NaturalHome Remedies And Permanent Cure To Lower Respiratory Infections (2016/2017)

Introduction 

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are any infection of the sinuses, throat, airways or lungs.
They're usually caused by viruses, but can be caused by bacteria.
RTIs are thought to be one of the main reasons why people visit their GP or pharmacist. The common cold is the most widespread RTI.
Healthcare professionals generally make a distinction between:

• upper respiratory tract infections – which affect the nose, sinuses and throat
• lower respiratory tract infections – which affect the airways and lungs

Children tend to get more upper RTIs than adults because they haven't built up immunity (resistance) to the many viruses that can cause these infections.

How respiratory infections spread

RTIs can spread in several ways. If you have an infection such as a cold, tiny droplets of fluid containing the cold virus are launched into the air whenever you sneeze or cough. If these are breathed in by someone else, they may also become infected.
Infections can also be spread through indirect contact. For example, if you have a cold and you touch your nose or eyes before touching an object or surface, the virus may be passed to someone else when they touch that object or surface.
The best way to prevent spreading infections is to practise good hygiene, such as regularly washing your hands with soap and warm water.
Read more about preventing germs from spreading.

Upper respiratory tract infections

Common upper respiratory tract infections include:

• the common cold  
• tonsillitis – infection of the tonsils and tissues at the back of the throat
• sinusitis – infection of the sinuses
• laryngitis – infection of the larynx (voice box) 
• flu

A cough is the most common symptom of an upper RTI. Other symptoms include headaches, a stuffy or runny nose, a sore throat, sneezing and muscle aches.

Lower respiratory tract infections 

Common lower RTIs include:

• flu – which can affect either the upper or lower respiratory tract
• bronchitis – infection of the airways
• pneumonia – infection of the lungs
• bronchiolitis – an infection of the small airways that affects babies and children aged under two
• tuberculosis – persistent bacterial infection of the lungs

As with upper RTIs, the main symptom of a lower RTI is a cough. However, it's usually more severe and you may bring up phlegm and mucus. Other possible symptoms are a tight feeling in your chest, an increased rate of breathing, breathlessness and wheezing.

Managing your symptoms at home

Most RTIs pass without the need for treatment and you won't usually need to see your GP. You can treat your symptoms at home by taking over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, drinking plenty of fluids and resting.
In most cases, antibiotics aren't recommended because they're only effective if the infection is caused by bacteria.
The symptoms of an upper RTI usually pass within one to two weeks.

When you should see your GP

Visit your GP if:

• your symptoms suggest you may have pneumonia – for example, if you're coughing up bloody mucus and phlegm
• you have a pre-existing heart, lung, liver or kidney condition
• you have a long-term lung condition, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma 
• you have a condition that affects your nervous system, such as multiple sclerosis
• you have cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis
• you have a weakened immune system
• your cough has persisted for more than three weeks, you're losing weight, you have chest pain or if there are any lumps in your neck

It's also recommended that you visit your GP if you're over 65 years of age and you have a cough and two or more of the factors listed below, or you're over 80 years of age and have a cough and one of the following factors:

• you've been admitted to hospital at some point during the past year
• you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes
• you have a history of heart failure
• you're currently taking a type of steroid medication known as oral glucocorticoids – for example, prednisolone 

You can also ask your GP about any vaccines you can have to help protect against some RTIs. See the 'Adults' tab on The NHS vaccinations schedule page for more information about these.

What causes respiratory tract infections (RTIs)?

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) can be caused by viruses, bacteria and (less often) fungi.
Most common respiratory tract infections such as colds, sore throats, sinusitis and laryngitis are caused by viruses.
One type of virus can cause more than one type of RTI. For example, the viruses that cause a cold can also cause:

• sinus infections (sinusitis)
• throat infections (pharyngitis), 
• laryngitis (infection of the voice box)
• complications such as a middle ear infection (otitis media).

Bacteria can also cause RTIs, including serious infections such as pneumonia and whooping cough (pertussis). Sometimes bacteria can cause a second infection after you have had an RTI caused by a virus.
Find out more about different respiratory tract infections.

Who is at risk of respiratory tract infections?

Anyone can catch a respiratory tract infection, but some people are at more risk either of catching an infection, or from the complications of infection, especially:

• children younger than 5 years old, especially those born with heart or circulatory problems
• people aged 65 years or older, especially those living in a nursing home
• people with long-term health problems like type 1 or type 2 diabetes, heart or kidney disease
• pregnant women
• people who are very obese (Body Mass Index [BMI] of 35 or higher)
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• people with breathing problems due to asthma, cystic fibrosis, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, sometimes called emphysema)
• people with conditions that affect breathing including multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, and seizure disorders
• people with weakened immune systems (e.g. due to HIV, cancer and some medicines)
• homeless people
• people who smoke.

