Give Your Lungs a Rest
Pneumonia is a serious illness that occurs when the alveoli, or small air pockets, in the lungs fill with fluid and cause irritation and inflammation. The most common symptoms of pneumonia are wheezing, difficulty breathing, a persistent cough and a fever. In order to determine if you have pneumonia, see a doctor as soon as possible. He or she will listen to your chest, possibly give you a chest X-Ray, and start you on a course of antibiotics. Unfortunately, the persistent cough associated with pneumonia can last for months. The following is a suggestion on relieve chest pain and ease constant coughing and difficulty breathing.
Instructions
1. Lie on your stomach with your face and shoulders leaning off the side of the couch or chair. It is important that you have your chest positioned in a slight downward angle, with your chest pressed against the couch or chair. If you feel uncomfortable in this position, lie face down on the floor and prop pillows under your chest to obtain the same angle.
2. Instruct your partner to slap your back with strong, solid motions, like he or she were playing a bongo drum. This slapping motion should not be painful. Allow yourself to cough when you need to, and spit any mucous into a tissue. Have your partner continuing hitting all areas of your back with the palm of his hand for about ten minutes. You should be coughing and expectorating more than usual.
3. Immediately after this treatment, sit up and begin using a nebulizer or steam machine to soothe your chest and allow your lungs to relax and expand. If you don't have a nebulizer or steam machine, inhaling steam from hot water in a bowl or sink may also help.
4. Take an herbal cough drop or drink herbal tea to relax your throat after expectorating. When your throat has calmed down, allow your body to relax. Your chest should feel open and relaxed and your breathing should be more regular.
5. When you feel your chest begin to tighten again, restart this process. You can repeat the back-slapping technique three or four times a day to stir up the mucous that has settled in the alveoli.
Tags: your chest, allow your, back with, couch chair, difficulty breathing
