Avoiding & Treating Chest congestion

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Avoiding and Treating Chest Congestion  

If you feel heaviness or tightness in your chest, chances are there that you are suffering from chest congestion. Chest congestion involves the lower respiratory tract's inflammation, which gives rise to difficulty in breathing. This condition is typically accompanied by pain in the chest and some other uncomfortable symptoms like wheezing, dry cough etc. 

Chest congestion may get triggered by a cold, flu, an infection, or bronchitis; environmental factors like inhaling dust, smoke, pollen, or chemicals; or by lifestyle factors like smoking. Though chest congestion may get resolved on its own in certain cases like where a viral infection has caused it, it is better not to play the doctor. Rather, the moment you feel something amiss in your chest or experience uneasiness, you should seek medical attention immediately. 

Like the common adage – prevention is better than cure, it pays to avoid situations that can trigger chest congestion. Here are some steps, which if followed, can help you to avoid chest congestion: 

• Treat diseases on time that can trigger chest congestion: Though the most common cause of chest congestion is common cold, bacteria, allergens, and fungi can also trigger infections that may trigger chest congestion. Even diseases like pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, pulmonary oedema, and gastroesophageal reflux can give rise to chest congestion if not treated on time. So, make sure to seek medical attention if you are suffering from any of these conditions to avoid being affected by chest congestion.
• Keep an eye on your diet: People with allergy to milk and other foods like eggs etc. should steer clear of dairy products and the items that give rise to symptoms of chest congestion. Including non-caffeinated fluids, foods with high vitamin C content, chicken soup, and spicy foods like chili powder and cayenne pepper in your diet can help, especially if you are suffering from a cold or flu. While spicy foods can help in clearing clogged bronchial tubes and sinuses, hot chicken soup can make the mucus thin to let it get expelled through coughing. For proper functioning of lungs, intake of foods rich in beta carotene (like spinach, berries, and papaya), and anti-oxidants is recommended. Enzyme rich foods like pineapple and kiwi, which can break down phlegm, are also good to avoid chest congestion.
• Avoid/Stay protected against environmental factors: Try to avoid areas where the air is loaded with dirt, pollen, chemicals, and dust. If you must visit such regions, put on a mask to avoid inhaling the pollutants present in the air.
• Stick to a healthy lifestyle: Regular exercise, yoga, and mediation can strengthen your immune system and make you steer clear of chest congestion. Eating a balanced diet and giving up on smoking are other steps that can help you to avoid chest congestion.

Despite all these steps, if you fall prey to chest congestion, you should take medicines as prescribed by your doctor. Additionally, consult your doctor about the following treatment methods, which are known to have helped many:

• Drink warm liquids: Drink something warm like herbal tea, chamomile tea, green tea, chicken soup, tea with a little honey and lemon etc. to loosen lung secretions and open up your air passages.
• Go full steam: Inhale the steam either from a bowl with a mixture of hot water and eucalyptus oil by hovering over it with your head covered by a towel, or by turning on the hot water and holing up in the bathroom.
• Intake of vitamin C: Vitamin C can help reduce the duration and severity of conditions that trigger chest congestion. Moreover, foods with high vitamin C content also tend to be natural sources of water, which in turn can help in reducing the thickness of mucus. So, consume foods rich in vitamin C and citrus fruits like oranges in plenty.
• Natural remedies: Boiling water with some pieces of ginger or garlic cloves and then drinking the concoction is known to offer relief from chest congestion.
• Massage:Ayurvedic massage and reflexology can also offer relief from the uneasiness caused by chest congestion.

So, stay alert and stick to a healthy lifestyle to avoid falling prey to chest congestion. In case you get affected by it, don't buy over-the-counter medicines. Instead, consult your doctor immediately to get the condition treated the right way.