8 ways to improve bronchitis yourself

Getting more rest, drinking enough water, eating healthy meals, and pursed lip breathing will help people with bronchitis reduce coughing and throat discomfort.

Rest and drink plenty of water

The main symptoms of bronchitis are fatigue due to infection and persistent cough. Meanwhile, sleep can boost immunity, support recovery after illness, repair tissue damage and create new tissue. At the same time, getting enough sleep helps release important hormones, regenerating the body's energy. Therefore, people with bronchitis should rest a lot and get enough sleep.

Adults need 7-8 hours of sleep and children need 10-12 hours of sleep a day, no change for people with bronchitis. When sleeping, people should use a pillow to raise their head, making breathing easier, reducing mucus in the chest.

Bronchitis is a lower respiratory tract infection that can cause further dehydration due to fever, rapid breathing, runny nose, vomiting, and diarrhea. Severe dehydration can lead to dizziness, confusion, headaches, and increased discomfort in the mouth and throat. Therefore, people with bronchitis are advised to drink plenty of fluids.

Drinking enough water also helps reduce mucus in the chest, nose, and moistens the throat. Patients should change between water, fruit juice, herbal tea, soup, and broth to avoid getting bored of drinking a lot of water.

Use a humidifier

Low humidity and cold temperatures are conducive to respiratory infections. Low humidity irritates the nose and throat, and can cause itchy eyes and dry skin. Warm, moist air helps loosen the mucus in your chest when you have bronchitis, making it easier for your body to expel.

However, humidifiers are also a breeding ground for mold and bacteria if not properly maintained and cleaned. When the humidifier is too high, it can cause respiratory problems and allergic and asthma attacks.

If you don’t want to use a humidifier, you can moisten the air by boiling water on the stove for 5 minutes, every hour. You can also add a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil to the boiling water and steam for a few minutes to relieve symptoms.

Quit smoking

Smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis. Smoking damages the bronchial tubes in the lungs, disrupting the body's ability to defend against infection. Inhaling smoke causes a person with bronchitis to cough violently.

Quitting smoking will reduce lung damage and reduce the risk of acute bronchitis in the future. In addition, people should avoid dust and chemicals by wearing masks, not going to areas with air pollution, and cleaning the air conditioning system in the house as recommended.

Bronchitis causes patients to cough and feel tired, requiring them to rest a lot and drink enough water. Photo: Freepik — Bronchitis causes patients to cough and feel tired, requiring them to rest a lot and drink enough water. Photo: *Freepik*

Treat body aches and pains

People can take over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen to relieve symptoms of bronchitis, such as fever, headache, and aches. Families should not give aspirin to children or teenagers because of the risk of Reye's syndrome. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen, can be dangerous for people with asthma.

Avoid over-the-counter cough suppressants

There are two types of over-the-counter cough suppressants: cough suppressants and expectorants, which thin and clear mucus from the airways. People should not use cough suppressants when they have phlegm. When the lining of the bronchial tubes is inflamed by irritants, excess mucus is produced, causing frequent coughing to clear pathogens from the lungs and airways.

There is little scientific evidence that cough medicines are more effective than other folk remedies, such as honey and lemon. However, honey should not be given to infants or children under one year of age because it can cause botulism.

Pursed lip breathing

People with chronic bronchitis often breathe rapidly. Pursed lip breathing can help slow down breathing and control shortness of breath. It helps reduce the frequency of breathing, keeps the airways open for longer periods of time, and increases physical activity.

To practice pursed lip breathing, people should inhale through their nose for a count of two, then exhale slowly and gently through slightly pursed lips, while counting to four.

Soothe a sore throat

Sore throat is a common symptom of bronchitis. People can relieve a sore throat by gargling with salt water, drinking cool or warm fluids, eating soft foods, and using cough drops, hard candy, ice cubes, or over-the-counter throat sprays. Lozenges should not be given to children under 4 years of age to avoid choking.

Eat healthy

An unhealthy diet reduces immunity because the body is not provided with enough energy, macronutrients, and specific micronutrients. For example, a lack of vitamin C causes the body to not produce enough white blood cells to fight infection.

A healthy diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; fat-free and low-fat dairy products; and limited saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, salt, and sugar.

People should also supplement with probiotics. When consumed as food or supplements, probiotics help boost immunity, prevent respiratory infections, and reduce the severity of symptoms of chronic bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis usually resolves on its own and can be treated at home with rest, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and adequate hydration for about 3 weeks. If you have a cough that lasts longer than 3 weeks, or if you have blood in your mucus, shortness of breath, chest pain, drowsiness, or fever for more than 3 days, you should see a doctor for timely treatment.

Chile (According to Medical News Today )

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