An expectorant is a type of medication that is used to loosen congestion in your chest and throat to allow you to cough up mucus easier. The most commonly used ingredient is guafenesin. Taking an expectorant as directed can help clean the lungs of...
When a child has a cough, options are available for relief, including medications and natural remedies. When cough medicine is the best option, a parent can choose between two types: expectorants and suppressants. Knowing which type of cough...
Chest congestion in toddlers makes breathing difficult and causes discomfort. Since over-the-counter medications for children are being removed from the shelves, options are limited. Home remedies offer a safe option to relieve the chest...
In some cases, two separate medications are combined in a tablet to treat multiple symptoms caused by one disorder. Guaifenex PSE 80 Mg is a combination tablet that can be used to relieve certain respiratory symptoms.
Robitussin-DM is a cough medicine consisting of a combination of dextromethorphan and guaifenesin. Dextromethorphan is an antitussive, which works to prevent cough by decreasing activity in the part of the brain that causes coughing. Guaifenesin...
Each type of cough medication treats a different symptom. Sometimes, the main symptom may not even be a cough. That's the case with nasal decongestants. They clear your nasal passages, making it easier for you to breathe. Antihistamines also help...
Garlic treats a number of health conditions, but it doesn't cure everything. Lung problems can sometimes be difficult to deal with, depending upon what the cause is. Garlic is known to have anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-parasitic properties,...
Chest congestion can occur when people get colds or the flu. It can make breathing difficult and cause chest pain. An expectorant is a substance that helps to free the breathing passages. It does this by thinning the mucus that lines the breathing...
Cold medications contain a number of different ingredients to tackle all symptoms of the common cold--cough, congestion, fever and sneezing, to name a few. And while that combination of ingredients offers relief from cold symptoms, they can also...
Warm compresses are an age-old remedy used for aches and pains. Some compresses are even used to treat acne. They can be used in many different ways and are safe for babies, as long as the temperature of the compress is warm to the touch and can't...
Rhinitis, or a stuffy nose, is an inflammation of the nasal sinuses that can cause coughing, headaches, earaches, toothaches, facial pressure and pain. It is commonly due to bacterial or viral infections in the nose, throat and respiratory tract....
If you have a lung disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, or if you have surgery, your doctor may tell you that you need to perform coughing exercises to keep your lungs clear of mucus. Ask your doctor or respiratory...
When your child is suffering from a cold or the flu, his congested nose and chest might make healing time uncomfortable. Congestion affects breathing and sleeping, which is frustrating when your child is trying to get enough rest to feel better....
Pneumonia is a condition characterized by the inflammation of the lungs. This inflammation is typically caused by an infection, bacteria or a virus. If not treated in a timely manner, pneumonia can cause long-term lung damage and even turn fatal....
Breathing exercise machines help to increase lung volume and minimize mucus and fluid in the lungs. Normally a person spontaneously and unconsciously takes several deep breaths per hour. However, for individuals with neuromuscular disorders,...
Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, may cause you to feel that you can't get enough air in your lungs, or that you are suffocating. You may also experience a tightening sensation in your chest. If you have shortness of breath while exercising, it...
Tuberculosis or TB is an infection caused by the bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although it primarily affects the lungs of an individual, it can spread to other parts of the body also. According to MedlinePlus, a publication of the...
If your child is exposed to a type of bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, she may be at risk of developing tuberculosis or TB. World Health Organization estimates indicated that over 100,000 children die from tuberculosis each year,...
Pneumonia is a type of infection caused predominately by viral or bacterial pathogens that irritate and inflame the lungs. The early symptoms of a pneumonia infection can mimic those of the common cold or flu. Without treatment, a pneumonia...
TB--or tuberculosis--is a bacterial infection within the human body caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In 2006, over nine million new cases of TB were diagnosed throughout the world, reports the Merck Manual, an online medical...
Many things can cause your baby's cough, including the common cold, respiratory virus, croup, allergies or whooping cough. His doctor can recommend treatment specific to his condition, but in the meantime you can use a variety of remedies to help...
Bacterial pneumonia is an infection caused by the presence of bacteria within the lungs. The most common cause of this type of infection is a bacterium called streptococcus pneumoniae, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Anyone who develops...
Pneumonia sounds like a very serious illness and it can be, but most babies who have a normal immune system are able to recover fully. This type of infection impacts the respiratory system, primarily the lungs. The source of the infection can...
Mucinex is an over-the-counter medication used to treat cough and chest congestion associated with a cold. The active ingredient in Mucinex is an expectorant called guaifenesin. Guaifenesin works to help loosen and thin mucous secretions in the...
Nasal congestion from a cold, flu or allergies is always uncomfortable, and when coupled with other symptoms of illness may make life miserable for those suffering. Stuffiness, swelling of nasal passages and sinuses, dryness, coughing and clearing...
A cough that includes chest congestion may be a symptom of the common cold or the flu, which does not usually require medical attention, says the Mayo Clinic. A congested cough may also be the cause of a more serious illness, like lung cancer,...
It is projected by the National Cancer Institute that lung cancer will cause an estimated 150,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2010. This disease occurs when abnormal cells begin to grow rapidly within the lungs. Anyone who experiences any of the effects...
Bronchoalveolar carcinoma is a cancer of the epithelial cells within the lung and is considered a type of non-small cell lung cancer that develops within the airways. The cancer develops due to genetic mutations in epithelial cells within the...
A child with a high fever and chest congestion likely has pneumonia, an infection of the lung tissue. According to Nelson's Pediatrics, pneumonia affects approximately 10 percent of children over the age of 2. Worldwide, pneumonia is second only...