Try Herbal Remedies From The Ginger Family
When it comes to food-based natural home remedies for a chest infection, ginger is a great nutrient to consider. The roots of a ginger plant are widely used for food and natural medicinal purposes around the world.
Ginger has a strong odor that is useful for clearing the nasal airways. A study shows that ginger has bioactive components and antioxidants that reduce oxidative damage due to stress.
It also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relax the airways in the lungs and fight against fever that occurs during a chest infection. Therefore, adding ginger to your diet, taking it in the form of juice, or drinking it in your tea can naturally help treat your body from a chest infection.
Chest Infection Treatments For Clear Lungs
by Respiratory Therapy Zone | Health Essentials
Are you experiencing shortness of breath, persistent coughing, yellow or green mucus, fever, muscle pain, fatigue, and/or achiness? If so, then you may be suffering from a chest infection.
Just know that you are not alone in this condition. Chest infections are common and often come after or along with the flu or common cold. Sometimes theyre mild and can go away on their own but there are some natural treatments that you can use to help speed up the process.
In this article, were going to cover some of the best natural chest infection treatments that can help clear up your lungs and make breathing easier. So, if youre ready, lets get into it.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article are affiliate links which means, at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Can Apple Cider Vinegar Help Respiratory Problems
Apple cider vinegar has health properties that may be beneficial for people with asthma, but as of yet no high-quality studies have been published that specifically looked at ACV’s effect on asthma symptoms and proved the tonic helps alleviate the symptoms of the chronic breathing condition, explains Maeve O’Connor, MD …
Don’t Miss: What Antibiotic Used For Staph Infection
Antibiotics For Cough From Other Causes
While its not likely that youll be prescribed antibiotics for bronchitis, it is possible that youll need antibiotics for an incessant cough caused by another bacteria.
An infection called whooping cough is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis and can cause a lingering cough. Luckily, its prevented in most cases by the pertussis vaccine, which has reduced whooping cough infections drastically.
If you havent been vaccinated against whooping cough , its possible a cough could be caused by the pertussis bacteria.
The symptoms of pertussis are very similar to those of bronchitis. They include initial cold-like symptoms, including:
- A sniffly, runny nose
- A mild, occasional cough
- Unusual pauses in breathing
In pertussis, especially in those who havent been vaccinated, these symptoms worsen and develop into unusual coughing fits with an accompanying high-pitched whoop sound. This usually happens one to two weeks after the initial infection.
These coughing fits can cause exhaustion and vomiting, and can last a long timeup to 10 weeks or more.
Pertussis infections are treated with antibiotics, and early treatment is essential to ease symptoms and prevent the spread of the disease.
Also, try to stay away from others, especially those too young to be vaccinated. Whooping cough is extremely dangerous to infants.
Antibiotics commonly prescribed to treat pertussis include:
- Zithromax
- Robimycin
Natural Antibiotics To Fight Infection
Here are 14 of the best time-tested natural antibiotics used to kill bacteria and reverse life threatening infections.
Antibiotics can be lifesavers: They kill bacteria that can cause serious illness or death. In 1909, the first true modern synthetic antibiotic was created in the search for a cure for syphilis. It was very successful and was used into the 1940s when it was replaced by penicillin.
These and other antibiotics have been used to treat a countless number of people and prevent the spread of life-threatening infection. The discovery of antibiotics was a tremendous advance in modern medicine. Over time, Western medicine came to rely on them to treat even non-bacterial infections. Antibiotics work only against bacteria and not viruses, yeasts, fungi, or mold. Misusing and over-prescribing antibiotics have greatly reduced their efficacy, leading to the development of resistant microbes that stopped responding to antibiotic treatment.
Bacteria, like all living organisms, will adapt in order to survive. The number of people who die from an infection caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria is growing.
This resistance may reach into the greater environment a 2010 study asked the questions of what the consequences of that might be. It is too soon to tell.
Antibiotics have been used since ancient timesbut not the synthetic kind. Traces of tetracycline were found in bones dating from before the Common Era.
Read Also: Buy Antibiotics For Bv Online
Complementary And Alternative Therapies
Many patients also use nonprescription, alternative medications for relief of their bronchitis symptoms. Studies have assessed the benefits of echinacea, pelargonium, and honey. Trials of echinacea in patients with bronchitis and the common cold have yielded inconsistent results, although studies showing positive results have been modest at best.25 Several randomized trials have evaluated pelargonium as a therapy for bronchitis. 2628 Modest benefits have been noted, primarily in symptom scoring by patients.27 In one randomized trial, patients taking pelargonium for bronchitis returned to work an average of two days earlier than those taking placebo.28
One recent trial examined the effectiveness of dark honey for symptom relief in children with bronchitis compared with dextromethorphan or placebo. Although the authors concluded that symptom scores from patients treated with dark honey were superior to those treated with placebo, the clinical benefit was small.29
How Your Healthcare Provider Chooses
Your healthcare provider will only prescribe antibiotics for bronchitis if they think bacteria are causing your symptoms and youre at high risk of the infection not resolving on its own.
