Chest Congestion Treatment Vicks products cannot cure the cold or flu, but they can help relieve chest congestion symptoms so you can feel better while your body heals from the cold or flu virus.
Vicks is your friend:
Not only is it antiviral (most chest coughs are viral infections), but it relieves your cough and loosens up mucus. Tip: Rub vicks on your or your child's chest each night before bed to let it work its magic.
Expectorants. Expectorants thin mucus and allow more effective coughing to clear airways. Guaifenesin is a common expectorant that is particularly effective at relieving congestion in the chest. People first began using natural forms of guaifenesin in the 1500s .
If your mucus is dry and you are having trouble coughing it up, you can do things like take a steamy shower or use a humidifier to wet and loosen the mucus. When you do cough up phlegm (another word for mucus) from your chest, Dr. Boucher says it really doesn't matter if you spit it out or swallow it.
When you're congested, putting VapoRub on your chest (its intended use) can help you feel like your breathing has improved. It does this by releasing menthol vapors that feel cooling once they hit your nasal passages. This tricks your brain into thinking you are breathing more easily.
Is Vicks Vaporub good for bronchitis? Vicks VapoRub can help to improve breathing and the ability to rest when you're dealing with bronchitis congestion. It can be especially effective in children.
A chest cold usually lasts 7 to 10 days, although some symptoms may persist for up to two weeks. The duration of a chest cold can vary depending on factors such as the underlying cause, your overall health, and the severity of your symptoms.
Hold your breath for 3 to 5 seconds. Then—as you let that breath out [coughing]— cough 2 or 3 times. Push on your belly with your arms as you cough. [coughing] Breathe in slowly and gently through your nose, and repeat the coughing if you need to.
Chest congestion is caused when the body's mucus production kicks into overdrive, which can be caused by respiratory infections like cold or flu, allergic reactions, airborne irritants, or even indulging in a spicy meal.
Place a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier in the room to soothe any lung irritation. Sleep with your head propped up on several pillows to make breathing easier and prevent mucus from accumulating in your chest overnight. Take a hot shower and breathe in the steam to ease congestion.
Dr. Rubin says the ingredients in Vicks can be irritants, causing the body to produce more mucus to protect the airway, and infants and young children have airways that are much narrower than those of adults, so any increase in mucus or inflammation can narrow them more severely.
It interacts with cold receptors in the nose and throat, helping to stop coughing. Vicks VapoRub contains 2.6% menthol to help stop constant coughing fast. Vicks VapoDrops are also an effective remedy for coughs. Allow 2 drops to dissolve slowly in your mouth to help stop constant coughing.
Eucalyptus Oil or Vapor Rub
An over-the-counter vapor rub such as Vicks can provide immediate relief when massaged onto your chest. Eucalyptus oil, one of Vicks' active ingredients, can be pretty beneficial. Paired with hot water, eucalyptus oil can double your phlegm fighting force.
What are the side effects of Vicks Vaporub (Camphor, Eucalyptus, And Menthol)? Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Less serious side effects may be more likely, and you may have none at all.
If Vicks vaporub is added to hot water to use as a steam inhalation, the warm moisture inhaled in the steam will also help liquify and loosen mucus, allowing the airways to be cleared more effectively. This can relieve a cough as well as a blocked nose.
VICKS VAPORUB (Generic for CHEST RUB)
Does coughing up mucus mean you're getting better? In most cases, coughing up mucus means your body is working to fight off an infection, and it is in the healing stages. Drink plenty of fluids to help thin the mucus.
Mucus and phlegm are similar, yet different: Mucus is a thinner secretion from your nose and sinuses. Phlegm is thicker and is made by your throat and lungs.
If you have a bacterial chest infection, you should start to feel better 24 to 48 hours after starting on antibiotics. You may have a cough for days or weeks. For other types of chest infections, the recovery is more gradual. You may feel weak for some time and need a longer period of bed rest.