Expectorant Asthma
Using an Expectorant for Asthma Treatment
If you suffer from asthma, it may be possible for you to find relief using an expectorant for asthma. An expectorant is a substance that helps the airways expel excessive buildups of mucous and phlegm. As you can probably guess, a buildup of mucous can make an already narrow airway much more difficult to breathe through. Although expectorants are not effective in all cases o asthma, they can be very helpful to someone whose asthma is based on airway blockage due to excess mucous buildup.
So, how does an expectorant for asthma work, exactly? Expectorants come in both natural and drug forms, but all of them work in a way that loosens the mucous from the airways. Once the mucous has been broken down, it may effectively be dispelled. An expectorant will not suppress a cough. Instead, the broken up mucous is best expelled by coughing; therefore one may be encouraged to cough as a means to clear up the airways.
The first type of expectorant we are going to talk about is a natural one. Ginger root has been used throughout history as an effective expectorant. Natural properties in ginger allow it to soften and loosen the mucous in the chest and airways. A great way to prepare ginger root for the treatment of asthma is to boil the root for a few minutes and then add it to a cup of tea. Give the ginger about five minutes to steep before adding sugar or honey. Be sure to clean the root well before boiling it, as it can harbor dirt fairly well.
Garlic is another natural expectorant for asthma, colds, and the flu. Garlic is available in the form of whole cloves, finely chopped in a jar, as well as supplement form. If you find that you often suffer attacks of asthma due to mucous build up, you may want to consider simply taking a garlic supplement every day. If attacks are rare, there is a quick remedy you can throw together to help loosen the phlegm in your airways. Grate a clove of fresh garlic and mix it with a teaspoon of honey. You can probably tell that this mixture will not taste nice going down, but it gets to work quickly! Maybe consider plugging your nose while taking a spoonful of this!
Potassium iodide is a compound that has been used medically for a number of medical conditions. When used as an expectorant for asthma, a few drops of a saturated solution of potassium iodide can be added to drinks. When consumed, the potassium iodide increases the amount of water found in the mucous, which makes coughing much more effective against loosening up the mucous.
Another medicinal form of expectorant is guaifenesin. This component is found in many popular over the counter medications that aid in expelling mucous from the upper respiratory tract. Some popular brand names that include guaifenesin are Mucinex and Robitussin DAC and AC. If you are considering taking one of these medications, it’s important that you ask a pharmacist or your doctor whether it will interfere with any other medications that you may be taking.
If you like liquorice, then you may want to keep it on hand for use as an expectorant. That’s right, plain old liquorice is excellent for liquefying the excess mucous in the respiratory system. If you’re bringing to mind the black Twizzlers when you think of liquorice, then we have to set you straight. Liquorice is actually an herb. To make a nice liquorice and honey syrup, simply measure out half a cup of dried licorice root and pour it into a saucepan along with two cups of water. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes. Add half a cup of honey to the mixture and stir it well. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into an open container so that it can cool. The strainer will keep the “bits” of liquorice from ending up in your syrup. Allow this to cool, then store it in an air-tight container to be kept in the refrigerator for up to one month. Serving suggestion is one teaspoon every hour or so, as needed. Please note that this syrup should not be taken by anyone suffering from high blood pressure or heart disease, or who is pregnant.