If a virus causes your bronchitis, they wont give you antibiotics because the antibiotics wouldnt do anything. If youre young and generally healthy, they probably wont prescribe anything either.
A Cochrane report last updated in 2017 found little evidence that antibiotics help acute bronchitis in healthy people, but recommended further study for patients that are elderly, frail, or have other conditions that may make bronchitis worse.
When considering treatment, your healthcare provider will look at:
- If youve had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic in the past
- Other health conditions, like autoimmune diseases, heart conditions, and lung conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Your history with smoking or vaping
- The oxygen levels in your blood
If your practitioner decides to prescribe an antibiotic, the treatment they choose will be based on your medical history, personal details, symptoms, diagnosis, and test results.
Don’t Miss: Top Antibiotics For Sinus Infection
Working With Your Doctor
If you have chronic bronchitis, talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program. They can help you determine how much exercise to do each week, which types are right for you, and how to schedule your exercise around medication use.
Your doctor can also monitor your progress to help you reach your exercise goals without overdoing it.
One way to do this is by using the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale. This is a scale you can use to measure your exertion level during exercise. The scale is based on your own level of exertion.
For example, walking a mile in 20 minutes may be a 9 on your exertion scale, but it could be a 13 on a friends scale.
Borg rating of perceived exertion scale
| Exertion rating |
When To See A Healthcare Provider
While many cases of bronchitis can be treated at home, certain signs could indicate that its time to see your healthcare provider. If you develop a fever, check in with your practitioners office and ask if you need to be seen.
Also see your practitioner if your symptoms are not improving after 10 days or they start to worsen. If you develop shortness of breath or notice that you are coughing up bloody mucus, seek care right away.
Finally, talk with your healthcare provider if you have been experiencing frequent episodes of bronchitis, as you may require further testing and treatment.
Also Check: How To Treat Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria
Proven Remedies To Treat Bronchitis
Bronchitis is especially annoying because the cough can last for weeks, even after the infection is gone. So what can you do?
First, make sure you actually have bronchitis. If youre unsure or you have a high fever, see your doctor to rule out more serious problems like pneumonia, Dr. Ford advises.
If you are battling bronchitis, expect your cough to last several frustrating weeks. Bronchitis is almost always caused by a virus. That means antibiotics wont help, and theres not much you can do to speed up the recovery process.
While youll have to practice patience as you recover, though, these tricks might help you at least feel a little better while you wait.
What Is An All Natural Antibiotic
So what does the term “all-natural antibiotic” really mean? Well, it’s used to describe plants, herbs, supplements, or other natural substances that display very strong antimicrobial properties and functional and integrative medicine experts often recommend them for infections like mild UTI’s , travelers diarrhea, candida infection in the gut, or to use right at the first sign of a cough, sore throat, or cold.
It’s important to know that these natural antibiotics have limitations and aren’t always the right solution. As with any infection, it’s highly important to talk to your physician and never self-diagnose and treat yourself. Sometimes, you can actually make your symptoms worse or end up in the emergency room, causing more harm than good.
You May Like: How Long Does It Take To Cure Uti Without Antibiotics
The Bottom Line On Beating Bronchitis
The best way to avoid illness is to eat a healthy diet, and live a healthy lifestyle every day. But illness is still going to happen occasionally. When bronchitis strikes, natural remedies are the best first line of defense that may also improve overall health.
This article was medically reviewed by Madiha Saeed, MD, a board certified family physician. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Have you treated bronchitis naturally in your home? What was your experience?
Is There Really Such A Thing As An All
Natural antibiotics are a term we hear a lot in integrative and functional medicine community, but it’s difficult to understand exactly what they really are. Are they a replacement for your Z-Pack? Something you can use in conjunction with other conventional treatments? For which types of conditions do they work best? Understandable, there are a lot of questions to be answered.
As integrative and functional medicine gain popularity, and as we learn more about the downside of traditional antibioticslike overprescription and the rise of antibiotic resistancepatients are asking more and more about natural antibiotic therapy, so let’s dive in.
Don’t Miss: Antibiotics Used To Treat Staph Infection
Utilize Humidity And Steam Inhalation
One reason that symptoms get worse during a chest infection is because of dryness in the nasal passages. Humidity and steam inhalation is a great way to counter this.
A humidifier produces steam and disperses it throughout the room. Then it can easily be inhaled into the airways to provide relief and loosen up secretions.
If youre on a budget, another quick way to inhale steam is to simply take a hot shower. The natural steam that is created offers similar benefits and occurs without you having to spend any extra of your hard-earned dollars.
