Congestion in the chest, while usually fairly harmless, can often be quite annoying, especially when it triggers or is accompanied by coughing and wheezing.
The most common symptoms of chest congestion are, the urge to clear the throat over and over, a tickling sensation at the back of the throat caused by excess mucus, and a slight tightness in the chest area. A sore throat may often be present, due either to the virus, or from the continual coughing.
Other symptoms, if present, generally indicate a more serious condition, such as asthma or bronchitis.
ALERT! If you are coughing up blood or are having severe chest pains/difficulty breathing, immediately contact your physician.
Treatment of congestion usually involves various methods of helping to dry out or remove excess mucus, clearing the airway, and providing, at the very least, temporary relief.
Salt-water gargle: Add a pinch of salt to a glass of warm water, and then gargle it. This especially helps with sore throats.
Steam inhalation: Make a cup of hot tea, preferably peppermint or chamomile, inhale the steam between sips. Warning: Hot steam can burn, so be careful with this.
Hot sauce: Believe it or not, sometimes hot sauce can help clear up congestion. One teaspoon every hour of the hottest hot sauce you can stand. (Drinking water immediately after taking the hot sauce reduces its effectiveness somewhat.) Not to be used if you are sensitive to hot foods or have any heart or stomach problems.
Warning: This post is not intended to diagnose or cure any diseases. These remedies are suggestions only, and are not guaranteed to treat or cure any underlying causes behind chest congestion. Consult your physician if you are unsure of the reason behind the chest congestion.
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