Murphy’s Law being what it is, you can count on bronchitis to trigger a stubborn cough when it is least welcome: in the middle of a long sermon, during a big presentation at work, in the wee hours of the morning when the entire household is trying to sleep. Bronchitis is an infection and inflammation of the lining of the bronchial passages, the airways that connect the windpipe to the lungs. It is often triggered by an upper respiratory infection, and if it doesn’t improve, bronchitis can lead to pneumonia.
In many ways, bronchitis is a lot like a cold. It’s usually caused by a virus, says Randy Wexler, MD, and antibiotics won’t do much good. Sometimes, though, bronchitis is caused by bacteria, and in this case antibiotics may clear it up. Acute bronchitis most often goes away by itself in a week or two. But people with chronic bronchitis can cough and wheeze for months. Although you have to let bronchitis take its course, there are things that you can do to breathe easier while you have it.
It’s the most important thing to do, especially if you’re a chronic sufferer. Quit smoking, and your chances of ridding yourself of bronchitis go up dramatically.
Get Active About Passive Smoking
Avoid those who smoke, and if your spouse smokes, your coughing might be incentive to kick the habit. Other people’s smoking could be causing your bronchitis. Exposure to secondhand smoke (called passive smoking) can result in bronchitis.
Boost Immunity With Calcium
“Bronchitis is the ‘low-calcium-level disease,’” says Georgianna Donadio, PhD. “It results when your immune function is lowered, and low calcium levels do suppress your immune system,” she says. Just make sure you get plenty of both calcium and vitamin D, particularly in the winter time, she says. “I recommend taking 800-milligram capsules of vitamin D daily, and at least 500 milligrams of a combination calcium and magnesium powder per day—powder is much more effective than tablets,” she says. (Here's 5 signs you're not getting enough vitamin D.)
Breathe In Warm, Moist Air
Warm, moist air helps vaporize mucus. If you have mucus that is thick or difficult to cough up, a vaporizer will help to loosen the secretions. You could also close the door and run a hot shower in your bathroom, breathing in the warm steam. Running a humidifier in your home is particularly important in the winter, when indoor heating systems dry the air—and your mucus membranes. When your mucus membranes dry out, it is harder for your immune system to move germs out of your body effectively, and you become more susceptible to illnesses like bronchitis.
Vaporize From The Outside In
To help suppress the cough associated with bronchitis, rub on a topical cough suppressant ointment such as Vicks VapoRub, suggests Rachel Schreiber, MD. VapoRub contains camphor, a cough suppressant and topical analgesic from the camphor tree; eucalyptol, a cough suppressant and herbal extract; menthol, a cough suppressant and topical analgesic from mint oils; as well as cedar leaf oil, nutmeg oil, thymol, and turpentine oil. All of these ingredients are used for cough suppression in the traditional Indian practice of Ayurvedic medicine. Schreiber recommends applying VapoRub to the chest right before sleep.
Eliminate Mucus-Causing Foods
“One of the best ways to address any condition that involves the lungs is to stop eating foods that create mucus,” says Ellen Kamhi, PhD, RN. “This can vary due to individual sensitivities, but wheat and dairy products are the biggest culprits for most people,” she says. Kamhi suggests people with bronchitis eat mostly homemade vegetable soup and drink hot tea. (Try one of these 5 simple soup recipes.)
Try An African Remedy
One of the best remedies for bronchitis is an African herb called pelargonium sidoides (you can find it as a glycerin extract in most health food stores), says Judith Stanton, MD. “Take 1 dropperful every 2 hours,” she says. Other helpful natural treatments include astragalus root, echinacea, garlic, licorice root, and vitamin C. Of course, getting plenty of sleep, drinking lots of fluids, and avoiding alcohol are all important as well, she says.
Focus On Prevention
Infants, young children, smokers, people with heart or lung disease, and the elderly are more likely to develop bronchitis. They are also more likely to have a case of bronchitis balloon into pneumonia. Those who are vulnerable should curtail strenuous outdoor work and exercise on days when air pollution is high.
Make A Poultice
Donadio recommends making a homemade antiviral poultice out of garlic and onions. “I recently had bronchitis, and this remedy cleared it up in 36 hours,” she says. “Mash up some fresh garlic and onions—both are natural virus fighters—and put them in an old sock. Then place a little cloth on your chest, put the garlic and onion sock on top of that, and put a hot-water bottle on top of the sock,” Donadio says. “The vapors will go right into your chest—it’s fabulous for bronchitis,” she says.
Why Antibiotics Generally Aren’t The Answer
At the first sign of a nasty cough, fatigue, wheezing, sore throat, chest discomfort, and low-grade fever that characterize bronchitis, many people ask their doctors for antibiotics. Generally, though, antibiotics are a waste of time, because up to 95% of all cases are caused by viruses, which antibiotics won’t touch. Bacteria trigger only a small portion of acute bronchitis infections.
Doctors are often reluctant to prescribe antibiotics because there’s scant evidence that they shorten the course of the illness or ease symptoms. There is some evidence, however, that bronchodilators—asthma drugs that open the airways—can relieve symptoms. Patients who use bronchodilators are more likely to stop coughing within a week of starting the medicines compared with those who took a placebo. The patients who used bronchodilators also returned to work sooner than patients taking a sugar pill. Doctors caution, however, that bronchodilators are most likely to work in patients whose bronchial passages are inflamed. Bronchodilators such as albuterol (Ventolin) usually come in the form of inhalers.
Bronchitis Cures From The Kitchen
At the first sign of bronchitis, try what Donadio calls “the bronchitis diet.”“Drink orange juice and water for 2 or 3 days, followed by a few days of all fruits and vegetables—it will really clean out your respiratory system,” she says. (Sick of drinking water? Try one of these 25 sassy water recipes.)
When To Call A Doctor
Bronchitis requires a doctor’s attention when:
- You find your cough is getting worse, not better, after a week.
- You have a fever or are coughing up blood.
- You are older and get a hacking cough on top of another illness.
- You are short of breath and also have a very profuse cough.
- You are elderly.
- You also have heart or lung disease.
Panel Of Advisors
Georgianna Donadio, PhD, is director of the National Institute of Whole Health, a holistic certification program for medical professionals.
Ellen Kamhi, PhD, RN, is the natural nurse, clinical instructor in the department of family medicine at Stony Brook University in New York, and author of The Natural Medicine Chest, Arthritis: the Alternative Medicine Definitive Guide, and Cycles of Life: Herbs for Women.
Rachel Schreiber, MD, is a board-certified physician in allergy/immunology and internal medicine, and was recently suggested as one of America's top physicians by the Consumer's Research Council of America.
Judith Stanton, MD, is a clinical instructor at UC Berkeley-UCSF and an attending physician at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, California.
Randy Wexler, MD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus.