Help me Breathe!!!...m

[Scattymum]

For all of you that use natural/alternative therapies - I need your help!

I have a horrible Chest Infection, everytime I cough It feels like and sounds like I've bought up my lungs, I am constantly coughing up Phlegm ( sorry if TMI ), have not slept for the last 2 nights as everytime I lie back a little I just start coughing, I'm really wheezy, cant stop blowing my nose, ache and have a slight temp


I do not do Doctors, I have no faith in the ones around here at all - all they will do is prescribe me an antibiotic which will have no effect as most chest infections are caused by Viruses. Antibiotics are always the first thing a doc will do and I dont do antibiotics either unless its really necessary( okay Ill get off my soapbox now )

So I have tried aromatherapy rubs, been taking honey and lemon mixture, buring combinations of eucalyptos, menthol,lemon and tea tree, it is helping a bit but I still cant breathe too well. The pain I can cope with but it would help to breathe abit easier LOL. I've had a couple of hot whiskys and they helped but I cant really do that during the day when I'm supposed to be minding the kids , that wouldnt look good!

So what kind of remedies could anyone recommend?

[Englishlady]

Rachael you already have it established, so it is a case of shortening the duration.

I would take Vitamin C ( the fizzy ones you dilute with water) to which I would add a dose of Echinacea and take this three times a day.

Margery's "up the nose tea tree" oil tip really helps too, and may help not pass the germs on round and around the house........

At night time I would " deep steam" my chest/throat ( boiling water in a basin into which I had added Menthol oil, head over bowel, towel over head to make a "tent") do that for a good ten mins...........

Then I would take a dose of Vegetable glycerine, which is nice and viscous so " greases" the back of the irritable throat.
Brush your teeth afterwards though

When you go to bed prop your self up a bit with pillows, this helps with the congestion ( made worse by laying down ) add a drop or two of the menthol oil to the pillow, if you have a temp a couple of Paracetamol will help.

During the day Sudafed ( Boot's own version is cheapest) is a good decongestant and will unbung the crud and it will flow.......
But DO NOT take it at night it will keep you awake!


if you don't have any of the above don't forget to add 'em to your shopping list for your trip over...........Vit C's from Superdrug £1.89 a tube for 20.
Echinacea liquid from Holland & Barretts, Vegetable Glycerine from Boot's, the oils pretty much any of the above.


HTH?
Hope you feel better soon!

[Scattymum]

thanks Karen, I just been and done the tea tree up the nose, it stung a bit but then when I breathed in I got quite a head rush LOL.

I'm going to send DH down into town to get some Vitamin C and Sudafed - by the time I'm finished all these bugs in my system are going to wish they hadnt picked on me!!

Dec swears it got worse because he had to use Scotch Whisky in the Hot Hoddy Instead of Irish Whisky. Men! he reckons I should stop *messing with potions* and try a few more hot whiskys made with *decent* stuff ( no offence meant to anyone scottish! )

Ciara is being very amusing, she made me a bed on the settee with a duvet and pillow and made me lie down and then in the next breathe she is asking me to go and make her a cheese toastie
ah well, i'm sure ill be back to my usual self soon!

[zakity]

When I had bronchitis, a friend recommended mullien (think that is spelled correctly). I never could find it (crappy local natural stores).

I took really hot showers and "steamed" myself. I also tried to drink alot of hot liquids.

Good luck on getting over it quickly. I hate chest things.

[canadian gardener]

Mullein is great. Buy it at a herbal health food store or natural remedy place, and make a tea and drink it. It breaks up the mucous so you can cough it up easier.

Ditto the tea tree oil.

Also chop a clove of garlic and swallow it every few hours.

As mentioned the Sudafed, and any couph syrup containing a healthy snort of something called guafenisein. Those are at a drug store and will help clean up and clear up the mucous.

BTW viruses may start a chest infection, but after 10 days they are done, and if your chest is still infected it's a bacterial over infection that came in while your system was weakened by the virus.

The rule of thumb is after 2 weeks of coughing and congestion, if it's not getting better you are looking at a bacterial infection which will run it's course over time, but may also worsen into pleurisy or pneumonia.

There are natural remedies for that, but people also used to die from them too when that was all that was available.

I use both.

I've nursed friends thru who needed all the help they can get. One friend I was nursing at home was using several naturopathic tricks, some physio I learnt in nursing and she was also on antibiotics. I was over there every 4 hours during the day doing chest clapping, steam wraps, and some postural drainage to get her lungs clear. She was using garlic, and a herbal tincture along with antibiotics.

I was getting ready to try the old mustard plasters if that didn't do it but she pulled thru and turned the corner.

The problem with letting a bacterial infection go on too long is that it severely weakens the immune system and the surrounding tissue making it more likely for you to get sick again, or develop a chronic problem. That's presuming it doesn't turn into a pleurisy or pneumonia.

Take care and I hope you feel better soon.

[Scattymum]

Thanks Margery for your advice

If this carries on too much then of course i will go to a dr, I really wouldnt want it to worsen :0

I just have a problem taking antibiotics, the misuse and over prescription of antibiotics as a first defence causing superbugs is something that really interests and concerns me both( I trained as a biotechnologist/microbiologist and worked in the research field before I had a family). I just prefer to take the natural route when I can.



right I'm off to take some Garlic - DH is going to love me tonight!!

[lilk]

I don't have alot to add but have you tried Vick's on your chest and throat? Get plenty of rest and drink up! (chicken brooth that is, he! he!
Feel better soon.

[MOMMYDEAREST]

hello i'm a nursing student & my instructor has always told us that "orange juice" really helps a viral infection. i swear by it!!!! everytime the kids or i or hubby starts getting a cough, i go straight out & buy some orange juice. orange juice has so many different vitamins in it......that are good for you. i hope you feel better soon because you know us moms can NEVER be sick.....lol!!!!

[many houseapes]

concerning the chest...tyme-fenugreek..or even plain fenugreek tincture and an increase of vitamin A to keep that yucky stuff loosened in your lungs...breathe easy tea is good; it has ephedra in it(natural), mega doses of vit.C and echinacea(for the first 24-48 hrs after starting to take it).......a humidifier is a good idea, using a vapor rub in the steamer....one trick that I have learned when I have a bad cough...lay on your side and you don't cough as much....just keep an eye on your health -things like this could turn into pneumonia and herbs can only do so much. Many prayers for your recovery