Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung, usually caused by an infection. Three common causes are bacteria, viruses and fungi. You can also get pneumonia by accidentally inhaling a liquid or chemical. People most at risk are older than 65 or younger than 2 years of age, or already have health problems.
If you have pneumonia, you may have difficulty breathing and have a cough and a fever. A physical exam and history can help determine if you have pneumonia. Chest X-rays and blood tests can help determine what is wrong.
Treatment depends on what made you sick. If bacteria are the cause, antibiotics should help. Viral pneumonia may get better with rest and drinking liquids.
Preventing pneumonia is always better than treating it. The best preventative measures include washing your hands frequently, not smoking, and wearing a mask when cleaning dusty or moldy areas. There is a vaccine for pneumococcal pneumonia, a bacterial infection that accounts for up to a quarter of all pneumonia.
Pleurisy is a condition in which there is inflammation in the pleura membrane of the chest cavity and lungs. The patient feels pain, especially while inhaling and exhaling. The pain becomes worse during coughing and sneezing. Pain can also be there while moving. Some patients have pain in chest and shoulders. The pain decreases while holding the breath and putting pressure on the area that pains. There can be fever, chills and shortness of breath.
The patient can have loss of appetite and dry cough. Due to inflammation, there is rubbing of chest pleura membranes against one another similar to the rubbing of sandpapers. This causes the pain while taking deep breaths in and out. Pleurisy can be due to viral infection, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pulmonary embolism and other infectious diseases.
Chest trauma, rib fractures and heart surgery can cause pleurisy. Lung cancer is a rare cause of pleurisy. Pleurisy can become worse due to smoking. You must try home remedies for the treatment of pleurisy. Some of the best home remedies for pleurisy are as follows
Natural treatments for pneumonia
Certain home remedies have been found beneficial in the treatment of pneumonia. During the early acute stage of this disease, a herbal tea made from fenugreek seeds will help the body to produce perspiration, dispel toxicity and shorten the period of fever. In can be taken up to four cups daily. The quantity should be reduced as condition improves. To improve flavor, a few drops of lemon juice can be used. During this treatment, no other food or nourishment should be taken as fasting and fenugreek will allow the body to correct these respiratory problems in a few days.Garlic is a the ultimate remedy for pneumonia, if given in sufficient quantities. Garlic will bring down the temperature as well as the pulse and respiration within 48 hours. Garlic juice can also be applied externally to the chest with beneficial results as it is an irritant and rubefacient.
Sesame seeds are valuable in pneumonia . An infusion of the seeds, mixed with a tablespoon of flaxseeds, pinch of unrefined sea salt and a desert spoon of pure honey, should be given in the treatment of this infection. This will help remove catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial-tubes.
Chilli peppers, hot mustard, radishes, pepper, onions and garlic contain substances called ‘mucolytics’ (similar to over-the-counter expectorant cough syrups) that liquefy thick mucus that accumulates in the sinuses and breathing passages.
The pain of pneumonia can be relieved by rubbing oil of turpentine over the rib cage and wrapping warmed cotton wool over it.
When suffering a fever, the patient should avoid any supplements containing iron or zinc, iron causes great tension in a body that is fighting infection and zinc is not absorbed by the body during fever.
Pumpkin: Fry the leaf stalk of the pumpkin in olive oil and apply it over the chest.
Galanga: Separately powder equal quantities of either the rhizome or rootstock of galangal and sugar crystals and mix the powders together. Administer 1 teaspoon of the resulting mixture with hot water or milk.
Okra (Lady’s Finger): Make a decoction of the leaves or use the leaves as a hot poultice. Make a tea of the flowers and fruit by decoction and add a little honey.
Indian Acalypha: Make a decoction of the leaves.
Natural treatments for pleurisy
Heat Application
Heat application can help in curing the symptoms of pleurisy. You can take bath with hot water. You can add olbas oil to the bath water. You must apply hot chest packs for one hour daily three times. When you are using the hot packs, you should do deep breathing. You can also apply heat on the affected area with the help of hot towel. If you have fever, you should apply cold packs. Do not use ice packs if you do not have fever as it can worsen the condition.Basil Leaves
Holy basil leaves are a good remedy for pleurisy. You must eat twenty grams of these leaves before taking breakfast. You can also eat basil at the evening time. Basil leaves help in making the pleura fluid dry, which provides relief to the patient.Use Humidifier
You should use a humidifier as it can make the air moist due to which the sputum becomes thin. If the sputum is thin, it is easy to expel it from the lungs. Use the humidifier at night while sleeping. You should clean the humidifier every day so that bacteria and fungus do not get collected inside it. If there is deposition of bacteria and fungus inside the humidifier, it can worsen the problem of inflammation.Black Seed Oil and Celery
Black seed is a spice used for cooking food. Black seed oil can help in curing pleurisy. You can take the oil in the form of capsules. The oil makes the immune system strong. You can also use seeds and oil of celery for curing pleurisy.Olive Leaf Extract
Olive leaves contain an ingredient called oleuropein, which helps in fighting all types of infections and reducing blood pressure. It cures internal infections and fight cancer. The olive leaf extract helps in healing pleurisy. You can take olive leaf extract in the form of capsule or powder. You can also take the olive leaf in the form of liquid or dry leaf tea. Olive leaves contain antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids.Rest, Fresh Air and Sunbath
You should take rest and lie on the body side that pains. You should take abundant fresh air. You can take air bath as well as sunbath. Seashore air baths in the morning time are very helpful. Bathing in salt lakes can help in reducing pleurisy symptoms.Cough Syrup, Natural Tea and Chest Strapping
Take codeine cough syrup for treating cough. Pleurisy root tea is a very good remedy for pleurisy. The tea will help in expelling mucus and it clears the chest and lungs.If the pleurisy is dry, you can strap the chest. You should not use hot packs when you strap the chest. You should avoid heavy lifting. Do not do heavy exercises.Linseed Poultice
You can apply linseed poultice on the chest and back. The poultice should be loose. Warm massage can help in reducing pleurisy symptoms. When you gain some strength, you can do moderate exercise that does not cause fatigue.Disclaimer
Pneumonia can lead to serious health consequences if left unchecked. Meet with your doctor to discuss all aspects of your care including treatment options. A qualified health care professional, especially one who is trained in botanical medicine, can tell you what herbs may be best for you and your particular ailment. Some herbs may cause undesirable side effects and should be avoided or used only under the care and supervision of a health care professional.
