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Treatment For Nasal and Chest Congestions

Chest Congestion Treatments (Homemade and Medical):

Steam in considered to be quite effective in relieving chest congestion. All you need to do is inhale steam for around 10 minutes. You will experience immediate relief. This home remedy helps to loosen the mucus in the respiratory tract so that it drains out faster.

A hot bath or shower is also known to be helpful in fighting chest congestion. It is quite similar to steam inhalation as the steam during the bath or shower helps to loosen the mucus stuck in the respiratory tract.

Eucalyptus oils helps immensely, especially if the congestion is due to acute bronchitis. When doing steam inhalation, add around 3 to 4 drops of the oil into the water. It will soothe the sores throat muscles and help to make breathing easier.

Ginger is also quite effective, especially if the congestion is quite bad. In order to take ginger, boil some water, add around two pieces of fresh ginger and then add tea leaves. Allow the concoction to brew like normal tea, strain and drink.

Although it may sound strange, but spicy food is known to help with chest congestion. In order to loosen the mucus stuck in the respiratory tract, try eating food that has chili, black pepper or jalapeños.

Gargling with hot water laced with honey and lemon is also known to relieve the symptoms of chest congestion. You can also drink this concoction to get the same effect.

Besides all the above home remedies, it is also advisable to increase your fluid intake. Drink around 10 glasses of water and fresh fruit juice to get rid of the mucus.

Nasal Congestion Treatments (Homemade and Medical):

Over-the-counter medications treat symptoms but do nothing to treat the cause. In situations where symptoms are mild no treatment is necessary. Your child's natural defenses will heal the problem with time. By "jumping in" with the use of medications you may be interfering with his body's natural healing processes and prolong the symptoms (particularly if the wrong medication is used).

Where symptoms are more debilitating or distressing for your baby/child medications may be helpful. No remedy works well for all children and all remedies can cause side effects. The advantages and disadvantages of using medication needs to be carefully weighed up. As you can see there are lots of different causes of nasal congestion in babies.

There are also many different types of remedies used to treat different symptoms. Each one can acts in a different way. Be sure you understand their purpose before giving your child medications.

Saline nasal drops or sprays - A saline solution of 0.9% sodium chloride in water is available in nasal mists, sprays and drops from your local chemist or drug store. Saline nasal drops or sprays can be helpful to wash out the nose, which may assist in relieving congested nose due to "irritants". Saline nasal drops can also be used to moistens nasal passages irritated by dry air. However, they will do little to relieve a congested baby from other causes. Saline solution, which is a similar consistency to tears, contains no medications and can be used liberally at your discretion.

Chest rubs - Chest rubs make you feel as though they are helping because camphor, menthol and eucalyptus oil makes nasal passages more sensitive to cold air. However, studies have shown chest rubs offer no proven benefit in reducing the symptoms of congested nose or nasal discharge. (Chest rubs or vaporizer fluids do not contain a decongestant). Chest rubs can be irritating when placed directly onto your baby's skin.

Nasal aspirators - If your child is too young to blow his nose, an infant nasal aspirator (bulb) may help to remove some of the mucus. If the nasal discharge is thick and sticky, loosen it by putting 2 or 3 saline nasal drops into each nostril. Because blocked nose is due to inflamed blood vessels and not blockage from thick mucus, trying to remove the mucus will provide only minor, temporary benefit. The upset to your child in clearing his nose using a nasal aspirator may not be worth it, so it is not essential that you do so.