Pulmonary edema is the term used to refer to fluid in the lungs. This is a serious condition and requires immediate treatment. The problem is more common in people having obesity, cardiovascular problems, pneumonia, high blood sugar, overweight pregnancy, and so on. Once the fluid enters into the air sacs, it blocks the flow of oxygen to the lungs and leads to serious consequences. It is better to talk to your doctor but in some cases, especially in the beginning phase of the condition, you can learn how to remove fluid from lungs naturally to get some fast relief, when you may experience symptoms such as difficulty breathing and ratting cough.
Home Remedies to Try for Fluid in Lungs
When you know you have fluid in lungs, you can try many different natural remedies to manage things better. Here are a few suggestions to consider.
1. Inhale Steam
One simple way to help remove fluid from your lungs is to inhale steam several times a day. Simply take a large bowl and fill it up with hot water. Now place a couple of peppermint or chamomile teabags in the water. Take a bath towel and use it to cover your head. Bend over the bowl and take slow, deep breaths. Continue with it until the water has cooled. Do it every 3-4 hours for good results.
2. Try the Matchstick Remedy
The remedy helps because it provides your body with sulfur, which not only helps relieve nausea but also improves respiratory infections. Take two lit matches and drop them into a glass of water. Take a container and pour the water along with the matchsticks into it. Seal the container and shake it well for about 30 seconds. Now, drink a tablespoon of this liquid thrice a day until you feel better.
3. Use Cough Therapy
Proper cough therapy may make it easier to expel fluid from your lungs. It is important to learn the technique first because excessive coughing can put serious pressure on your lung walls and cause other problems. Sit in an upright position and take a deep breath. Hold it for three seconds and then cough loudly while breathing out. Do it thrice and take a break for a couple of minutes, and then do it again.
4. Try Special Exercises
To learn how to remove fluid from lungs naturally, it is important to learn which exercises may prove beneficial. Exercises that help strengthen your lungs will make it easier to handle the situation. Exercises like jogging may help, but you can try light cardiovascular exercises to strengthen the lung muscles, reduce weight, and improve the flow of oxygen.
5. Correct Your Diet
What you eat will have an impact on how you feel, so it is important to pay attention to your diet when you have fluid in your lungs. Ideally, you should stay away from salt and salt-containing foods, such as pickles, cottage cheese, pizza, sauerkraut, potato chips, processed meat, and spaghetti sauce. Be sure to eat more of fruits and veggies, fish, whole grains, soybean, low fat milk, lean meat, and other foods rich in potassium, protein, fiber, and magnesium.
6. Try Herbal Remedies
You can also use some herbs to help improve your condition. It may help to consume juices of rosemary, garlic, ginger, horse chestnut, horsetail, and astragalus. Similarly, you may benefit from other herbs such as hawthorn and ginkgo biloba because they improve blood circulation.
7. Try Massage Therapy
Those who want to know how to remove fluid from lungs naturally should go for a massage therapy session. It is better to contact a professional for the task because they know how to do it correctly and help maintain a stable blood circulation. They may also use aromatic oils like clove oil, mustard oil, eucalyptus oil, or garlic oil to help get better results.
When to Worry
While natural remedies may certainly help, it is better to talk to your doctor when you have some other symptoms as well. For instance, you should see your doctor if you have a high fever, find it difficult to sleep at night, experience breathing difficulties, or cough up bloody phlegm. These symptoms indicate that you may have a serious infection that needs immediate medical attention. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics and order some tests to determine the best treatment option.
Procedures for Removing Water from the Lungs
Excess water in your lungs can cause breathing difficulties, besides how to remove fluid from lungs naturally, it is important to remove it with medical procedures as quickly as possible. What causes the buildup of water in the lungs will help determine the correct removal method.
1. Expelling Water
If there is water in your lungs because you tried to guzzle water too fast, you may handle the situation by coughing as powerfully as you can. Coughing can help get foreign substances out of your lungs. If someone has inhaled water while drowning, you may need professional medical help to have it suctioned out of your lungs.
2. Flushing Out
If there is water in your lungs because of a lung disorder, you may have to undergo a lung-washing procedure known as lavage. This usually happens in conditions such as bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, or advanced pneumonia. The lung-washing procedure involves inserting a tube into your lung to flush in water and then suctioning it back with the mucus. Your doctor will do it using a suction catheter.
3. Lowering Water Pressure
People with kidney or heart failure will have excess water in the body, which raises blood pressure and often leads to a condition called pulmonary edema. Your doctor may prescribe diuretic drugs to help remove the excess water and lower your blood pressure. They may also prescribe heart-strengthening drugs to facilitate the water removal process.
4. Chest Drainage
So many issues can lead to a condition known as pleural effusion, characterized by the excess buildup of water inside your chest cavity. The fluid exerts pressure on your lungs and makes breathing difficult. Your doctor may tackle this situation by installing a drain between your ribs and drawing the water out. This helps make breathing easier.