Steam inhalations for cough, runny nose and bronchitis

Viral and catarrhal diseases affecting the upper respiratory tract are usually treated with medication and alternative methods. Steam inhalation is a common household method of dealing with the flu and colds. As a result, the disease recedes faster, and the patient feels much better after the procedure.

But not everyone knows how to properly organize and conduct the procedure of steam inhalation, so our article will tell you about it.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6]

Indications for the procedure

Doctors advise steam inhalation against the background of complex treatment of inflammatory processes in the respiratory system, and especially with frequently recurring bronchitis. Professionally, but at home, inhalations are made using a steam inhaler: this device can be “filled” with special medicinal solutions, mineral waters, and herbal infusions. There is also a simpler method known to many: who among us did not breathe in steam, having taken refuge with a towel?

Steam inhalation is an excellent tool that is used for chronic diseases of the respiratory system, including bronchial asthma. The procedure perfectly warms the tissues and facilitates the excretion of sputum mucus.

To improve the efficiency, medicinal solutions, alkaline liquids can be supplemented with herbal infusions or decoctions, as well as essential oils. Such a complex treatment will make it possible to cope faster with cough, runny nose, and restore mucous membranes damaged by inflammation.

Steam inhalation with a dry cough has a therapeutic effect, due to the fact that the hot steam enters directly into the bronchi. Penetrating into the respiratory tract, steam removes signs of inflammatory reaction, improves blood flow, facilitates the formation and excretion of sputum mucus. One can say that a dry cough is one of the main indications for using steam inhalations.

Steam inhalation with bronchitis can be carried out in acute and chronic course of the disease, excluding periods of increased body temperature. Steam will help relieve bronchial edema, slow down the development of the inflammatory reaction, speed up the withdrawal of sputum. If the inflammatory process falls into the lower parts of the respiratory system, then it is preferable to use ultrasonic or compressor nebulizers, since the effects of steam in such a situation is not enough for proper treatment.

Steam inhalation with a cold is made with a stuffy nose, with plenty of mucus. The exceptions are purulent processes in the sinuses, which are a contraindication to the procedure. Steam inhalation with sinus is allowed to hold only during the chronic course of the disease and only outside the acute stage. Do not treat with inhalation antritis of fungal origin.

As a therapeutic inhalation solution for a cold, it is allowed to use non-carbonated mineral water, calendula infusion, honey water, saline and soda solution. The peculiarity of this treatment is that the steam should be inhaled by the nose, and exhale by the mouth.

Steam inhalation with laryngitis helps to quickly get rid of hoarseness, ease breathing and improve the patient's well-being. However, doctors do not recommend using such a method in the acute period of the disease: you should wait a few days and only then proceed to the procedure, otherwise you can aggravate the painful situation - up to the development of pneumonia. As therapeutic fluids are allowed to use all sorts of herbal remedies. For example, in water often add onion juice or garlic, chamomile color, calendula, sage. No less effective are procedures with essential oils.

We must not forget that steam inhalation at a temperature exceeding 37.5 ° C should not be carried out! Inhalation of vapors on the background of high temperature contributes to the generalization of the infection and its further spread, and also increases the degree of intoxication of the body.

Steam inhalation for pharyngitis on the background of viral diseases or acute respiratory infections is used quite often. Inhale steam for pharyngitis should mouth, and exhale - nose. So it is possible to achieve the most positive result. For optimal exposure, use solutions of sea salt or garlic juice, infusions of eucalyptus leaves or needles.

Steam inhalation with angina is not carried out at the height of the inflammatory process, when there is an increase in temperature and the formation of pus in the tonsils. Inhalation treatment is possible only after normalization of temperature and only against the background of traditional drug therapy. Purulent tonsillitis is a definitive contraindication to the use of steam exposure.

Steam inhalations for adenoids are fully indicated if a pediatrician or a children's otolaryngologist does not see contraindications for a particular child. Inhalation treatment is repeated one to four times a year, and you should always consult a doctor before each treatment course so as not to harm fragile children's health. Most often, the ivy-like budry plant infusion is used as a therapeutic fluid for adenoids (to prepare an infusion, 15 g of the plant is poured over 200 ml of boiling water and kept in a thermos for half an hour). Also for treatment can be applied infusion of eucalyptus leaves, soda solution, Kalanchoe juice.

