Wheezing is not only irritating, but it is also embarrassing, but how do you stop wheezing? Anyone who has ever had to deal with frequent wheezing caused by asthma or other associated conditions knows that finding relief is not easy, but is essential. The good news is that we can show you how to stop wheezing using 15 natural ways using ingredients you already have in your home.
Please understand that the remedies we list here are not all-inclusive cures. Wheezing is often associated with more serious pulmonary or sinus issues which might need the treatment and advice of a health care professional.
Causes Of Wheezing
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Asthma are the most common causes of wheezing according to the Mayo Clinic. Although this is the case, there are also many other potential causes. Before you can stop your wheezing, you should speak to your doctor to determine why it is occurring.
Wheezing can also sometimes be an indication of the following:
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Heart Failure
- Sleep Apnea
- Lung Cancer
- Emphysema
- Vocal Chord Dysfunction
Wheezing can also sometimes be triggered by short-term illnesses or health emergencies such as:
- Pneumonia
- Bronchiolitis (a viral respiratory infection)
- Bronchitis
- Reaction to smoking
- Anaphylaxis
- Inhaling a foreign object
- Respiratory tract infection
Risk Factors For Wheezing
Wheezing can happen to any person. However, there are some risk factors which can increase your chances of developing wheeziness. Certain hereditary illnesses, such as asthma, can run in the family.
Wheezing can often also occur in:
- People with lung cancer
- Toddlers in day care or with older siblings, due to the increased exposure to infections
- Past smokers
- Current smokers
- People with allergies
Controlling risk factors such as smoking will greatly help to improve wheezing. You should also try your best to avoid triggers which make you wheeze. This can include pollen and other allergens.
Some of the risk factors are out of your control, and so the goal here is to treat symptoms to improve your quality of life overall.
How to Stop Wheezing
1. Keep Your Home Clean
The first remedy for how to stop wheezing involves keeping your home clean. Wheezing is often caused by allergens and other irritants that are stirred up in your home when they are allowed to multiply in your home. Removing those irritants from being stirred up is a first step in the process of how to stop wheezing naturally.
What to do:
- Make certain that you dust, sweep and vacuum your home frequently, especially if you have pets.
- Clean and change filters in your heating and cooling systems often.
- Use an air purifier in rooms where you spend the most time and a humidifier in your bedroom to help cut down on wheezing at night.
- Avoid secondhand smoke and refrain from smoking as well.
- Make sure to regularly clean all bedding and stuffed animals in hot water.
- Avoid harsh chemical when cleaning.
2. Warm Oil Massage
Mucus buildup is a primary cause of wheezing. A warm oil massage is one helpful method in how to stop wheezing, which works at breaking down mucus buildup in the airways and helps stop wheezing without inhaler or medications.
What to do:
- Warm 1 Tbsp of mustard, olive, sesame or coconut oil slightly.
- Massage this oil into your chest and throat as well as on either side of your nostrils and forehead for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Repeat this 2 to 3 times a day for several days.
3. Eucalyptus Oil
An essential oil which is effective when it comes to how to stop wheezing is eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and decongestant properties to help open up airways and stop wheezing fast as well as promoting relaxation.
What to do:
- Place a few drops of eucalyptus oil on a paper towel or the edge of your pillow in order to help relieve wheezing at night.
- You can also add eucalyptus oil to water when making use of the steam remedy we will discuss below.
- Additionally, eucalyptus oil can be added to any of the oils utilized in the warm oil massage we already discussed.
4. Steam Inhalation
Steam inhalation is one of the simplest and most effective remedies in how to stop wheezing. Inhaling steam thins and loosens thick phlegm and mucus so that you can more easily clear it out of your sinuses and respiratory passages.
[mks_pullquote align=”left” width=”700″ size=”24″ bg_color=”#1e73be” txt_color=”#ffffff”]Inhaling steam thins and loosens thick phlegm and mucus. Try it for quick relief! [/mks_pullquote]
What to do:
- Fill a large bowl or pot with boiling water that has been removed from heat.
- Add several drops of eucalyptus or peppermint oil.
- Lean over the steaming bowl of water, draping a towel over your head to direct the steam into your nasal passages.
- Inhale through your nose for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Repeat several times daily as necessary.
5. Hot Shower
In place of steam inhalation described above, a hot shower can also be effective in how to stop wheezing. Not only does a hot shower do what steam inhalation does, but it also helps to soothe and relax stressed airways and fatigued muscles surrounding them.
What to do:
- Run hot water in your shower with the bathroom door closed to create a sauna effect.
- Cool the water enough so that you can stand under it for 5 to 10 minutes breathing in the steam.
- Repeat this remedy a couple of times per day.
6. Drink Warm Fluids
Another effective means of how to stop wheezing is by drinking warm fluids. Not only do warm fluids help to break up mucus, and soothe stressed and irritated airways, but they also help to keep you hydrated which helps reduce your symptoms.
