Top 7 Natural Home Remedies For Chest Infection

Top 7 Natural Home Remedies For Chest Infection Graphic © herbshealthhappiness.com Photo © AdobeStock 66298358 (under license)

7 Natural Chest Infection Treatments (Home Remedies)

Chest infections are infections that affect your airways and lungs, a.k.a. your respiratory system. Depending on which part of your respiratory system is affected, you can typically be diagnosed with either bronchitis (affects the bronchial tubes) or pneumonia (affects the air sacs/alveoli). ^[1]

The WHO reports that pneumonia is one of the top causes of mortality among children under 5 years old, making up 14 percent of deaths in 2019. ^[2] In the US, pneumonia is the most common cause of hospital admissions with over a million adults seeking medical care for this condition. ^[3] Chest infections can range from mild to severe, but keep in mind that leaving a mild infection untreated can develop into full-blown respiratory failure.

The first step in treating a chest infection is seeking medical attention and getting properly assessed and diagnosed but there are effective remedies you can do at home to speed up your healing process. A popular Youtube channel, Respiratory Therapy Zone, lists 7 supportive therapies for natural chest infection you can do at home:

1. Lemon And Honey

The winning combination of lemon and honey makes for much more than a cool refresher in the hot summer days. Researchers from all over the world have focused on the ability of honey to fight infection, with Mandal & Mandal publishing a study in 2011 highlighting both antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties of honey. The same study focused on wound healing because of honey’s anti-inflammatory ability, which can help soothe inflammation in a sore throat. ^[4] Leiva-Sabadini, et. al. in 2021 found that honey was able to exhibit antibacterial activity against microbes found in the mouth, specifically against the notorious Streptococcus – a kind of microorganism that can cause both dental caries and strep throat, the latter being an infection affecting the throat and tonsils. ^[5]

Care should be taken to obtain real, raw honey and not the “ultrafiltered” big-brand / supermarket brands that have been the subject of controversy over accusations of adulteration with plain sugar syrup.

Lemon on the other hand is known for its vitamin C content, which contributes to the fruit’s significant antioxidant properties. In 2021, Luciardi, et. al. concluded that lemon essential oil was able to exhibit antimicrobial activity in two strains of Pseudomonas (with one of the strains being a multi-drug resistant strain). Pseudomonas is a microbe that can cause severe lung and blood infections. ^[6] Vitamin C in particular is able to fight a severe infection called sepsis, an infection of the blood, which can result from worsening chest infections. It is able to do this by giving the immune system a boost. ^[7]

Respiratory Therapy Zone recommends drinking a glass of water with 1 tablespoon each of honey and lemon at the start of your day to help soothe the symptoms of chest infection.You can also make honey lemon ginger tea (more on ginger below).

2. Hydration

Generally speaking, drinking a lot of water helps keeps your body hydrated and functioning at optimal levels. Four to six cups or glasses of water is typically enough for healthy individuals but if you are fighting an infection, your water requirement typically increases. ^[8] A study in 2021 on older adults found that increasing fluid intake was able to reduce the risk of mortality in all types of pneumonia. ^[9] Respiratory Therapy Zone mentions that keeping hydrated when fighting a chest infection can also help loosen up mucus and make it easier to cough out.

3. Humidity And Steam Inhalation

You might notice that chest infections that are viral in nature seem to be affected by seasonality, primarily because of dry weather and cool temperatures. According to Moriyama, this is because temperature and humidity contribute to virus stability and transmission. In fact, the researchers directly attributed alterations in the airways’ immune response to changes in humidity and temperature of inhaled air, increasing your susceptibility to infections. ^[10] Respiratory Zone Therapy suggests using a humidifier or taking a hot shower (and making use of the steam produced) to soothe your dry airways as well as make it easier to clear out mucus.

4. Ginger

Ginger is an age-old remedy for a variety of health conditions, usually those that involve the gastrointestinal tract. However, ginger is pretty much an all-arounder and drinking hot ginger tea or juice can help you manage the symptoms of a chest infection. A study published in 2020 by Wang, et. al. showed that ginger essential oil was effective against Staphylococcus, another microbe that can cause chest infections. ^[11] In the same year, Yocum, et. al. focused on ginger’s anti-inflammatory property in asthma patients, showing that ginger was able to relax the airways and modulate the inflammatory process in an asthma attack. ^[12]

5. Essential Oils

Respiratory Zone Therapy mentions eucalyptus, lemon grass, rosemary, and sandalwood as essential oils you can use as a vapor rub or in a diffuser to help with chest infections. Various kinds of eucalyptus have been shown to exhibit significant anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral abilities against various pathogens; 2-3 drops of eucalptus essential oil dropped into a bowl of steaming (boiled) water can soothe the airways. ^[13]Vapor rubs often contain eucalyptus and/or menthol. Sandalwood is known for strong therapeutic properties – anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-viral and anti-bacterial – all of which can help with the management of a chest infection. ^[14] Rosemary is rich in anti-oxidant phenols which can help boost immunity, aside from being an effective antibacterial and antifungal agent. ^[15]

6. Postural Drainage

The sixth item on the list may be a little unfamiliar to you but postural drainage is an effective way to manage excess mucus production in chest infections. One of the main difficulties in getting rid of a chest infection is clearing your mucus or phlegm. Coughing can sometimes only do so much, leaving a heavy, sticky feeling in your chest aside from a nasty sore throat. Fink (2002) concluded that postural drainage was able to improve secretion clearance in patients affected with cystic fibrosis who suffered from excessive mucus production ^[16]. Similarly, Volsko described airway clearance therapy, particularly postural drainage, as effective in using positioning to help move secretions into larger airways so they can be cleared easier. This type of therapy is aimed at minimizing the effects of airway infections and the resulting inflammation and obstruction due to mucus stasis. ^[17]

How postural drainage is done: Before you position yourself for postural drainage, make sure that you haven’t eaten beforehand. Keep your stomach empty to prevent nausea or vomiting, and if you are on any inhalers (e.g. bronchodilators), wait half and hour after use before doing postural drainage.

St. Luke’s Health System lists three effective positions that you can do alone: ^[18]

– To drain the front of your lungs, lie on your back on a slanted surface. Your chest should be lower than your hips. Use two pillows under your knees (and an additional pillow under your hips can also help). You may also use a smaller pillow under your head to make the position more comfortable.

– To drain the sides of your lungs, lie on your side (5 to 10 minutes each side). This time, place two to three pillows under your hips. Again, you can use a small pillow underneath your head.

– To drain the back of your lungs, lie on your stomach. Place two to three pillows underneath your stomach. This is similar to the first position, only with you lying on your front. Your chest should be lower than your hips as well. Place your arms above your head and take deep breaths.

Each position should be held for at least five to ten minutes to allow adequate drainage and clearance. However, we advise that this technique be used with caution and under the instruction and supervision of a respiratory therapist or doctor.

7. Clean Air / Air Purification

At the end of the day, the best way to treat a chest infection is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Air pollution is a leading cause of death, with millions killed every year. Avoiding smoking is of course a first step – but polluted air is a very major factor and good HEPA filtration will remove most particulates. I’ve linked to the best rated True HEPA (particulate) air purifier on Amazon.com (4.8 out of 5 with 10,000+ ratings).