Inhalation procedures can be applied not only for medical purposes, but also for cosmetic purposes. For example, among the representatives of the fair sex, steam inhalation for the face is especially often practiced: holding saline-soda solution over steam is considered a good way of cleansing, saturating the skin with moisture. If the skin is prone to the formation of acne, the water for inhalation can add 1-2 drops of oil of bergamot, lime, pine needles, chamomile, eucalyptus. No less useful decoctions of lime, fennel, mint, wild rose, birch buds. With excessive dry skin effective procedures with sea buckthorn, nettle, grapefruit oil. The duration of one session can be 20 minutes.

[7], [8], [9], [10]

Preparation

Before starting treatment with steam inhalations, you need to know a few simple preparatory rules.

1. Time for inhalation should be chosen between meals (approximately 1-1.5 hours after a meal, or 1-1.5 hours before a meal).
2. If the patient had any active exercise, then after them you should relax for 1-1.5 hours, and only then proceed to the procedure.
3. Should not be taken for inhalation immediately after waking up.
4. The place for inhalation should be comfortable, without drafts.

Treatment solution must be thought out and prepared before inhalation. In addition, you need to prepare a wide towel, a teapot with a spout, a paper cone (funnel), a napkin. It is advisable to think about where the patient will rest after the procedure: you can prepare the bed in advance. Children should read a book or turn on a cartoon.

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Technique of the steam inhalation

How to do steam inhalation in normal conditions - at home - everyone should know who is monitoring their health. If there is no special steam inhaler, then the procedure is done in the “old-fashioned” way: the kettle is filled with the necessary solution, heated to the desired temperature, after which a dense paper cone is inserted into the nozzle, through which vapor will be inhaled. In addition, you should prepare a towel of the right size in advance, choose a comfortable place so that the patient can sit safely during the procedure.

The patient leans a little above the cone and begins to breathe steam, having previously covered with a towel (with the head). If it is intended to treat rhinitis, then breathing over the steam is necessary, using nasal breathing. When treating a sore throat, they breathe through the mouth.

Doctors do not advise to repeat inhalation too often: two or three procedures per day are enough. The duration of each approach depends on the well-being of the patient: in children, the session should not last more than five minutes, and in adult patients - not more than fifteen minutes.

If the house has a special device in the form of a steam inhaler, this greatly simplifies the treatment. Inhalations with a steam inhaler are simple and accessible: the principle of the device is the directed supply of steam with medicinal additives to the upper respiratory tract.

How to use such an inhaler?

• Pour into the special compartment of the device medicinal solution (decoction, infusion, etc.).
• After heating water inhale the vapors for 5-10 minutes.
• After the session is completed, the device is washed and dried.

To date, for domestic use, there are three basic options for inhalation devices: these include steam, ultrasound and compressor inhaler. Ultrasonic and compressor devices are called “nebulizers”: they produce not vapor, but an aerosol stream (a medicinal solution broken into tiny particles).

The technique of carrying out steam and ultrasonic inhalations differs significantly. Thus, the effect of the steam procedure is based on the evaporation of a therapeutic fluid that occurs at a certain temperature. Accordingly, the steam inhaler can "work" only with volatile solutions that have a boiling point of less than 100 ° C.

An ultrasonic inhaler transforms the therapeutic fluid into a fine aerosol, so these microparticles are able to penetrate even into the lower respiratory system. Which of the devices to choose, or use the usual household method of steam inhalation, the doctor will tell.

Steam Inhalation Solutions

The simplest inhalation fluids can be single-, two-component, or mixed. The simplest liquid that can be used for treatment is medicinal mineral water without gases (this is important!).

The simplest two-component solution is boiled water and baking soda. Steam inhalation with soda accelerates the liquefaction, formation and removal of mucus. To prepare the solution, mix 200 ml of water and 1 tsp. Soda powder.

Procedures with herbs and herbal ingredients have an additional therapeutic effect on the inflamed respiratory system. As a filler, patients successfully use infusions of mint leaves, chamomile, as well as leaves of sage, wormwood, black currant. It is allowed to add decoctions of fresh pine needles, oak leaves, birch, eucalyptus.

Steam inhalations with eucalyptus have a special disinfecting and healing effect. For therapeutic effects, you can use the leaves of the plant, or essential oil. In the first case, insist 1 tsp. Dried and crushed eucalyptus leaves in 200 ml of water, and in the second case it is enough to add one drop of eucalyptus oil to 150 ml of water.

