs medical treatment. Learn about home remedies and treatment options for acute bronchitis in this article. Contact the best pulmonologist in Brooklyn by visiting Doral Health and Wellness Pulmonary Center.
Treatment options
Most acute bronchitis cases don’t need medical treatment as they cure on their own once they run their course, which usually lasts a week. There is no specific treatment, doctor only focuses on relieving your symptoms with home remedies and medication, if needed.
Common treatment options for acute bronchitis include:
- Take rest and drink plenty of fluids (except caffeine and alcohol).
- You can take over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen if you have a fever. However, aspirin should not be given to children under age 19 or not taken if you take other blood thinning medications. Aspirin in children is linked with Reye’s syndrome, which is a rare but serious condition that affects the liver and brain.
- The doctor may prescribe you antibiotics if the acute bronchitis is caused by bacterial infection, which is rare.
- Use a humidifier or vaporizer to reduce your coughing and make breathing easier.
- Take hot showers to improve your breathing and reduce the mucus in the lungs.
- Take a breath in a steam pot or sink filled with hot water. So that steam can melt the mucus and ease your chest. To get better results, cover your head with a towel while taking the steam. However, don’t breathe from a pot of boiling water that is still on the stove for safety reasons.
- Avoid smoking and other chemical pollutants like fumes that irritate your chest.
- In some cases, the doctor may prescribe a bronchodilator, an inhaled medication that helps your airways to open, it is also used for some people with asthma to ease their breathing during an asthma attack.
Home remedies
Besides rest and plenty of fluids, here are some remedies that you can use to ease your symptoms of acute bronchitis at home:
- Ginger: Some researchers found that ginger has an anti-inflammatory effect against respiratory infection. So, consuming ginger can help you improve symptoms and ease your breathing. You can consume ginger in several ways such as chewing it in dried form, adding it to your tea, eating it raw or adding it to food, or taking it in capsule form as directed. Generally, the doctor recommends consuming ginger in natural form rather than in capsules and supplements. If you’re sensitive to ginger, take it in small amounts until you get used to it. While eating ginger occasionally is safe for everyone, don’t take ginger supplements or medication if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes, have heart problems, or have any type of blood disorder.
- Garlic: Garlic has many healing properties; a 2016 study shows that garlic can inhibit the growth of the bronchitis virus effectively. This makes garlic a good natural remedy for bronchitis. Fresh garlic is best, but some people don’t like its taste, so you can take it in capsule form too. Use garlic with caution especially if you have a bleeding disorder and always consume in small amounts to ensure it doesn’t upset your stomach.
- Turmeric: Turmeric is a very amazing spice because it has many properties that are used against fighting bronchitis. It comes from the root of Curcuma longa. It produces antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects. It also increases antioxidant activity, meaning it reduces irritation and boosts your immunity.
You can consume turmeric by adding it to your salads, tea, cooked dishes, and pickles, or take it in capsule form as directed. Using turmeric as a spice in food is safe unless you’re sensitive to it. However, don’t use turmeric as a medication if you have:
- Stomach issues
- Gallbladder issues
- Bleeding or blood disorders
- Hormone-sensitive conditions
- Iron deficiency
If you’re pregnant or a nursing mother, don’t take turmeric in large amounts.
- Saltwater: Gargling salt water also helps to break up mucus and lower the pain in your throat. Put 1 teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water, take small sips of saltwater gargle at the back of your throat, and spit it out in the sink. Repeat this process as much as you like. Afterward, you should rinse your mouth with plain water.
- Honey and lemons: Honey and lemons are popular remedies to soothe dry coughs and sore throats. You can take it together and use it with tea. Honey may reduce the duration of a cough due to its antimicrobial properties, however, more research is needed.
- Pineapple: Pineapple juice contains bromelain, which has anti-inflammatory properties that may help to break up and expel mucus due to bronchitis and other respiratory infections.
- Thyme: This is a herb that has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties. In 2021, 730 people joined a study to check the effects of a preparation containing essences of thyme and ivy. In these, 87% of participants experienced clinically significant improvements in their cough symptoms, and 90% noticed significant improvements in their life quality. You may notice over-the-counter syrups contain thyme or use it to make an infusion.
Acute bronchitis treatment often involves home treatment to improve your symptoms until the condition runs its course. Mostly include taking rest, plenty of fluids, using a humidifier or inhaler, taking steam, or gargling with salt water, avoiding smoking or chemical irritants that irritate your chest and make your acute bronchitis worse. If your acute bronchitis doesn’t cure on its own, then you need medical help to treat chronic bronchitis.
Need help with bronchitis symptoms, visit our pulmonologist doctor in Brooklyn clinic for professional medical support. At Doral Health and Wellness Pulmonary Center, we offer the best possible expertise and care in all aspects of pulmonology. Visit our pulmonologists to have your signs and symptoms checked. To schedule an appointment, you can visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11212, or call us at 1-347-384-5690. You can also visit our website at https://pulmonologistbrooklyn.com.