What to do:
- Add 1 tsp of lemon juice to a glass of warm water and drink this a couple of times per day.
- Herbal teas with ginger, chamomile or licorice root are all good choices.
- Bone broth soup and clear broth soups bring relief as well, but avoid creamy soups.
- 2 to 3 cups of coffee are also beneficial if you tolerate caffeine well.
7. Apple Cider Vinegar
While we are on the subject of drinking warm fluids, we must discuss how to stop wheezing using apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar helps to balance the body’s pH levels which reduces mucus production and helps to flush out toxins. It also contains a number of nutrients which support the respiratory system.
What to do:
- Mix 2 Tbsp of raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in a 12 oz. glass of warm water.
- Add 1 Tbsp of raw honey, mix it thoroughly and drink this tonic twice a day.
8. Turmeric
Stop wheezing faster through the use of a common spice in your spice rack; turmeric. Because it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in abundance, turmeric helps clear blockages in the nasal passages and respiratory system to soothe irritation and inflammation.
What to do:
- Mix 1 tsp of turmeric powder and a pinch of black pepper in 1 cup of warm milk.
- Add a couple teaspoons of organic honey and stir constantly while you drink the mixture.
- Repeat this remedy twice daily.
9. Ginger
A closely related cousin of turmeric, ginger is another effective remedy when it comes to how to stop wheezing. Just like its cousin, ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and aids in inhibiting the contraction of stressed airways as it relieves the tightness in your chest.
What to do:
- You can use powdered ginger similar to how you used turmeric above.
- A better option is to place 1 Tbsp of peeled and grated ginger in 1 ½ cups of boiling water.
- Cover and allow the water to simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove it from heat and allow the tea to cool for several minutes before straining the tea and adding a few teaspoons of raw honey.
- You can drink 2 or 3 cups of this tea daily.
10. Garlic
The antioxidant rich herb, garlic, is also able to help stop wheezing naturally. Garlic has natural antihistamine properties which help to prevent swelling of sinus tissues and keeps airways open. Additionally, garlic is something of a natural antibiotic which helps kill any live allergens in your airways.
What to do:
- Crush 3 to 4 peeled garlic cloves and boil them in 1 ½ cups of water on simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Cover and allow the tea to cool before straining out the tea and adding 2 tsp of raw honey and drinking a couple of times a day.
- You can also gain quick relief from chewing on a peeled fresh garlic clove.
11. Honey
A natural antibiotic and anti-inflammatory compound itself, honey is a great addition to a number of the remedies on this list of how to stop wheezing. It can also be used all by itself to help eliminate allergens and bring relief to stressed airways.
What to do:
- Simply consume 1 tsp of raw, organic honey several times per day.
- You can also sprinkle powdered cinnamon over 1 Tbsp of raw honey and use that to help bring instant relief to coughing which is often associated with wheezing.
12. Onions
We discussed the benefits of onion’s cousin, garlic, above. Onions hold many of the same properties as garlic, but their effectiveness in how to stop wheezing stems from a different compound. The sulfur, which is what makes you tear up when slicing onions, has powerful antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties to help relieve wheezing.
What to do:
- Drink onion broths, especially hot and sour soup.
- You can extract the juice of an onion and mix it in warm water to drink a couple of times per day as well.
13. Figs
Though figs aren’t common in most American households, they are effective when it comes to how to stop wheezing. The combination of vitamins and minerals found in figs play a crucial role in respiratory and sinus issues.
What to do:
- Soak a couple of figs in water overnight.
- As soon as you awaken in the morning, eat the figs.
- Repeat this daily for several weeks.
14. Flaxseed
Another natural anti-inflammatory agent that is effective in how to stop wheezing is flaxseed. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids flaxseed also helps provide nourishment to respiratory systems and keeps them functioning properly and stop wheezing faster.
What to do:
- Soak 1 tsp of flaxseeds overnight to make them soft.
- Consume these soften seeds first thing in the morning.
- You can also swallow 1 tsp of flaxseed oil daily.
15. Coldwater Fish
As with flaxseed oil, the omega-3 fatty acids found in coldwater fish is another effective way in how to stop wheezing. The omega-3 fatty acids provide powerful nutrients which support respiratory systems in your body and help reduce asthma attacks and wheezing.
What to do:
- Add more wild caught coldwater fish to your diet on a regular basis.
- Coldwater fish include salmon, halibut, mackerel, sardines and pollock.
- Consuming krill oil on a daily basis can bring about similar effects as well.
How to Stop Wheezing: Conclusion
When it comes to how to stop wheezing, finding a solution sooner rather than later is the order of the day. With our 15 home remedies to help bring relief to wheezing, you can be rid of the irritation and embarrassment which goes along with it. If you have questions, success stories or other remedies to add to our list, please feel free to add them in the section below.
Images: depositphotos.com.