How to Treat Chest Congestion at Home

Congestion in your chest is unwanted and uncomfortable, but it’s easily handled at home. With hectic lifestyles and busy schedules, many people haven’t the time to call the doctor to schedule an appointment every time they feel congestion in their chest. It’s well-known that congestion is often a problem by itself, and that makes it easier to remedy at home. If congestion doesn’t subside after being treated with home remedies, you should contact your doctor to ensure there isn’t a deeper issue or illness at play. Until then, here are a few of the best chances you have of getting rid of chest congestion quickly. 

What causes congestion in my chest? 

The most common cause of chest congestion is a common cold, and most people are interested in learning about getting rid of chest congestion overnight. There is no cure for the common cold, and that’s why so many people choose to treat symptoms at home rather than at the doctor. Since the doctor can’t do much more than offer a prescription to help with cold symptoms, many people save the copay and work on that at home. Knowing this is what causes congestion most often is a helpful place to start your treatment process at home. 

Gargle Salt Water 

It’s an old-fashioned remedy, but it’s one that works well to treat congestion in the chest. This is most effective when you do it several times a day. The hot water works to relieve some of the irritation you feel in your throat from congestion, and the salt works to remove the mucous causing your congestion. The more you do it through the day the better you feel. 

Don’t just pour salt in a glass of hot water and hope it works, though. This remedy works best when you use one teaspoon of table salt with a full glass of warm water. Don’t allow the water to become too hot. It will burn your mouth and throat, and then you’ll have more discomfort. You want to mix the salt into the water until you cannot see it anymore before you gargle with it. 

Drink Apple Cider Vinegar

This is a remedy your grandparents and their parents and their grandparents used. It’s old, it’s effective, and it’s natural and safe. It’s also highly effective at breaking up the unwanted congestion in your chest. By eliminating mucous in your chest, you’re able to breathe easier and more comfortably, and you feel much better. 

Simply add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to one cup of water. You want your water warm but not hot. Add a teaspoon of your favorite honey and drink it all in one sitting. It’s not the best thing you’ll ever drink, but it’s also not the worst. The best way to use this as an effective method of congestion relief is to drink it two or three times a day for a few days. 

Use Steam 

If you are congested, use steam to help clear your chest. A hot shower with the doors shut and the fan off can help you open up your nasal passages and clear congestion. If you have a steam room at home or you have access to one at your gym or anywhere else, try sitting in it for 10 to 15 minutes every day for a few days to clear your congestion. 

If you have any Vick’s Vapor Rub, it’s helpful to place a little on your chest before you go into a room filled with steam to help you open your nasal passages and clear congestion. The company also makes this in a shower tablet that goes on the floor while you shower to help you clear congestion. If you can find one, try using it to help you clear your congestion. 
Another way to use steam without taking frequent showers is to use a bowl of hot water. The steam helps relieve your congestion and helps you feel better, and all you need is a towel over your head while your face is above the water. It’s an added benefit to use a drop or two of either peppermint or eucalyptus oil as fragrance in the steam. 
Deep breaths help you inhale the steam faster and more efficiently, and it helps you feel better faster. It’s a helpful solution, and it’s one you can do at home free of charge and easily when you need the relief. If you don’t have essential oils on hand, they’re easy to come by at most stores. 
Your health is not worth messing around with, but going to the doctor with a little chest congestion might not be conducive to your lifestyle. If these remedies don’t clear up your congestion or you begin to notice additional symptoms of illness or a worsening of current symptoms, call your doctor right away. Home remedies do work in many instances, but sometimes there’s a bigger health concern that requires medical assistance.