5 Ways to Clear Chest Congestion Symptoms
HOME REMEDIES FOR CHEST CONGESTION SYMPTOMS
Dealing with a cough is no fun, and that goes double if you’re also suffering from chest congestion. Chest congestion is caused by excess mucus in your airways and can trigger wheezing or chest pain that leaves you feeling drained. We have some good news though — chest congestion often readily responds to therapies, including some at-home remedies that are free. Read on to learn more about DIY and over-the-counter remedies that will clear up congestion.
1. Gargle With Salt Water
Gargling with warm salt water helps draw excess fluid from your throat, loosening the mucus that accumulates there. It’s also soothing on your throat, which should naturally relieve some of the discomfort caused by persistent coughing. A 2005 Kyoto University study found that frequent gargling with water when you aren’t sick may prevent upper respiratory infections — including those that cause coughing and congestion.
Preparing the salt water is simple. Just stir a half-teaspoon of salt into a glass of warm water, then stir until the salt dissolves, and gargle for a few seconds. Repeat a few times a day, as needed.
2. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
You’ll help relieve your chest congestion even more if you down a glass of (non-salted) water when you go to gargle. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, staying hydrated can help thin the mucus in your throat.
Plain old water will do but staying hydrated with other liquids may be even better. Try sipping on tea with menthol, an ingredient containing numbing properties that may make your mucus thinner and helps break it up to clear congestion.
3. Inhale Steam or Add Humidity
Water isn’t just for drinking; inhaling steam or humidity can help clear congestion as well. Breathing in steam draws more moisture through your airways, which helps thin and loosen mucus, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
If spending a few minutes in a steam room isn’t an option, set up your own facial steam by pouring hot water into a mixing bowl, and then hold your face above the water, leaving several inches of space in between to avoid burns. Place a towel over your head to hold in the steam.
Using a humidifier in your room offers a longer-term solution. A humidifier moistens the air 24/7, including as you sleep, so it can be a great way to deal with congestion if you don’t have time for the DIY steam bath.
4. Slurp on Soup
There’s a reason your mom used to recommend chicken soup for stubborn congestion: a steamy bowl of soup offers similar benefits to water. Soup — especially the low-sodium variety — boosts your hydration, which may help to thin out the mucus that causes congestion. And savoring each sip helps you breathe in more humid air, providing even more relief. Spicing it up with certain herbs, like thyme, may also help relieve cough.
5. Take Medication
While homemade remedies may offer some relief against congestion, sometimes you need medication to help you feel better. Look for cough medications containing expectorants, which help thin and loosen mucus in your airways. Delsym® Cough+ Chest Congestion DM contains the expectorant guaifenesin, as well as a cough suppressant to relieve stubborn, persistent coughing. It offers maximum strength* relief against both cough and chest congestion so you can focus on the day ahead instead of your chest congestion.
*per each dose
