Chest congestion in itself is not a disease but this term refers to a number of collective symptoms that are present in various respiratory diseases. The symptoms which refer to chest congestion include rattling cough due to the accumulation of mucus in the chest, wheezing or whistling sound produced during breathing, difficulty in respiration, difficulty in expectorating the mucus accumulated in the lungs, suffocative spells and chest pains. Asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia are a few examples of respiratory disease that leads to chest congestion. A simple cold, if not treated in time, may also lead to chest congestion due to the spread of infection. In this article, I have tried to cover all symptoms of chest congestion and the best homeopathic remedies for chest congestion.
Antimonium Tart is one of the leading medicines for the treatment of chest congestion. The prominent indication for using this medicine in chest congestion is excessive rattling of mucus in the lungs on coughing. The lungs seem to be overloaded with mucus. But even on much coughing very little mucus is expectorated. There is difficulty in breathing and the patient takes shorter breath to compensate for normal breathing. There are suffocative spells that force the patient to sit up. Chest congestion consequent to working in damp basements yields wonderfully well to this medicine. This medicine also possesses great power to heal difficult respiration in babies occurring shortly after birth.
This medicine is mainly prescribed to those patients of chest congestion who suffer from suffocative spells mainly at night time. Suffocation with difficulty in respiration is worse on lying down and better by sitting up. On breathing wheezing or whistling sounds in the chest are produced. The cough is better by taking warm drinks. Burning pains in the chest may also be present. This medicine can be given in all such cases of chest congestion that have occurred after taking cold drinks.
To use this remedy, the chest is full of mucus but in spite of coughing none of it comes out. The patient feels suffocative with constricted feeling in the chest. The face of the patient turns bluish due to lack of oxygen as a result of suffocative spells. Expectorated mucus at times can be bloodstained. Persistent nausea accompanies the cough and chest congestion. Vomiting if present with chest congestion gives relief to the patient.
This medicine is given to those patients who complain of chest pain with chest symptoms. Pain is accompanied by burning in the chest. The patient requiring this medicine complains of constrictive, oppressed feeling in the chest as if a weight is lying in the chest. Cough is present that is worse by talking, laughing. Cold air worsens the cough and chest pain. The patient requiring phosphorus can also have strange symptoms – they desire cold drinks, ice creams and refreshing things like juice along with above symptoms.
The main indication to use Bryonia is cough with difficult breathing. The difficult breathing is worse by slightest motion and better by rest. The patient feels a constant need to take a deep breath. The cough gets worse after eating, drinking or in a warm room. This medicine has a powerful effect in treating stitching pains in the chest during inspiration. The chest pains are also worse while coughing. The patient has to hold the chest with hands due to severe chest pains on coughing. The expectorated mucus is thick. The mucus comes out only after much hawking. Thirst for an increased quantity of water might also be present.
Senega is a top medicine mainly recommended in elderly people with chest congestion. The patient requiring this medicine complains of rattling of mucus in the chest with oppressed feeling. The mucus from the chest needs much effort and comes out with great difficulty. The expectorated mucus is tough and copious. Extreme soreness is felt in the chest.
Both Antimonium Tart and Hepar Sulph are natural medicines for treating rattling of mucus in the chest. Antimonium Tart can be given to those patients who have rattling of mucus in the chest on coughing. The bronchial tubes in the chest are full of mucus but it cannot be coughed out. For people requiring this medicine, the complaints are worse after exposure to dampness.
Hepar Sulph is used for the rattling of mucus that is worse in the morning time. For patients requiring Hepar Sulph, chest congestion gets worse by cold air exposure.
Ipecac can be used where wheezing is present due to chest congestion. The indicating feature for using this medicine is relief from vomiting or coughing out the mucus. Arsenic album is given when the wheezing is present with suffocative spells and cough. The patient is better after taking warm drinks.
Nux Vomica is mainly used when the wheezing is worse during sleep.
Lachesis is very efficient in treating suffocative attacks that are worse on lying down. The patient has to rush towards an open window to get relief. The patient feels to take deep breaths. Nothing tight is bearable around the neck or waist. Sambucus gives best results when the suffocative spells occur while sleeping and the patient wakes up suddenly almost breathless. The nose feels totally obstructed. It is more frequently indicated in very young children and infants.
Bryonia Alba and Phosphorus occupy a significant place in homeopathy to treat the chest pains due to chest congestion. But the selection depends upon the symptoms given by the patient. Bryonia Alba is more suited to those patients who give symptoms of chest pains which are worse on inspiring and while coughing. The pains are stitching type in nature. Such patients get relief by lying down.
For using Phosphorus in chest pain the most indicative symptoms are – worsening of chest pain by lying on the left side and by pressure. Warm applications usually relieve the pains and cold air aggravates the chest pain.
Kali Sulph is one of the best remedies for congestion; it is given when the mucus rattles in the chest and is expectorated with much difficulty. The expectorated mucus is yellow in color. Pulsatilla is used when the mucus from the chest is greenish in color and takes great effort to come out.
Kali Bichrome works at its best when the mucus is extremely thick and sticky in nature and comes out in long threads or strings and requires much force to spit it out.
Aconite is the best natural remedy for chest congestion from exposure to cold air. The patients requiring this medicine feels severe oppression in the chest with short difficult and labored breathing. Anxiety and restlessness of utmost degree can also be present with chest congestion.
Natrum Sulph is highly ranked holistic medicine for chest congestion occurring in damp weather. The symptoms that guide towards this medicine use are rattling of mucus in the chest with difficulty in breathing and the patient feels the need to take deep breaths. Green colored mucus is coughed out. Pain in the chest also occurs during coughing, forcing the patient to hold the chest.
Ipecac is mainly given when a continuous rattling cough is present. The face of the infant turns blue due to incessant coughing. Wheezing from the chest is severe. vomiting usually eases the cough.
Sambucus works very efficiently in treating the cough attacks in infants that occurs at night with blockage of nose. The infant wakes up in the night with sudden crying and extremely suffocated.
Chamomilla works well for infants with rattling cough with utmost irritability and crying. Such an infant feels a lot better when they are carried around.