Antibiotics only work against bacteria — so they won’t help if your infection is caused by a virus. However, people who are generally unwell, or who have an ongoing health condition like the ones listed above, are at greater risk of complications from an RTI. They are more likely to benefit from antibiotics than other people.

What are the symptoms of a respiratory tract infection?

The symptoms of a respiratory tract infection (RTI) depend on:

• what part of the respiratory tract is affected
• what is causing the infection (a virus or bacteria)
• how severe the infection is.

For more information about the symptoms of common respiratory tract infections, follow the links below:

• bronchiolitis (infection of the small airways or bronchioles)
• bronchitis (infection of the large airways or bronchi)
• colds
• croup (infection of the trachea in children)
• influenza (widespread infection of the upper and lower respiratory tracts including the nose, throat, bronchi and, occasionally, lungs)
• laryngitis (infection of the larynx or voicebox)
• pneumonia (infection of the alveoli and surrounding lung tissue)
• sinusitis (infection of the sinuses)
• sore throat (or pharyngitis — an infection of the pharynx)
• tonsillitis (infection of the tonsils)
• whooping cough (pertussis).

Middle ear infections (otitis media) are a common complication of an RTI. Read more about the symptoms of a middle ear infection. If you are not sure which part of the body is which, use our diagram of the respiratory tract to find out more.

Medicines and treatments for respiratory tract infections

Many respiratory tract infections (RTIs) — such as colds, sore throats, and flu — will get better without any treatment.

The treatment that is right for your respiratory tract infection (RTI) will depend on:

• what type of infection you have (e.g. cold, sinusitis, tonsillitis, sore throat, pneumonia, flu)
• what is causing the infection (a virus or bacteria)
• what symptoms you have and how severe they are
• if you are at risk of complications of the infection (e.g. you have a medical condition such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]).

Find out more about treatments for particular infections on the condition page for each RTI.

It is important to tell your health professional about all the medicines you are taking — including prescription, over-the-counter and complementary medicines (herbal, ‘natural’, vitamins and mineral supplements) — as they may interact with your other medicines.

Antibiotics

Many RTIs are caused by a virus so antibiotics are of no use. Antibiotics don’t kill viruses.
If you are in generally good health, your immune system will take care of most respiratory tract infections caused by viruses and even some bacterial infections by itself. However antibiotics are more likely to be needed for:

• serious infections caused by bacteria like whooping cough
• people who have an ongoing health condition (such as asthma, type 1 or type 2 diabetes or lung disease)
• people who are older or in generally poor health
• people who are at more risk of complications, which are usually bacterial infections (for example older people are more likely to get serious complications from the flu).

Using antibiotics when you don’t need them can contribute to the problem of antibiotic resistance. Find out more about what antibiotic resistance is and what you can do to prevent it.

Medicines to manage your symptoms

There are medicines you can take to help manage the symptoms of respiratory tract infections. These include:

• paracetamol, and ibuprofen for relieving pain and fever
• decongestants and saline nasal sprays or drops for relieving a blocked nose.

Other options include:

• various combination 'cough and cold' and 'cold and flu' medicines
• complementary medicines (e.g. vitamin C, zinc, echinacea)
• antiviral treatments for flu (e.g. oseltamivir and zanamivir).

To find out more about managing the symptoms of a particular respiratory tact infection, see the relevant condition pages, or read our page about managing the symptoms of a respiratory tract infection.

Home Remedies Image Gallery

There are a number of home remedies for bronchitis that you can use to quell that hacking cough. See more home remedy tips and pictures.

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You thought you were finally shaking that cold, but this morning your cough is worse than ever. You're coughing up phlegm by the cupful, and it feels as if someone spent the night tap-dancing on your chest. You've probably developed acute bronchitis, an often painful infection in the major bronchial tubes (airways) leading to the lungs.
Acute bronchitis is most often caused by a virus, frequently the same one that causes colds, although the flu virus is a common culprit as well. (While acute bronchitis can also be caused by a bacteria or even a fungus, they're only rarely to blame.) Acute bronchitis often follows a cold or the flu, when resistance is down and the lungs may already be slightly irritated. Likewise, anyone whose immune resistance is low or who has any other type of chronic lung irritation or injury, especially from exposure to cigarette smoke or other toxic gases, is at increased risk of developing bronchitis. And the viruses that cause bronchitis can be passed to others much the same way cold and flu viruses are: An infected person coughs, spraying viral particles either into the air, where they can be breathed in by others, or onto their own hands, where they can be picked up when the person shakes hands with others.
There can be an irritated throat (from the coughing), burning or aching pain just beneath the breastbone, a feeling of tightness in the chest, wheezing or shortness of breath, and a "rattling" sensation in the lungs and chest. A low-grade fever, chills and achiness may also occur. The irritation caused by the virus in turn leaves the respiratory tract vulnerable to other complications, such as pneumonia.
If you have an underlying chronic disease or suffer from asthma, allergies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or any other serious respiratory or heart problem, you need to contact your doctor if you develop symptoms of acute bronchitis. Bronchitis symptoms in infants, the elderly or anyone else with a weak immune system should be treated by a physician. If you're otherwise healthy, however, you'll likely have to allow the infection to simply run its course. Antibiotics, after all, are useless against viral infections. Fortunately, acute bronchitis generally goes away on its own within a few days or a week, although the cough can sometimes linger for weeks or even months.
This doesn't mean you have to lie in bed, suffering, and wait for your body to defeat the virus. In this article, we'll examine ways to help your body heal from a bronchial infection and ease symptoms of the condition. Move on to the next section for some home remedies to alleviate the congestion and coughing of bronchitis.
This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.

