Bronchitis can be caused by multiple conditions including colds, allergies, influenza, bacteria, and irritants. Bronchitis can also be chronic or acute. Let’s go over the 35 effective bronchitis home remedies to help ease your symptoms.
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1. Staying Hydrated to Combat Bronchitis
Getting plenty of fluids is a must when managing bronchitis. Increasing your fluid intake will give your body what it needs to help keep the mucus thin, which will help break up mucus buildup and allow your body to perform optimally.
Avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol as these fluids cause more dehydration than actual hydration.
2. Get Lots of Rest
Your body is an amazing biological machine, but it needs lots of rest to recharge and fight off illness. Ensure you are taking it easy and getting adequate sleep to allow your body (immune system) to focus on getting you back on track by tackling your bronchitis.
3. Avoiding Irritants & Quitting Smoking May Prevent Bronchitis
Sometimes smoking or being exposed to smoke and other irritants (chemicals, allergies, fumes) can cause bronchitis. If you feel this is the cause of your bronchitis, the best remedy is to stop smoking and/or get away from the irritants.
Keeping your lungs in tip-top shape by not smoking can also prevent future episodes of bronchitis.
4. Cough
A great natural remedy to bronchitis that won’t cost any money is coughing. You might be sick of coughing day and night, but don’t try and hold your coughs. The cough is trying to clear your respiratory system and is necessary.
Please cover your cough and wash your hands frequently to limit the spread of illness.
5. Steam Therapy
Harvard Health recommends breathing steam from a hot bowl of water or taking a hot shower for bronchitis.
Steam therapy is similar to using a humidifier. but with a humidifier, you won’t need to keep showering or heat up your bowl of water. The warm, moist air will help loosen up the mucus and phlegm which will result in less irritation and get you back on your feet sooner.
6. Increase Humidity with a Humidifier
Humidifiers are a good treatment option as a bronchitis home remedy. The humidifier will help provide moisture to your respiratory system, which assists with making your cough more productive. As you clear your bronchial tubes, you will cough less, break up chest congestion, and reduce inflammation.
This is a great natural home remedy for bronchitis.
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Bronchitis has been known to start from post-nasal drip, which is the mucus draining down the back of your throat from your nose. This constant mucus tends to irritate your throat. Try gargling warm salt water (1 teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water), this will break up that mucus and make your throat feel better too.
8. Use Honey for A Bronchitis Coughing Fit
A teaspoon of honey either taken by itself or in a tea will soothe your sore throat and help suppress a coughing fit. Keep in mind, that coughing is the natural way for your body to get rid of the mucus, but sometimes you just need a break.
9. Healthy Diet
A healthy diet will help you in all aspects of your health. A nutrient-rich diet will ensure your body has all the essentials to fight back against bronchitis naturally. A healthy diet helps prevent future illnesses and assists your body when actively recovering from bronchitis.
10. Controlled Breathing to Reduce Coughing
A breathing exercise will reduce coughing symptoms and is a home remedy you can use wherever you are. WebMD explains how to find relief with the pursed-lip breathing technique.
Pursed-Lip Breathing Technique Instructions:
- Take a deep breath in.
- Purse your lips like you’re about to kiss someone
- Breathe out slowly through your mouth
- Repeat as needed
11. Ginger Root Naturally Reduces Bronchial Inflammation
Ginger has been known to have anti-inflammatory (and immune-boosting) properties, and bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Ingesting ginger or drinking ginger tea, could be the anti-inflammatory you need for your inflammation from bronchitis.
12. Garlic
A PennState Hershy article revealed a study that garlic helps prevent colds (a cause of bronchitis) by 63% and those who did get a cold, recovered one day faster than those who had bronchitis and the evidence suggests that it prevented potential respiratory infections.
Being able to be better a day sooner is enough evidence for me when it comes to a natural bronchitis remedy.
13. Turmeric
Turmeric may help increase overall health and some people swear by the spice. There is some research suggesting that turmeric helps fight off cold and flu viruses (in a lab setting). From my research, most individuals drink turmeric in tea form, this might be worth a shot for your bronchitis symptoms.
14. Thyme
I found a scientifically-backed study that thyme relieves the symptoms of bronchitis quicker than those who did not drink thyme syrup!
You can get natural symptom relief with a thyme tea, or a blended tea that contains thyme.
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15. Zinc, with Caution
Zinc has shown some promise of helping get over illness quicker including acute bronchitis, but my research on the topic has concluded that even though it might help you get better quicker, there are also studies of people having side effects of nausea and loss of taste or smell.
Technically a home remedy, but after learning of these side effects you might want to reconsider until more studies are conducted.
16. Vitamin C
Vitamin C from a scientifically-backed study may affect (for the better) lung infections, and can possibly help out with bronchitis and pneumonia. I read many testimonials on multiple websites that vitamin C supplements did help individuals prevent illness as well as feel better faster by taking vitamin C.
17. Chicken Soup
Warm, nutritious, chicken soup, has great natural properties to help your body in this time of need. Chicken soup isn’t a cure, but it can provide your body with the fuel needed to fight off infection, the salt in the broth will help clear and soothe your throat.
Remember to drink some clear liquids to combat the sodium which can lead to dehydration.
18. Light Exercise
Getting up and moving will help promote blood flow and keep your body fit to fight that infection. Light exercise could include short walks, stretching, and yoga. Your body needs its rest, don’t go to the track to get in a few laps until you are feeling much better.
19. Healing Crystals or Gemstones
During my research for bronchitis home remedies, healing crystals and gemstones were mentioned multiple times. You can make jewelry with crystals, or carry them in your pocket.
