When congestion is keeping you down, you need something to get that mucus out. A great home treatment for any age is the tradition of using steam inhalations to fill our lungs with warm, moist air via the nose and throat. They are a great treatment for dealing with common colds and flus, bronchitis, sinusitis, asthma, and even allergies.
How does steam clear congestion?
The longer we are congested, the more uncomfortable we feel from the mucus which accumulates in our nasal passages. Steam inhalations, when performed daily, prevent moisten and condition mucus membranes, reducing pain and discomfort. Without steam, or any moisture, mucus dehydrates and becomes sticky and is harder to expel. Breathing in the warm, humid air moistens our dry air passages, loosening the mucus stuck in our lungs and respiratory tract, making it easier to expectorate (to get it out!). By increasing our secretions, our muscles can relax, relieving coughs and congestion.
For best results, begin using steam therapy and doing steam inhalations as soon as you feel any minor cold symptoms which you know preclude nasal congestion or coughing. The faster you can get the mucus out of your system, the healthier your body will be, and the better you will feel.
Steam Bowl Requirements
- a large bowl
- a large bathroom towel
- hot water
- optional: eucalyptus, thyme and/or peppermint essential oil
Steam therapy is most effective if you do the inhalations twice in a one-hour period, twice a day.
- Boil water and fill your bowl to ¾ capacity. While the water boils, prepare your steam station.
- Place the bowl on a coffee table or any platform which you can easily lean over, comfortably. Consider putting a towel under the bowl. If you want to use essential oils to enhance the expectoration effect, add 2-4 drops to the bottom of the bowl (you don't need much!).
- Lean over the filled bowl and cover your head with the large bath towel, creating a tent around your head, effectively trapping the steam inside its envelope.
- Breathe in through your nose and mouth for 20 minutes. Tip from an experienced steamer: keep Kleenex tissues nearby as you may experience an excess of fluids.
Please use caution as the steam can be VERY hot and can burn your face. Test it out, and allow it to cool a bit if it's too intense.
Steam inhalation will not cure an infection, like a cold or the flu, but it may help make you feel a lot better while your body fights it the malady. With any home remedy, comfort is important however it is important to learn best practices so you don’t scald yourself with boiling water and suffer more trauma than your head cold could ever inflict.
Steam Therapy for Small Children
Steam bowls may be too hot, or difficult to manage safely with small children. An alternative is to do a steam “room”.
In the confines of your bathroom, run your shower as hot as possible and close the door, trapping the steam. If you would like to use essential oils, put 2-5 drops on a face cloth and toss it in the bottom of your shower. Once the room is filled with steam, sit inside with your child for about 10 minutes. Allow them to breathe the warm moist air and relax.
Hydrotherapy home treatments are great for when those colds and coughs sneak up on us from behind. Keep the kettle on and be ready to battle the congestion away!