Believe it or not, coughing is actually good for you. It's the body's way of eliminating the infection that causes bronchitis. So, instead of stifling a cough with an over-the-counter suppressant, help it along by using a warm- or cool-mist humidifier to add moisture to the air. (Take care to use and clean the humidifier according to the manufacturer's instructions.) The added humidity will help bring the sputum (matter that's coughed out of the body) up and out of the body. Standing in a steamy shower with the bathroom door closed, keeping a pan of water at a slow boil on the stove (never leave it unattended!), and using a tea kettle to shoot out warm, moist air can also help loosen and bring up phlegm. And if you have a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus oil to add to the water, these can be quite soothing.

Drinking fluids can help get rid of mucus.

© iStockphoto.com/Adam Kazmierski

Taking in extra liquids helps keep the sputum more fluid and therefore easier to expel. It doesn't really matter what type of liquid you drink, although tea, soup and other warm liquids may feel better than cold ones. As a bonus, warm fluids may also soothe the irritated throat that may result from all that coughing.
You can also use water for a steam treatment. Fill the sink with hot water, bend down to it, cover your head with a towel and breathe in the steam. Add a few drops of eucalyptus, peppermint or rosemary oil, if you have one of them. These help clear and soothe the respiratory passages.

Gargling with saltwater may provide a double dose of relief by soothing the inflammation in the throat and by cutting through some of the mucus that may be coating and irritating the sensitive throat membranes. It only takes one teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water; too much salt causes burning in the throat, and too little is ineffective. Gargle as often as needed, but be sure to spit the salty water out after gargling.

Since your bout with bronchitis probably followed on the heels of a cold or the flu, you may find it hard to sit still any longer. But walking around with bronchitis will only make you feel worse and slow your body's ability to fight the infection, so you'll need to take it easy a little longer. Those who won't be exposed to your germs will probably be thankful, too.

Steve Wisbauer/Photodisc/Getty Images

If a bout with bronchitis produces muscle pain in the chest, these anti-inflammatory medications may provide some relief. Acetaminophen doesn't have an anti-inflammatory effect and so may be less helpful. (Because of the risk of deadly reaction called Reye's syndrome, don't give aspirin to children; acetaminophen should be used instead.) For a list of precautions to take when using over-the-counter analgesics, click here.

Remember, coughing is your body's way of driving out the infection and keeping your breathing passages clear. The best cough remedies for bronchitis contain guaifenesin, which helps bring up sputum. But if you're at the end of your rope and can't bear another minute of hacking, especially if it's been keeping you from getting the sleep you need to recover, you can try a medicine that contains the cough suppressant dextromethorphan. Take it only as often as absolutely needed. Check with your doctor if you're unsure. Combination products should generally be avoided; decongestants, antihistamines, and alcohol (common ingredients in combination products) have no role in the treatment of coughs and may even increase discomfort by causing side effects. Most of the candy-type cough drops act as demulcents on the throat; in other words, their soothing properties are due largely to their sugar content.

While letting nature take its course is generally the best treatment for acute bronchitis, complications can sometimes occur, so you'll need to stay alert for signs that it's time to see your doctor. The most worrisome complications include pneumonia, sinus infection and ear infection, all of which need to be treated with prescription antibiotics. Signs that one or more of these complications may be present include a persistent high fever (not a typical characteristic of bronchitis), severe shortness of breath, prolonged coughing spells or a cough that lasts more than four to six weeks, severe chest pain, pain behind the eyes or ear pain. Be on the lookout for blood in your sputum or sputum that changes dramatically in color or consistency, and report it to your doctor. In addition, tell your doctor if you suffer frequent bouts of bronchitis, since you may be suffering from a more serious respiratory problem that requires medical treatment.

