I have developed broncitis last year after a bad case of respatory flu, and I cant seem to get rid of the coughing and congestion. would prefer to cure naturaly, I am 71 years old and in good health other wise. thank you Irene

-- Irene orsborn (tkorsborn@cs.com), April 02, 2001

Answers

The best cure that is natural is PRAYER.

-- dale (dgarr@fidnet.com), April 02, 2001.

Horehound tea will loosen the congestion. But... It tastes HORRIBLE!!!

One teaspoon in a cup of water, with as much honey and lemon as you need.

Echinacea with goldenseal will help if its a cold, but check with a doctor if this is lingering from something before taking any. It is possible that you could have walking pneumonia. Even without a fever...

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), April 02, 2001.

Every thing I have read says to make a tea out of thyme [ herb] and honey. Sage tea works great if you cant breath well and belive it or not it tastes good to.

-- kathy h (ckhart55@earthlink.net), April 02, 2001.

I'll second the horehound. A friend of mine had made some homemade syrup from it. It was an awful tasting thing but we added a little hot water, lemon and honey and I was able to get it down. Took a few days of using it but at least I quit sounding like a honking goose every time I coughed.

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), April 02, 2001.

Try some ginger tea and see if that helps! A bit of honey and milk in it will make it a bit more palatble. Good for a belly ache too and they "say" it helps motion sickness.

-- Bob Johnson (Backwoods_Bob@excite.com), April 02, 2001.

Hi Irene, You might want to try to give up dairy for a little while. It sometimes causes mucus and congestion.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), April 02, 2001.

Honey. Lots of honey. Put a couple large tablespoons in a coffee cup of hot, hot water. Drink as much as you can. Honey will make you cough it up, so don't drink right before bed. Garlic pills help allot too, as they go for the infection. I read somewhere that honey can pull the moisture out of a rock!

Also, have someone lightly hit you on the back between your shoulder blades while you are sitting up, and cough that stuff out of there. Have them move their hand up and down your back till you feel where the congestion is. I had to do that with my mom every day. Don't lay down any more than you have to. The more you get up and move, the more you will cough it out. And don't cough too hard, cough then rest, cough then rest. Honey really works great. I hope you get to feeling better.

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@hotmail.com), April 03, 2001.

Thanks to all the answers, I will try the horehound and honey, I really appreceate all the great answers, I do walk a lot and I have this farm to help with, so I get lots of excercise. thanks again Irene

-- Irene orsborn (tkorsborn@cs.com), April 03, 2001.

Irene,

I have asthma, and end up getting broncitus about 4 times a year. At the fist sign of the deep chest itch, and horsness, I up the water intake to two quarts daily. Drop off on dairy as mentioned, as things get thicker, and thinner is easier to cough. I also find menthal rubs on my chest, thought, and just under my nose ease things, and help me cough up the ick.

Sorry, but I've never tried herbal teas. I just try to get beyond the hard-to-breath-cough-too-much duration of the unpleasentness. I've know of lung yeast infections (not kidding) too cause similar symptoms, but not resond to the usual treatments. Also, broncitus can be caused by a virus or bacteria. If it's viral, you've got to wait it out unless your fever gets over 103 for more than four hours.

Good luck.

-- Marty (Mrs.Puck@Excite.com), April 03, 2001.

Mix equal parts of honey, lemon juice, and blackberry brandy.I use 1/2 cup each and warm the honey a little to mix easily. Put about 1/4 cup in a cup, add water, heat in microwave, and drink as hot as you can. It keeps a long time in the fridge. Good luck! Alma

-- alma miller (almamiller@webtv.net), April 04, 2001.

Absolutely the best herb for bronchitis (having suffered from it terribly as a teen) is mullein - a big fat hairy weed. It is easily recognizable once you know what to look for. It is a biennial, forming a tall (sometimes over 3') spike in the second year. The leaves are wide, and very fuzzy, and it carries a spike of yellow flowers on top in the summer. Make tea out of the leaves (strong) or the flowers (weaker, but still useful) Since the hairs can be a bit off-putting, hubby strains his through a cloth napkin (he's very sensitive to "weird" textures). I have found that large amounts of the tea drunk at once can make folks a little nauseated (all those good essential oils, no doubt), so just go a cup at a time, and maybe mix with mint or other cure herb for flavor and efficacity. Deer are said to eat the plant to the ground during hard winters.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), April 05, 2001.