In general, steam inhalations with oil, with essential oils are quite common. Most often, for respiratory diseases, oils of eucalyptus, anise, fir, rosemary, mint, sea buckthorn, and peach are used. Sea buckthorn and peach oil have a pronounced regenerating effect: they are added in the amount of 1 tsp. 200 ml of water. For the treatment of young children inhalation use of oils is not recommended.

Chamomile steam inhalation is perhaps the most simple and inexpensive way to treat acute respiratory diseases. To properly prepare a therapeutic liquid, you need to brew 1 tsp. Chamomile flowers in 200 ml of boiling water, insist for 20-30 minutes, then filtered and poured into a steam inhaler. The recipe can be applied to both adults and children.

Instead of soda, many patients do steam inhalation with salt (better - sea). The solution is prepared as follows. Mix 1 liter of water with 1 tbsp. L salt and stirred until complete dissolution, put the pot with a solution on the fire to boil (or poured into a steam inhaler). You can make a more complex solution - with salt and soda. Prepare it simply by mixing one tablespoon of salt and soda in one liter of water.

Often, to relieve dry cough, they use methods that are not quite standard at first glance. For example, the Validol tablet for home steam inhalation is used to relieve puffiness, to soften and soothe strong cough attacks. Experts say that the correct and regular procedure helps to completely stop the paroxysmal cough after three days. To prepare an inhalation solution is quite simple: for the treatment of adults, 400 ml of water is brought to the boil, diluted in 1 tsp. Baking soda, 1 tablet of Validol and 5-7 drops of iodine solution. The solution is poured into a kettle with a paper cone, or into a steam inhaler, and the procedure is carried out daily, twice a day. If the child is to be treated, the soda and iodine are not added to the solution: it is enough to prepare a solution of one tablet of Validol and one liter of water. The duration of one approach is 1-2 minutes.

Steam inhalation during pregnancy

All women know that during pregnancy you should carefully select the methods of treatment of any diseases. The overwhelming number of medicines is contraindicated. Alternative methods are also not always welcome. What is to treat colds and cough?

Steam inhalation can be called one of the safest methods of cough relief. Such treatment does not burden the internal organs, is not accompanied by adverse symptoms, does not harm the unborn child.

It is optimal to begin treatment with steam inhalations already at the first signs of the disease. Procedures help to cope with a runny nose, dry cough with poor separation of mucus.

What can be used as a therapeutic solution for inhalation of pregnant women? If you are worried about a dry cough, then you should choose an infusion of chamomile and lime blossom, sage, plantain, lemon balm, St. John's wort, and Althea. A wet cough is treated with eucalyptus, plantain, wild rosemary, wild rosemary, string, yarrow, lingonberry leaf or coltsfoot. Also allowed soda steam inhalation, inhalation of potato vapor. Essential oils can be added to hot water: sage, lime, eucalyptus, fir, coniferous, cedar, and myrtle oil.

During pregnancy, one procedure of steam inhalation should not last longer than ten minutes, and if essential oil is added to the water, then no more than five minutes.

Steam inhalation for a child

Steam inhalation is a beneficial procedure that has a positive effect on the upper respiratory tract. With uncomplicated respiratory diseases - rhinitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, it is quite possible to make a child inhaled with steam. But provided that the baby has no fever, no otitis, and his age is not less than two or three years. Experts advise children to be under six years of age to be inhaled with extreme caution; therefore, this issue should be approached very responsibly, and consult with a doctor in advance. For therapeutic effects, it is sometimes enough for young children to sit in a bathtub filled with warm steam for some time: this simple way will help soften the mucus and quickly remove it from the respiratory system.

Steam inhalation in children is carried out between meals, and one procedure should not last more than five minutes. Water for inhalation in no case should not be hot and even more boiling: optimally heat it to 40 ° and allow the child to inhale warm air through the funnel. In the water it is recommended to add a few drops of essential oil, soda, mineral water.

Contraindications to the procedure

Steam inhalation should not be carried out:

• if body temperature exceeds 37.5 ° C;
• in acute pneumonia;
• pulmonary edema;
• with purulent inflammation (for example, with pulmonary abscess);
• with pneumothorax, hemoptysis, pulmonary hemorrhage;
• with acute otitis;
• with nosebleeds, or if such bleeding occurs frequently (for example, atrophy of the nasal mucosa, with the superficial location of the capillary network, etc.);
• with the fungal etiology of respiratory disease;
• with decompensated conditions, acute cardiac pathologies, hypertension.