How To Use It
Primary Uses: Internal, general colds, flu, ear infections, immune system booster
Cooking your garlic to add a flavor bomb to your food is perfectly fine. But if you want to use it medicinally, it needs to be raw.
Thats because when you cook or dry garlic, you destroy the ingredients that are responsible for its antibiotic effects.
To get all the antibiotic goodness from garlic, this is what I do
- For Skin Infections: Combine 1 tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil with 1 clove of crushed garlic. Place the garlic in the oil and let it sit for 30 minutes, then strain. Set in a cup thats sitting in warm water if you want it warmed. Place a few drops of the oil on the infected area. Alternatively you can dilute one drop of garlic essential oil in the tbsp. of coconut / olive oil.
- For Ear Infections: According to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, you can use the above garlic-infused oil to treat ear infections. Take the oil, slightly warm it and put a few drops in the affected ear hourly. This will also help loosen up ear wax buildup.
- To Boost The Immune System: Crush 1 clove of raw garlic. Crushing is better than chewing so your breath wont be as bad and you wont lose any friends with your rancid breath in the process ?. Swallow the garlic and youre all set. Consume once per day.
Recommended Reading: Oral Antibiotics For Dog Eye Infection
Anyone Who’s Suffered From Bronchitis Knows What A Pain It Can Be But If You Treat Yourself Right With These Simple Home Remedies You Can Help Clear Your Bronchitis In No Time
Home remedies for bronchitis are actually your best bet when it comes to treatment. Research trials have shown that antibiotics are not effective for the treatment of bronchitis. Despite evidence of ineffectiveness and clear guidelines in the medical world, the prescribing rate for acute bronchitis has actually risen. Research suggests you may not want to bother with cough medicine either.
Avoidance of antibiotic overuse for acute bronchitis should be a cornerstone of quality health care, wrote the authors of a 2014 study published in The JAMA Network Journals. Heres how to get rid of bronchitis, with help from a few natural remedies.
Your goal when you have bronchitis? Thin the phlegm in your chest and get it moving, so you can cough it up and out. The most direct approach to your lungs is the air you breathe, so inhalation treatments are a first resort. Think of them as a steam cleaning for your airways. The right food and drink can also help to keep mucus on the move. Let your boss know you wont be in to the office if you have any of these signs you should call in sick.
At the same time, youll want to get some germ-fighters into your bodys ecosystem so the bugs that cling to that mucus are mightily discouraged. Heres how to proceed:
What Are The Best Upper Respiratory Infection Home Remedies
There are several home remedies that have stood the test of time including chicken soup and clear, hot broths. Soups of all kinds are a great way to pack a lot of healthy ingredients into a nourishing meal while also helping with hydration. Ingredients to consider adding besides your favorite vegetable or preferred meats include garlic, cayenne, ginger, and other warming spices. Root vegetables and other plant fibersâincluding fermented vegetablesâalso help support your gut flora, which impacts your immune system signaling in numerous ways.
In general, when fighting a cold itâs a good idea to avoid âcold foods,â which are foods that are harder for your body to digest, like dairy, and increase your intake of warming foods, like soups or teas. Spicy foods, in particular, are great at improving blood flow, which can help increase the movement of mucus as well. All in all, itâs important to distinguish that there is no way to âcureâ a cold, either with natural remedies or prescribed medicines since colds are caused by viruses that constantly mutate. Rather, natural home remedies can help reduce the time of infection, keep our bodies strong, and better manage symptoms.
You May Like: Antibiotic For H Pylori Bacteria
When To Use Prescribed Antibiotics
Due to the current increase in drug-resistant diseases, most doctors do not prescribe antibiotics unless they are effective and necessary.
Antibiotics are most often prescribed to:
- prevent the spread of infectious diseases
- prevent a condition from becoming more serious or fatal
- speed recovery from illness or injury
- prevent the development of complications
If a person is prescribed antibiotics, they should take the entire dosage as directed. This is especially encouraged in people with a higher risk of bacterial infection, or who face greater risks if they become ill, such as people who are:
- scheduled for surgery
Can Acute Bronchitis Be Prevented Or Avoided
You can help prevent acute bronchitis by staying healthy and avoiding germs. Wash your hands with soap often to kill any contagious viruses.
If you smoke, the best defense against acute bronchitis is to quit. Smoking damages your bronchial tubes and puts you at risk for infection. Smoking also slows down the healing process.
Other steps you can take to avoid acute bronchitis include:
- Wear a mask over your nose and mouth when using lung irritants. These could include paint, paint remover, or varnish.
- Ask your doctor if you should get a pneumonia shot, especially if you are over age 60.
Recommended Reading: How To Treat Bacterial Infection Without Antibiotics