The top crystals for a natural bronchitis remedy discussed by crystalguidance.com, are Rutilated Quartz or Pyrite.
20. Prop Yourself Up with a Bed Wedge
If you find yourself coughing all night or when you lay down, I recommend propping yourself up in bed with an extra pillow or a sleep wedge. This is going to allow the phlegm to drain properly and help stop your bronchitis-induced cough. Find a bed wedge that fits your needs by Click here to buy this top-rated bed wedge.
21. Lemons
Lemons have been shown to help soothe sore throats and break up phlegm. I would get a nice hot tea and add some lemon, and honey. This will combine 3 bronchitis home remedies into 1 to create an all-natural bronchitis buster.
22. Bay Leaves
It is known that bay leaves have anticancer and anti-inflammation properties, so I see why it is used as a bronchitis home remedy. Some people use bay leaf aromatherapy by utilizing the bay leaf essential oil, as well as bay leaf tea.
23. Almonds
The consumption of almonds is a food listed throughout my research as a bronchitis home remedy option. Almonds are nutrient-packed and have been known to aid in the healing of bronchitis. Almonds might be something you already carry in your pantry, making this an easy win against bronchitis. Almond nutrition facts from Almonds.com.
24. Rosehip (Zinger tea)
Rosehip is an herb that has been known to help relieve cough symptoms and break up phlegm. The easiest way I found to get these rosehip benefits is to get the rosehip Zinger tea. You can also add lemon or honey to further amplify your bronchitis home remedy.
25. Neti-Pot Nasal Rinse
A Neti-Pot or nasal rinse is good for flushing out any contaminants causing your mucus production to ramp up. Neti-Pots are a natural approach to a bronchitis home remedy, and you are taking care of the mucus at the source. I personally own and love my Neti-Pot, if you don’t have one, I recommend you pick one up today.
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26. Cranberry Juice
Most of the time bronchitis is caused by a virus, and cranberry juice doesn’t like viruses (helps prevent viral infections). Cranberry juice hydrates your body and contains lots of vitamin C, which is why it is good to add this to your bronchitis home remedy arsenal.
27. Green Tea
Green tea has been well researched, and the conclusion is that green tea has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. A recent study published by the American Society for Nutrition has also shown that green tea consumption is associated with reducing the odds of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD).
28. Vapor Rub
A chest rub like Vicks VapoRub is a home remedy geared towards helping with your cough or wheezing created by your bronchitis. The soothing vapor gives you some relief instantly as it helps battle your bronchitis.
29. Essential oils
Essential oils do have research supporting their effectiveness for respiratory health and function. Many users stand by the use of peppermint and cardamom oils for bronchitis. Some companies make respiratory blends that contain a mixture of essential oils that help with breathing. The best blend of essential oils (by rating) for bronchitis is the doTERRA’s Breathe™blend.
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30. Spicy Foods
The spice from peppers, ginger, and wasabi, thin out the mucus and phlegm, creating a more productive mucus, which allows your body the opportunity to clear the phlegm out of your system more easily. If you enjoy spicy foods, and your throat can tolerate the heat, spicy foods are something to consider as a bronchitis home remedy.
31. Use of lozenges
Lozenges or cough drops will provide you relief by soothing your throat and limiting your coughing. This break will allow you to go about your day or get some much-needed rest from coughing, as well as give your bronchial tubes a break. Check out the top lozenges and cough drops on Amazon here
32. Avoid Dairy…Maybe
There is a lot of information out there telling you to avoid dairy, and my research has found this is not necessary. A study conducted by the University of Adelaide in South Australia concluded that “No statistically significant overall association can be detected between milk and dairy product intake and symptoms of mucus production in healthy adults, either asymptomatic or symptomatic, with rhinovirus infection.”
What this means is that consuming dairy is not going to increase your mucus production to further inflame your bronchial tubes.
Multiple bronchitis sufferers stand by the fact that dairy makes their symptoms worse, so avoiding dairy may help as a home remedy.
33. Avoid Cold Air
Cold air makes your symptoms worse when you have bronchitis, and needs to be avoided. Typically when the air is cold, it is also dry and your respiratory tract likes warm, moist air. Limit your exposure to cold air, and if you must be exposed to cold air grab a scarf.
A scarf used loosely over your nose and mouth will assist in warming the air as well as give your body a chance to add humidity to that air before it reaches your lungs.
34. Over-The-Counter Pain Relievers
A pain reliever or Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAIDs) Ibuprofen, Naprosyn, Naproxen, or Aspirin reduces inflammation. Any medical term ending in “itis” (like Bronchitis) means inflammation. These over-the-counter medications will help reduce bronchitis symptoms at home.
35. Expectorants (Avoid Cough Medicines)
Cough medicines get mixed reviews when used as a bronchitis home remedy. Some sources say to avoid cough medicines because they suppress the cough, which is needed to expel the phlegm. Other sources say they are okay to use, but get a cough medicine that contains an expectorant (or just get an expectorant by itself), as that will help thin the mucus so it can be expelled.
I would choose Mucinex for bronchitis, as it is only an expectorant and not a cough suppressant, you want to cough to clear your lungs. Have a box on hand (if you don’t already) and purchase Mucinex here.
Conclusion
We have covered a lot of information on bronchitis home remedies that I hope you have found beneficial. Remember that rest, and hydration is a great start to feeling better but don’t forget to add other remedies.
The remedies that work best for me (with rest/hydration) are my humidifier and propping myself up in bed, or using a quality bed wedge. Find what works best for you, and I hope you feel better soon.
I hope you have found this information beneficial and thank you for supporting AllergyPreventions.com. Please share the post to help others find remedies for their bronchitis without having to search all over the internet.
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