Home Remedies for Respiratory Infections

Respiratory infections occur due to a pathogen landing in the mucus filled areas of the lower and upper respiratory tracts. Pathogens can be of many types like bacteria, viruses, fungi, and even a lesser known type called prions. Prions are actually misfolded proteins and are responsible for illnesses like mad-cow disease and its human variant Creuzfeld-Jakob’s Disease, and can never be the cause of a respiratory infection. Of the other pathogens, fungi are also quite rare offenders because they are easily destroyed by the human immune system; though, prolonged sinus infections can cause fungal infections of the sinuses.

Bacteria and viruses are the most common offenders. A bacterial infection of the respiratory tract can usually be identified by the presence of white and yellow mucus that is actually pus. Virus infections usually contain clear white mucus but mostly clear mucus. Viral infections usually also cause watery eyes and a fever as well. The infection usually starts with the pathogen being breathed in and on landing in the nutrient rich mucus, starts the infective process. The human immune system will normally immediately respond to a bacterial infection before it gets out of hand and send its white blood cells to neutralize the offenders. Viruses can usually thrive for sometime before the immune system recognizes their presence and will only be alerted through a cytokine response sent from a damaged cell. Inflammation is the sign of the immune system mounting a counter-attack. Inflammation causes the redness, mucus production, and pain of a respiratory infection. These are all mediation factors to allow the body’s white blood cells access to the site of infection to destroy the invader.

Dealing with a respiratory infection at home is quite simple. Garlic is the weapon of choice and one of nature’s few, proven antibiotics. This should be incorporated into ever meal. Though it may not be as effective against viruses, it can limit their activity. To reduce fever and inflammation, you can use ginger and feverfew as a tea that is drunk every few hours. The use of chili also helps to loosen up the mucus congested in the sinuses. Using a steam inhalation is a good substitute to this and if a bit of tea tree oil along with the inhalation fluid, this forms a kind of topical antibiotic as well. Respiratory infections of the lungs should be attended to by a doctor as it could be a case of pneumonia.