Natural Bronchitis Support

Everyone’s bronchitis presents differently, but you can use the basics here before herbal support which is pretty standard support. If you have Bronchitis and would like a custom herbal blend, then please reach out to me or set up an appointment here.

Bronchitis vs Pneumonia, What’s the Difference?

The differential between Bronchitis and Pneumonia: https://youtu.be/LwmYNgkAfBo

Need for X-ray:

1. Heart ate greater than 100 beats per min.
2. Respiratory rate greater than 24 breaths per minute
3. Body tem above 100.4 (orally)
4. Characteristic chest sounds (done by dr)
   1. Bubbling or crackling sound heard by the patient lying down
   2. Abnormal rumblings – the presence of thick fluid

Staying Hydrated is a must when getting sick. I love to take Astragalus and Cordyceps after getting sick to boost the immune system and for chronic coughs. I especially love these two for dry coughs as they are both moistening. If you have a moist cough, you can use these two with some thyme which is drying. Follow your plan for 1 week post feeling better to prevent recurrence.

Support Bronchitis Naturally

Things to try:

• Humidifier at night
• Postural Draining: Lay with the top of the body off the bed, using forearms for support. Stay there for 5-15 min. while trying to cough into a bowl or onto some napkins on the floor. Murray and Pizzorno (2012)
  • This could also be helped with an herbal steam (see below)
• Apply a heating pad or hot water bottle
• Mustard Poultice:
  • Apply to the chest for 20 min 2x/day
  • 1 Part dry mustard with 3 parts flour. Add enough water to make a paste.
  • Apply to a thin cotton, linen cloth or cheese cloth.
  • Place cloth on chest. Check after 1 min to make sure no excessive redness or reactions. Check often to make sure no blisters form.
• Garlic Oil on the feet or Onions in the socks at night
• Garlic Capsules: 500mg capsules 2-4x/day

Are there Natural Supplements for Bronchitis?

Supplements:

• Guaifenesin or Mucinex: a mucolytic to thin mucus.
  • Adults: 200-400mg every four hours *no more than 2,400 mg in a 24-hour period
  • Children: 6-11 years old: 100-200mg every 4 hours (no more than 1,200 in a 24-hr period)
• Umcka or Pelargonium sidoides Homeopathic – as noted on package
• D-Hist: as directed on bottle or the below supplements:
  • NAC: 200 mg 3-4x/day
  • Bromelain: 500-1000 mg 2-4x/day between meals
• Vitamin A: 10,000 IU per day for 1 week. *no more than 3,000IU/day for pregnancy or chance of
• Vitamin C: 1,000 mg every 2 hours (or to bowel tolerance)
• Zinc 20-30mg
• Nano Particle Silver

Bronchitis Herbal Remedies

Herbal Thoughts: When choosing herbs think of the following categories. Also, note for some Bronchitis starts out dry and then ends up damp and thick. Be sure to pay attention and change herbs as needed.

• Stimulate expectoration
  • Cherry bark:
  • Elecampane: This is one of my favorites. Can help protect lungs, for excessive mucus
  • Grindelia: for thick adhesive dried out mucus – Wood
  • Horehound: chronic non-productive cough
  • Licorice Root – Glyceryrhiza glabra: Warming and Moistening
  • Lobelia – Lobelia inflata: (Low Dose Herb) This is especially helpful if you have a spasmodic cough. 1-5 drops 3-6x/day
  • Pleurisy: 1 dropperful 3x/day, moistening
• Thin mucus with Mucolytics: NAC is the best, but these herbs help: Anise Seed, Ground Ivy, Elecampane
• Support immune function.
  • Astragalus: slightly warming and moistening
  • Echinacea: drying
• Drying herbs for a more wet phlegmy cough:
  • Hyssop: Hyssopus off.
  • Osha
  • Garlic: can be used as a tincture in formula or as supplement
  • Thyme
• Moistening herbs for a more dry hacking cough:
  • Cherry Bark
  • Marshmallow Root
  • Plantain: mild expectorant
  • Pleurisy: expectorant
  • Yerba Santa: expectorant
  • My favorite herbal steam can be helpful here: Equal parts of Basil, Rosemary, Peppermint and Spearmint only in this case of no head congestion you can swap out the rosemary for Thyme.
• Antitussives if excessive spasmodic coughing: especially helpful at night to sleep but don’t quell the cough which is expelling the virus.
  • Cherry Bark: moistening
  • Lobelia
  • Tussilago
• Mix any of the above with Elderberry Syrup for the taste and for the helpfulness of Elderberry as an antiviral and for cough support.

Essential Oils for breathing or adding to warm mist humidifiers:

• Niaouli
• Scots Pine
• Menthol
• Eucalyptus

RESOURCES:

Horne, S. (2021a). Strategies for Health. Tree of Light. https://stevenhorne.com

Mills, S., Mills, S. Y., & Bone, K. (2000). Principles and practice of phytotherapy: Modern Herbal Medicine.

Murray, M. T., & Pizzorno, J. (2012). The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine Third Edition. Simon and Schuster.

Stansbury, J. (2018b). Herbal Formularies for Health Professionals, Volume 2: Circulation and Respiration, including the Cardiovascular, heral Vascular, Pulmonary, and Respiratory Systems (1st ed.). Chelsea Green Publishing.