Almonds are full of health benefits.

Win Initiative/ Photodisc/Getty Images

These little cure-all nuts have loads of vitamins and nutrients, and they're said to help everything from mental acuity to sexual vitality. Rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium, almonds are especially known for their healing powers in respiratory illness. So when you're down with bronchitis, eat them in any form (except candy-coated or chocolate-covered). Sliver some almonds and garnish your veggies. They're good in a citrus fruit salad for a little added crunch or rubbed in a little honey, coated with cinnamon, and roasted in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 25 minutes.

To relieve the cough that comes from bronchitis, slice an onion into a bowl, then cover with honey. Allow to stand overnight, then remove the onion. Take 1 teaspoon of the honey, four times a day.
Onions are expectorants and help the flow of mucus. You can also eat onions raw, cooked, baked, in soups and stews or as seasoning.

It's a tart little fruit, but a lemon is incredibly useful.

Reggie Casagrande/Getty Images

These help rid the respiratory system of bacteria and mucus. Make a cup of lemon tea by grating 1 teaspoon lemon rind and adding it to 1 cup boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes. Or, you can boil a lemon wedge. Strain into a cup and drink. For a sore throat that comes from coughing, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice to 1 cup warm water and gargle. This helps bring up phlegm.

Ancient Romans and Greeks loved bay leaves. They believed that this simple herb was the source of happiness, clairvoyance and artistic inspiration. Whatever the case, it does act as an expectorant and is best taken in tea. To make the tea, tear a leaf (fresh or dried) and steep in 1 cup boiling water.
Another bronchitis remedy with bay leaf is to soak some leaves in hot water and apply as a poultice to the chest. Cover with a kitchen towel. As it cools, rewarm.

Thyme can help rid the body of mucus.

©iStockphoto.com/rja

Savory. This potent, peppery herb is said to rid the lungs of mucus. Use it as a tea by adding 1/2 teaspoon savory to 1 cup boiling water. Drink only once a day.
Thyme. This herb helps rid the body of mucus, strengthens the lungs to fight off infection, and acts as a shield against bacteria. Use it dried as a seasoning or make a tea by adding 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon thyme (it's a very strong herb, so you don't need much) to 1 cup boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes and sweeten with honey. If you have thyme oil on hand, dilute it (2 parts olive or corn oil to 1 part thyme oil) and rub on the chest to cure congestion.

The warmth of an old-fashioned mustard plaster relieves symptoms of many respiratory ailments, including bronchitis. Take 1 tablespoon dry mustard and mix with 4 tablespoons flour. Stir in enough warm water to make a runny paste. Oil the chest with vegetable shortening or olive oil, then spread the mustard mix on a piece of cloth -- muslin, gauze, a kitchen washcloth -- and cover with an identical piece. Apply to the chest. Keep in place until cool, but check every few minutes to make sure it doesn't burn the skin. Remove the plaster if it causes discomfort or burning.
Ginger is also a potent expectorant that works well in tea. Steep 1/2 teaspoon ginger, a pinch of ground cloves, and a pinch of cinnamon in 1 cup boiling water.

With bronchitis you're at risk for picking up another infection. Avoid crowds, children with colds, smoky rooms and contact with anyone who has a cold or flu. Wear gloves or a mask if you have to, and wash your hands often.
To see all of our home remedies and the conditions they treat, go to our main Home Remedies page. For preventive measures against infections of the respiratory tract, see How to Prevent Respiratory Infections.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:Timothy Gower is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in many publications, including Reader's Digest, Prevention, Men's Health, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. The author of four books, Gower is also a contributing editor for Health magazine.
Alice Lesch Kelly is a health writer based in Boston. Her work has been published in magazines such as Shape, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, Reader's Digest, Eating Well, and Health. She is the co-author of three books on women's health.
Linnea Lundgren has more than 12 years experience researching, writing, and editing for newspapers and magazines. She is the author of four books, including Living Well With Allergies.
Michele Price Mann is a freelance writer who has written for such publications as Weight Watchers and Southern Living magazines. Formerly assistant health and fitness editor at Cooking Light magazine, her professional passion is learning and writing about health.
ABOUT THE CONSULTANTS:Ivan Oransky, M.D., is the deputy editor of The Scientist. He is author or co-author of four books, including The Common Symptom Answer Guide, and has written for publications including the Boston Globe, The Lancet, and USA Today. He holds appointments as a clinical assistant professor of medicine and as adjunct professor of journalism at New York University.
David J. Hufford, Ph.D., is university professor and chair of the Medical Humanities Department at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine. He also is a professor in the departments of Neural and Behavioral Sciences and Family and Community Medicine. Dr. Hufford serves on the editorial boards of several journals, including Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine and Explore.