Folk expectorants

There are many drugs on the shelves of pharmacies that, according to manufacturers, thin phlegm and remove it from the respiratory tract. However, not all of these funds give positive results from the use, and some of them can even cause negative reactions in the body, since they contain chemicals in the composition. It will be more convenient, cheaper and safer to prepare an expectorant for cough at home than to purchase some pharmacy medicines.

Feasibility of application

Cough is a natural reflex, it happens even when a person is not sick with anything. With the help of a spasm, the respiratory system is freed from mucus, which is constantly secreted by the goblet cells. We need this secret, as it moisturizes and warms the inhaled air, filters it. Every minute sputum detains and "disarms" millions of pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms, preventing them from penetrating deep into the respiratory tract. A light cough is a normal and completely safe process.

However, when the cough becomes severe, causes discomfort and is accompanied by the manifestation of additional unpleasant symptoms, it makes sense to start taking expectorant folk remedies. However, be careful, their use will give the desired effect only when bronchospasm is accompanied by profuse discharge of thick sputum (wet cough). If mucus is not secreted, and the spasm is tearful and does not bring relief, then it is forbidden to use such medications, you need to choose those that will help to cope with a specific cause. Folk remedies for coughing up phlegm are taken for such violations:

pneumonia;
bronchitis;
bronchial asthma;
tracheitis;
sinusitis;
laryngitis, etc.

The mechanism of action of funds

Folk remedies for adults make expectoration much easier, they can also be used to improve the condition of young patients, but only after a certain age (each medicine has its own). The mechanism of action for each procedure will be different:

inhalations expand the bronchi, activate the production of mucus by the ciliated epithelium and thin out phlegm;
infusions and decoctions contribute to an increase in the production of secretions and its rarefaction, have an anti-inflammatory effect;
rubbing and compresses warm, increase blood flow in the organs of the respiratory system, which stimulates the rarefaction of sputum and its active excretion.

It will not be difficult to choose a folk expectorant that will suit you personally. There are medicines for oral administration, inhalation, compresses and rubbing. And they all have a different composition.

In the arsenal of the "people's first aid kit" there are even medicinal products that children will be happy to take.

Decoctions and infusions for expectoration

Medicines for effective coughing up mucus can be prepared on the basis of herbs with high biological activity. Other products are also used, famous since ancient times for their healing properties. Folk recipes are very simple, they will cost much less than pharmacy counterparts.

Consider how you can prepare funds.

Milk + oats. Pour 1 cup of oatmeal with 2 cups of milk, put on low heat and cook until the oats are soft. The mixture must be constantly stirred, if the milk has completely boiled away, it can be added. The finished broth must be well interrupted in a blender, if desired, natural honey is added to it. Take 5-6 times a day, 1 tablespoon.
Milk + soda + butter. In a glass of warm milk, you need to dissolve a teaspoon of baking soda and 5 g of high fat butter. You can take less oil if you have an intolerance to too fatty foods. Such a mixture is drunk before going to bed, if a strong night cough is tormented, it soothes the mucous membrane, cleans it of pathogenic microorganisms, envelops it with a protective film, and promotes sputum dilution.
A decoction of licorice (licorice). We need dried licorice root, measure out 10 g of raw materials, fill it with a glass of water and put it to languish in a water bath. Stir the mixture constantly and remove from heat after 20 minutes, leave for 2 hours, filter well, add boiled water to a volume of 200 ml. You need to take 1 tablespoon 5-6 times a day.
Infusion of leaves of coltsfoot. Pour dry crushed leaves of the plant (1 tablespoon) with a glass of water and put in a water bath. Stirring often, cook the mixture for 15 minutes, after which we insist for another 45 minutes. Filter the finished infusion through cheesecloth, add 200 ml of boiled water to a volume, drink 0.5 cups of warm medicine 1 hour before meals 3 times a day.
Elecampane broth. Take a tablespoon of crushed dry plant roots and cover with 2 cups of water. Put on low heat and simmer the mixture after boiling for another 15 minutes. Then remove from the stove, cool and strain through cheesecloth folded in several layers. Take 2 tablespoons of the broth every hour.
Infusion of marshmallow root. To prepare the medicine, you need to take 15 g of dry crushed roots, pour 0.5 liters of cold boiled water over them and leave for 1 day. After that, filter the infusion and take 1 dessert spoon 5 times a day.
Onion + honey. Grate one medium-sized onion on a fine grater, mix the resulting gruel with 1 tablespoon of honey until smooth. You need to take the product 1 teaspoon after a meal.
Milk + garlic. Grate or finely chop 3 cloves of garlic with a knife and add to 1 cup of milk. Put the mixture on fire, bring to a boil. The finished product should be taken after meals for 1/3 cup 3 times a day.

Inhalation

When exposed to the respiratory tract with warm air with a high concentration of medicinal substances, sputum will be coughing up much better. However, keep in mind that inhalations cannot be done if the patient has a high body temperature, this can provoke a worsening of the condition. The procedures can be carried out using various means, which we will consider in more detail.

Soda + iodine + eucalyptus oil. Pour 2.5 liters of hot water into an enamel bowl, add a tablespoon of baking soda, 20 drops of iodine and 10 drops of eucalyptus oil. Let the patient breathe over the mixture for 10 minutes, the procedure can be repeated up to 4 times a day.
Borjomi. Alkaline mineral water can also help relieve wet coughs. For inhalation, you can use "Borjomi" or "Essentuki 17". Water is added to a nebulizer or poured into an enamel bowl, on which it will be comfortable to breathe.

Precautionary measures

Self-prepared expectorants can be hazardous to health if not properly selected. It should be borne in mind that food products and medicinal plants have high biological activity, which means that they are quickly and almost completely absorbed by the body. Some people may have a personal intolerance to ingredients such as honey, milk, leaves, flowers, and herbal roots. In order not to harm yourself, you must definitely consult with your doctor before starting therapy.

It should also be borne in mind that home-made expectorant drugs can only alleviate the patient's condition. However, they are unable to cure the disease that led to the cough.

In no case should the therapy prescribed by the doctor be ignored, folk remedies can only supplement it, but not replace it.Ingredients for children, expectant mothers and nursing mothers are selected with extreme care.

In conclusion

There are many useful and effective traditional medicines that promote the discharge of phlegm. All of them have a number of advantages, for example, naturalness, low cost, ease of manufacture and use. However, it should be borne in mind that not all drugs in this category are equally useful for every person.