Steam inhalation is undesirable for children under 2-3 years of age, and up to 1 year they are strictly prohibited.

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Consequences after the procedure

Steam inhalation is a useful procedure that helps the body deal with inflammatory processes in the upper respiratory tract. However, if the patient's well-being does not improve after inhalations, or even worsens (for example, there is increased cough, nausea, unpleasant sensations in the heart, dizziness and headache, etc.), then the procedure should be stopped and consult a doctor. Especially urgent need medical assistance if there was a sharp pain in the chest, difficulty breathing, impaired consciousness.

Complications after the procedure may appear if its implementation was accompanied by certain errors, for example:

• if steam inhalation was performed in case of a disease of the deep parts of the respiratory system;
• if the procedure lasted too long (more than 15 minutes) or too often (more than three times a day);
• if the patient used the medicine for inhalation at his discretion, without prior advice from the doctor;
• if the patient inhaled steam immediately after eating;
• if immediately at the end of the procedure the patient ate, or went outside, or loudly talked, ran, shouted;
• if steam inhalation was performed on the background of high temperature;
• if the procedure was done by several people at once, one after the other, without replacing the inhalation medium;
• if after inhalation the patient immediately went to smoke;
• if steam inhalation was the only method used to treat a respiratory illness.

If you do not make these mistakes, then no complications should arise.

Separately, it is necessary to point out such a frequent unpleasant consequence, as a burn of mucous membranes: such an injury can be easily obtained using boiling water for steam inhalation. It is absolutely impossible to do this, otherwise serious problems may arise, and this is especially true of children. Water for steam inhalation should have a temperature of 40-45 ° C, but not higher than that (for the treatment of adults, the maximum allowed water temperature is 55 ° C).

If mineral water (for example, Borjomi, Yessentuki) is used as an inhalation fluid, it should be freed from gas bubbles beforehand by unscrewing the cap and leaving it for about a day. If this is not done, then you can get a serious irritation of the mucous tissues and even spasms that occur under the influence of heated carbon dioxide.

[14], [15], [16],

Care after the procedure

There are a few simple rules to follow after a steam inhalation procedure. The essence of these rules is as follows:

• after inhalation, the patient should remain at rest for at least 1.5 hours (optimally lie down, covered with a blanket);
• you can not shout, run, it is undesirable to even talk for 30-60 minutes;
• one cannot immediately go to the street, to the balcony, etc .;
• Do not drink and eat for 1.5 hours after inhalation.

In the room in which the patient is located, a certain microclimate should be observed, with a humidity level of about 50-70%, and a temperature of about 20 ° C. It is necessary to air the room regularly (in the absence of the patient), to do wet cleaning. During the day, the patient should consume a sufficient amount of warm liquid: this will help soften the mucus and quickly bring it out.

If steam inhalation was performed using a steam inhaler, it should be disassembled, washed and dried. Do not reuse the device without cleaning.

[17], [18], [19], [20]

Reviews

With the onset of rainy autumn days, acute respiratory diseases are no longer a rarity: both children and adults suffer from them. Many have mucous discharge from the nose, a sore throat, a cough begins. With these symptoms, steam inhalation can provide real and quick help - because this method of treatment has been tested for years. However, doctors do not recommend self-medication: even such a banal procedure should be prescribed by a doctor after a preliminary examination, since there is a risk of developing serious health problems.

According to the patients themselves, if steam inhalations are carried out at the earliest stages of respiratory illness, by strictly following all the recommendations, then recovery can indeed be accelerated. Against the background of the development of an inflammatory reaction, some painful changes occur in the respiratory organs that impede normal blood circulation and the respiratory process itself. Steam inhalations warm up and moisturize the mucous membranes, sputum becomes softer, and its elimination is facilitated. But, if we are late with the procedures, it can be harmful: bacteria that begin to multiply in a warm and loose environment between inflamed tissues, during inhalation of steam get deeper into the lower parts of the respiratory tract. To avoid this, it is better to consult a doctor before using steam procedures. He will help and tell you how to carry out the treatment and not harm your own health.