Cold and flu season are prime time for all sorts of upper respiratory illnesses. Avoiding disease-causing bacteria and viruses in the first place is the best way to keep from getting sick. However, if you do become ill, home remedies are available that should keep your worst symptoms in check.
Cough
Coughing is an involuntary reflex that works to clear your throat of mucus buildup. An acute cough lasts up to three weeks, while a chronic cough may last indefinitely. Acute coughing is often the result of illness, such as cold or flu. The causes of chronic coughing include allergies, asthma, smoking or a medical condition like COPD -- chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. Coughing is part of your body's mechanism to flush out potentially harmful invaders and stimulate repair of damaged tissue.
Congestion
Commonly called a stuffy nose, nasal congestion results when the delicate lining of the sinuses become inflamed. In addition to trouble breathing, congestion often results in a runny nose. Influenza and the common cold both lead to some level of congestion. Airborne allergens can also irritate the nasal lining, causing both congestion and a runny nose. Congestion is also an early sign of pregnancy. Nasal congestion is not normally a serious condition; however, congestion in infants may cause dangerous breathing problems. Severe congestion in adults interferes with a healthy night's sleep.
Home Treatment
Drink plenty of water to help ease the irritation of congestion and cough. Proper hydration allows the body to work mucus out of the throat and nasal passages. A room humidifier will speed this process. Symptoms may be worse when lying down, so try keeping your head elevated at all times. Hot liquids like tea, broth or soup also work well to clear up congestion. Place your head over a pot of steaming water for relief from blocked sinuses. If your cough and congestion are the result of allergies, avoid the substances that inflame your symptoms. Saline nose drops may also reduce some of your sinus irritation. Over-the-counter decongestants and cough suppressants control symptoms but don't address the root cause of coughing or stuffy nose.
Professional Care
Consult your doctor when home remedies aren't working to manage your cough and congestion. You may be suffering from a more serious strain of illness that requires stronger medicine. Prescription strength cough suppressants and decongestants keep symptoms in check while antibiotics attack the source of illness. Drugs called bronchodilators relax airways in the event that breathing or sleeping become difficult. Your doctor can also determine whether you have a more serious condition demanding specialized treatment.
Warning Signs
A severe cough and stuffy nose may be symptoms of a severe medical condition. The symptoms of tuberculosis include coughing accompanied with chest pain and night sweats. The nature of the mucus you cough up will tell your doctor a lot about what's going on inside of you. Blood in your mucus, for example, indicates an internal injury, possibly caused by inhaled particles. Pink and frothy mucus points to a serious condition called a pulmonary edema and requires a trip to the nearest emergency room. Intense pain in the chest along with difficulty breathing also signals a life-threatening condition. Never ignore pain in combination with congestion and cough.
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