Cough and wheezing are warning signs that your throat or upper respiratory tract is inflamed or irritated. With some precautions and home remedies you can stop wheezing and get relieved of the discomfort.
Wheezing can prevent you from having a sound sleep and it can irritate and tire you. It is a very common respiratory problem.
Mild episodes of wheezing can be treated at home, but severe wheezing requires proper diagnosis before deciding a path of recovery. You must meet your doctor in such cases.
What is Wheezing and What Causes it?
Wheezing is a high pitched whistling sound produced during inhaling and exhaling process by the narrowed down airways due to mucus or other foreign substances. The whistling sound is more prominent during exhalation.
Wheezing may be a symptom of a serious underlying problem, so do not ignore wheezing as a passing phase. You must get the cause investigated and treated.
Since the whistling sound in wheezing is induced by narrowing of the airways, any obstruction, benign or serious, ranging from allergic reactions, infections to tumors can cause wheezing.
There are a number of causes for wheezing, but asthma is the most common cause and asthma home remedies can work very well in those cases. Some of the other causes are as under:
- Allergies - particularly from insect bites or side effect of a medicine.
- Chronic Bronchitis and other chronic conditions that abnormally changes bronchial tubes inhibiting clearing of mucus such as bronchiectasis and brochiolitis
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and other lung diseases
- Emphysema
- Epiglottitis
- GERD or Acid Reflux
- Heart failure
- Lung cancer
- Pneumonia
- Sleep apnea
- Smoking
Certain medications particularly aspirin can also cause wheezing.
If you notice wheezing problems first time and home remedies are not able to stop it then you must see a doctor, particularly if it is followed by difficulties in breathing.
Some wheezing calls for emergency treatment particularly if it is just after being stung by a bee or by taking allergy causing food or medication. If you see your skin turning bluish momentarily then it is also a serious condition.
Barring the above circumstances, most wheezing conditions can be stopped with home remedies.
Home Remedies to Stop Wheezing
The whole objective is to clear airways to stop wheezing. Whatever helps in clearing the airways will stop wheezing. Depending on the severity and individual acceptance many of the following remedies will help you stop wheezing.
1. Warm and Humid Environment
Cold and dry conditions do not let the airways clear, where as warm and humid conditions make the mucus moist and clear it out easily from the airways.
So if you are in a cold and dry outdoor environment, then move to warm and humid indoors. Sit down in a steamy bathroom for sometime or turn on the humidifier in the sitting room.
2. Avoid Tobacco Smoke
Tobacco smoke can worsen the wheezing as the smoke irritates the airways. Both active and passive tobacco smoke have equally bad impact on wheezing. So avoid all possible exposure to cigarette smoke.
If you are an active smoker, wheezing is particularly a warning sign to stop smoking. If you are not a smoker then it is always better to avoid inhaling passive tobacco smoke.
3. Drink Warm Fluids
Drinking warm fluids will help in loosening and dislocating the mucus obstructing the airways. This clearance of the airways will stop wheezing and you will feel relieved.
This also means that you should avoid all cold drinks. You can replace them by nice herbal teas such as ginger tea or chamomile tea which not only stop your wheezing but will act as remedies to prevent cough.
4. Honey
Honey with its anti bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties help clear the inflammation in the airways. Honey also improves immunity.
Take half a teaspoon of honey 3-4 times a day to stop wheezing.
5. Garlic
Garlic can help beat bacteria causing inflammation. Garlic is also used as a cough and cold remedy which may be causing the airways blockage. Even the inflammation caused by asthma can be relieved by garlic.
You can make an infusion of garlic by crushing two garlic cloves and boiling them in water. Drink the infusion warm.
6. Ginkgo Biloba
This is a Chinese herb now very popular around the world for its healing properties. it is widely use in treating bronchitis, asthma and wheezing.
You can make tea from ginkgo biloba and drink it warm to stop wheezing.
7. Lemon Juice
Drink lemon juice in warm water. Take one teaspoon of lemon juice and add it to a glass of warm water and drink it. Do it 2-3 times a day by taking the first glass early morning empty stomach.
You can add lemon in the ginger tea and ginkgo biloba tea.
You would have noticed that while ginger, ginkgo biloba, garlic and lemon have healing and noninflammatory capabilities, their consumption as a warm tea gives double benefits. Since warm liquid itself helps you to control wheezing by clearing airways.
So, if you do not have access to any one of the above herbs then at least drink warm water. Make it a habit of drinking warm water, it also improves digestions.
Do not ignore persistent wheezing. If these and other home remedies can't stop wheezing then you have to meet your doctor for better diagnosis of the underlying condition which should be treated immediately.