Emphysema Treatment at Home

Many aspects of emphysema treatment are under your control at home.  The first is a smoke free environment.  If you smoke, quit.  If others in your household smoke, insist that they smoke outside not in the house.  Create a spot outdoors on a patio, balcony or near an entrance where smokers have access to an ashtray and a little protection from the weather.  Smoking, including second-hand smoke, is the leading cause of emphysema.  Eliminate any products or substances in your home that cause respiratory distress.

Protect yourself from breathing extremely cold air by using a face mask or scarf.  Counteract dry air with a humidifier and overly humid air with air conditioning.  Maintain your current lung capacity by mild exercise.  Start at any level and try to work up to exercising for 30 minutes a day at least five days a week.  Walking outdoors in good weather would be ideal.  Use good posture to keep the chest area open and make breathing easier and more efficient.  Abdominal breathing, rather than chest breathing, allows more air in and out of the lungs.

Herbal Lung Tonic

Use an herbal lung tonic for emphysema treatment at home.  Mix one part each of white horehound, thyme, coltsfoot, sundew with two parts mouse ear.  Two teaspoons of this steeped in a cup of boiling water for ten minutes has a soothing and expectorant action that relieves congestion and eases breathing.

Other herbal infusions that benefit the respiratory system can be prepared using comfrey root, angelica root, mullein, lobelia, ginger, flaxseed, aniseed, lungwort and hyssop.

One emphysema treatment that is easy to do is to eat at least one cooked onion each day.  Another member of the onion family, garlic, has been used in traditional remedies as an emphysema treatment in many countries.  Most people find garlic capsules easy to take and a dose of 600 mg. per day is safe and effective.

Another home emphysema treatment is to breathe aromatic steam to make breathing easier and to help cleanse the lungs.  Boil a sliced lemon with ¼ cup eucalyptus leaves then inhale the steam.