Herbal remedies for shortness of breath and natural ways to deal with it

Do you often feel breathless between your talks? This may be a sign that you are experiencing shortness of breath, which is why you are only able to take short breaths. In the medical world, this difficulty breathing is known as dyspnea. This condition is quite common, and fortunately there are many natural ways you can treat it. Here are a selection of herbal remedies and other natural ways that you can try as a treatment to reduce shortness of breath.

What causes shortness of breath?

When you experience shortness of breath, you may feel as if the air supply in your lungs is running out. There are several causes of shortness of breath, such as:

• Allergy
• Asthma
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Heart attack
• Pneumonia
• Respiratory tract obstruction

In addition, some activities or activities that are not related to medical conditions can also cause your breath to become shallow, such as:

• Be at an altitude
• Poor air quality, such as because it is polluted by smoke or carbon monoxide
• Extreme temperatures
• After doing strenuous exercise

What are the options for natural herbal remedies to treat shortness of breath?

In addition to using medical drugs to relieve symptoms of shortness of breath, there are natural ingredients and traditional herbs that you can use to help reduce discomfort.

Some choices of natural remedies for shortness of breath include:

1. Ginger

Ginger has become the herbal medicine of choice for many people to treat shortness of breath naturally. Ginger is believed to help reduce the symptoms of shortness of breath, especially those caused by respiratory infections.

This is explained in a study from Journal of Ethnopharmacology published in 2012. In this study, ginger is believed to trigger antiviral activity that can fight viral infections, especially the type of HRSV that attacks the respiratory system.

You can take ginger as a traditional medicine for shortness of breath in pieces, boiled, or supplements.

2. Coffee

Coffee can be a herbal remedy to treat shortness of breath naturally. A study found in the Cochrane Library shows how the caffeine content in coffee is useful for reducing shortness of breath, especially in people with asthma.

From the results of these studies, it was found that caffeine can help the muscles of the respiratory tract to relax more. Thus, lung function can improve and breathing more smoothly.

However, you need to remember that not all symptoms of shortness of breath can be treated with coffee, yes! Some people who experience shortness of breath, especially due to digestive problems, should avoid coffee instead.

3. Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus leaves are also a plant that you can try as an herbal remedy to reduce symptoms of shortness of breath. This plant contains an active ingredient called cineole.

In a study from the journal Cough , the content of cineole in eucalyptus is believed to provide mucolytic effects (thinner phlegm), bronchodilators (relax the muscles in the lungs), and reduce inflammation.

That is why, this plant is believed to have the potential to relieve symptoms of shortness of breath in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma who often experience shortness of breath.

4. Apples

Did you know that you can also use apples as a traditional medicine to relieve symptoms of shortness of breath? Well, if you are an active smoker and start to feel difficulty breathing due to decreased lung function, apples are believed to be the solution.

This is evidenced by a study from European Respiratory Journal released in 2017. In the study, fruits that are rich in antioxidants, especially apples, can repair lung damage, especially in people who have been actively smoking.

Lung damage is often associated with COPD, heart disease, and lung cancer, which certainly increases the risk of shortness of breath symptoms.

Therefore, make sure you start regularly consuming apples in your daily diet to help reduce difficult breathing conditions.

Natural ways to deal with shortness of breath in addition to herbal remedies

Not only with herbal remedies, you can also try the natural methods below to help reduce symptoms of shortness of breath. The following methods are believed to maximize the performance of the drug you are currently using, as well as reduce the risk of recurrence of shortness of breath at a later time.

1. Breathe deeply

Taking deep breaths is one way that can be done to deal with shortness of breath apart from herbal remedies. There are several steps that you must do, namely:

• Position the body lying down, placing both hands on the stomach.
• Take as deep a breath as possible through your nose, until it seems as if the entire lung is filled with air.
• Hold your breath for a few seconds, then exhale through your mouth.
• Repeat this step for 5-10 minutes.

2. Use technique pursed-lip breathing

Apart from utilizing herbal remedies and deep breathing, other breathing techniques that can be done for shortness of breath, namely pursed-lip breathing . As the name implies, this technique involves the lips aka through the mouth to help regulate the rate of breathing.

If your shortness of breath is caused by anxiety, this technique can be very useful. How to do pursed-lip breathing ?

• Sit upright in a chair relaxed and not tense.
• The shape of the lips, like a cone, leaving little room for the in and out of the air flow.
• Take a breath through your nose, then hold it for a few seconds.
• Gently spit it out through the lips for a count of 4.
• Repeat these steps for about 10 minutes, or until the breathing rate improves again.

3. Use warm steam

Inhaling warm steam can actually be one way to deal with shortness of breath, in addition to using herbal remedies. The reason is, this method helps clean the nasal passages, thereby relieving the respiratory system.

Not only that. The hot steam can also liquefy the mucus in the lungs. As a result, the process of getting in and out of air while breathing will be much easier.

You only need to prepare a container filled with warm water, then place your face on top of the container. Next, take a deep breath as usual, while inhaling and feeling the warm steam.

It would be better to ensure that the water in the container is not too hot, because it is feared that it can injure facial skin.

Before taking herbal or traditional remedies for shortness of breath, make sure you consult a doctor. Determining the cause can help you and your doctor determine which herbal ingredients and natural methods are most suitable for your health condition.