Suffering from a severe cold and chest congestion? Inflammation of the lungs clogs up the chest, making breathing difficult. When this happens, it’s hard to be at your best especially when you have so much to do every single day.

To give your 100% performance at work, school or at home, you need to find relief for your condition, fast. Here are some remedies to ease the discomfort you’re feeling from chest congestion:

1. Take cough medicine

Taking the right medication such as a cough expectorant syrup provides instant relief for chest congestion. Since it contains expectorants, it will help loosen and thin out mucus in your airways. So instead of focusing on your chest congestion, you can concentrate on your day and breathe freely again.

2. Stay hydrated

When thick mucus is stuck in your lungs, it only makes your chest congestion more severe. Moreover, poor hydration will thicken the mucus in your lungs making it difficult to expel from your system.

Drinking lots of water helps thin out thickened mucus. So as much as possible, drink lots of water (preferably warm) throughout the day to thin out your mucus.

3. Gargle with saltwater

Salt helps fight off bacteria present in your throat through its antiseptic properties. In addition, it also reduces pain, redness and swelling caused by continuous coughing. To get relief and help remove mucus from the respiratory tube, follow these simple steps.

• Dissolve two tablespoons of salt in two glasses of boiled water.
• Use the solution as a mouthwash about 4-5 times a day.
• Make sure not to swallow it and gargle only for 1-2 minutes.
• Spit it out.

Use this method as part of your first aid solution once you notice the first signs of chest congestion or a sore throat.

4. Eat honey

Honey is one of the best medicines from nature, with anti fungal, antiviral and antibacterial properties. It’s a natural antibiotic that you can take without any side effects. Eating honey can reduce mucus thickness and remove it from your respiratory tract.

There are various ways that you can consume honey. Just make sure it doesn’t get exposed to too much heat as it will lose its medicinal properties at high temperatures. Take two to three teaspoons of raw and organic honey each day not only to relieve chest congestion but also to prevent various health problems.

5. Breathe in steam

Steam inhalation can relieve chest congestion through the hydration of the respiratory system. By inhaling steam, you can loosen mucus and expel it out from your throat, sinuses, nasal cavity and lungs. You can either inhale pure steam while taking a hot bath or through the inhalation of herbs or essential oils such as peppermint or eucalyptus.

6. Get quality sleep

When sleeping with chest congestion, always keep your head elevated by using multiple pillows to prop up your head. This will promote proper mucus drainage and prevent nose blockage so you can get some much-needed restful slumber time.

7. Use a hot compress

Another way to loosen accumulated mucus is by using a hot pack or hot compress. All you have to do is heat water, soak a clean cloth into it, squeeze, and place it over your throat or chest. For best results, you can add some fenugreek seeds and cloves to the water to help improve blood circulation in the treatment area.

You can also make use of a hot water bottle to avoid the hassle of soaking the cloth again and again. However you may choose to do it, make certain that the temperature is hot enough for it to be effective. And, of course, it shouldn’t be too hot that it’ll burn your skin.

8. Use a humidifier

Using a humidifier is good for your sinus health as it provides humidity and moisture to your nose interior. It’s an effective treatment for chest congestion because it opens up the nasal passages and fosters healthy breathing.

9. Steam clean

Your nose and throat gets irritated and inflamed when you breathe in bacteria, viruses, dust or pollen. The inflammation can lead to a headache, stuffy nose and chest congestion. By steam cleaning your home, you sanitize surfaces and kill 99.9 percent of bacteria, germs and dust.

It’s important that when you suffer chest congestion, you also get rid of the root cause to prevent its recurrence.

10. Increase vitamin C intake

Vitamin C is essential for the treatment of cold, chest congestion and flu. And the best way to increase your intake is to make it a part of your diet through the consumption of vitamin C-rich fruits and veggies. 

Lemon has the second highest concentration of vitamin C among the citrus fruits (oranges take the top spot), and is recommended for viral and bacterial infections.

Follow these instructions when preparing lemon:

• In a half cup of warm water (or water at room temperature), squeeze the juice of half a lemon.
• Drink it first thing in the morning.
• Repeat two times a day to loosen and remove mucus.

Once you start seeing symptoms of chest congestion, consider the above 10 remedies to get immediate relief. However, it’s also important to note that if your condition lasts for more than two weeks, you should consult with your doctor.