Irene, The best tasting and best working natural tea I have ever tried is: 1 cup hot water, 2 teas. vinegar (any kind, white is milder tasting) and 2 teas honey. Takes abt 1/2 hr. for your coughing to stop, and it wears off in abt 4 to 6 hrs. You will need to repeat. I usually drink the tea each morn and before bed. I have the same type of congestion problems and it works for me. And after 3 to 4 days of this tea the congestion is nearly non-existant. Pls post if you try this and how it works for you. June.

-- June Holcomb (GJHOL909@aol.com), April 05, 2001.

For Soni's Mullein answer, you can buy Plants, Seeds, Dried Leaves or Dried Flowers in www.Richters.com, says its for coughs and bronchitis! Great answer Soni! Now how about asthma!

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), April 05, 2001.

Pleurisy root is good (not sure if I spelled that right, but it's close). It can be made into a tea that tastes awful, or you can get it in capsules. I prefer the capsules. Really helps a chronic cough. Why do so many herbal remidies taste bad?

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), April 09, 2001.

Irene, I used to get bronchitis frequently when I was young, probably from living and working with smokers. The best remedy for me is to take a hot, steamy bath before bed. Before putting on your night things, rub Vick's vapo-rub on chest and throat. Your neck and chest must be very warmly covered. (Use a warm scarf or wear a turtleneck under your jammies) Hop into bed. Make sure you use the "old fashioned" rub (in the blue jar). The "modern", non-greasy cream is not made the same, and does not work as well. I have also used the rite-aid brand and it works just as well. The only side effect I would mention is that husbands do not care for the aroma, and will leave you alone for the night! A good night's sleep can't hurt.

Ann

-- Rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), April 09, 2001.

i am having my husband take 1cup hot water,2tsp white vinegar, and 2 tsp honey. i read taking ix in morning and i x at night it should be almost non existant(the couph i mean i mean)within 3-4 days.i will let you know how it is.if you want to email me v=back please do so. i guess anything right now would help us!!! sincerely ls

-- louann schasckmann (lschackmann@new.rr.com), December 27, 2001.

I at the moment have bronchitus. I have never had this I am a really healthy 25 year-old female. My doctor caught it early and I am on 1000 mg of Biaxin but it's not helping I feel more symptoms now than I did on the day I went to the doctor. Any advice?

-- Norma Guzman de Duran (normaguzman-duran@msn.com), February 09, 2002.

You've gotten lots of good answers. One thing I'd like to add is to take bromelain (an enzyme). Just might help clean up the problem. I'd take several times per day. Make sure it's a a high potency.

-- HV (veggie@ourplace.com), February 10, 2002.

this might sound crazy and counterproductive but a few light puffs on a pipe with a smoking mixture of mullein and sage has worked for me in the past.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), February 10, 2002.

I came down with a cold, so my doctor said, two weeks ago. I had a fever of 103 that night and 2 days following.

The following week I return to the doctor with broncitis, his new diagnois. After looking on the internet, I found a product that I purchased yesterday at a health food store and what a relief. I did not cough for 4 hours, slept all night without coughing.

It is, "Colloidal Silver" I am not cure yet; but, I feel I am well on my way, since I have been constantly coughing every 10 to 15 minutes. I only had 3 coughing spells today, with loose muscus ejecting, which is great!

Do the research and ask your doctor or whoever you feel comfortable in getting advice about your health. Good Luck and God Bless.

-- Sheila Long (mamalong2000@yahoo.com), February 19, 2002.

I had bronchitis every year when I lived in 50 inch rainfall.I moved to a 16 inch rainfall area and never had it again.That's 15 years ago.Climate has a big effect on health.

-- Lesley Fisher (boocuddles@hotmail.com), May 31, 2002.