Home Remedies for Bronchitis to Relieve Cough and Congestion
Bronchitis is one of the most common illnesses in the world, so chances are, you’ve had it at some point. And if you have, you know what a pain its symptoms can be—persistent coughing, heavy congestion, and nasty phlegm, to name a few.
“Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of the large airways of the lungs,” says Wassim Labaki, MD, a pulmonologist at the University of Michigan Pulmonary Clinic. It’s usually caused by a viral infection, and aside from coughing, congestion, and sputum, it can also be accompanied by headaches, a sore or itchy throat, fatigue, and muscle aches.
It makes sense, then, why bronchitis is a common diagnosis for those who hit up their doctors once those symptoms present. “Viral upper respiratory infections (bronchitis) account for over 30 million office visits per year,” says Philip Barr, MD, an integrative medicine physician at Duke University.
But the truth is, if you visit your doctor for treatment of your bronchitis, he or she is likely to point you right back to your medicine cabinet at home, since antibiotics don’t help treat viral infections, says Dr. Barr.
However, it’s still a good idea to visit your doc if you’re experiencing bronchitis-like symptoms, since he or she will need to consider other non-viral causes, such as bacteria and non-infectious causes, says Dr. Barr. But chances are, you can treat the symptoms right from the comfort of your own bed. Here, 10 home remedies for bronchitis that will have you feeling better in no time.
Use a humidifier
This is especially true if you’re experiencing bronchitis during the dry, colder months. A humidifier helps keep moisture in the air, which will ultimately ease your nasal congestion. “Using a humidifier can be helpful, especially as fall rolls in and we start turning on the drying heat in our homes,” says Dr. Barr. “The drying effect of a home’s heat can make the mucous take longer to clear.”
Want to go double duty? “Running a humidifier with essential oils may help thin mucus and ease coughing,” says Jonathan Parsons, MD, director of the Asthma Center at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Although its effectiveness has yet to be validated through large studies, it could still provide a sense of relief.
Sip hot tea with honey
If your mom ever gave you tea with honey before bed to help ease your cough, she was on the right track. Tea helps you stay hydrated, says Dr. Labaki, and honey has some research backing its benefits for coughs. (Check out these teas that may help soothe a sore throat.)
In one study, children with respiratory infections were given honey before bed, and it significantly improved their ability to sleep while experiencing coughing. Plus, if nothing else, the honey can give your tea a sweet kick.
Inhale vapors from a steaming pan
So you’ve already made that chicken soup, and now you have some steaming kitchen tools in your purview. Possibly the easiest home remedy for bronchitis? Inhale those vapors to help loosen up mucus and suppress a cough.
Just be careful not to burn yourself, says Dr. Barr. Simply stand above the pot or kettle, and place a light towel over your head to create a bit of a tent. Inhale the steam until it completely evaporates.
Similar to a humidifier, there might also be a benefit of adding aromatherapy to those vapors, such as eucalyptus oil, but the research is still lagging. If you have medicated VapoRub at your disposal, you can also try adding a teaspoon of that into a pot of clean boiling water. Let it cool for a minute, and continue with inhaling the steam, Woodson Merrell, MD, author of The Detox Prescription .
