Natural remedies for chest infections, the wackier the better

[Greensleeves]

I have now reached the point with this chest infection where I am perfectly prepared to walk widdershins around a graveyard at moonlight banging a saucepan, if some crackpot tells me it will give me an hour off coughing up foul-tasting slime

does ANYTHING help? Someone told me minced garlic, which I will be trying shortly with a due sense of revulsion and dread

anything else? please? [plaintive]

what about antibiotics??

steaming your head to loosen any gunk so you can hack it up?

gargling with salt water?

dunno.. but if it is that bad you need conventional meds too

steaming, I haven't tried steaming

thanks lulu

It's complicated but I am engaged in a kind of cold war with my doctor and really don't want to see his grinning face right now

I did think of going to the walk-in centre at the hospital, but a round trip in taxis is expensive, and with a chest infection I am going to end up spending 6 hours sitting on a hard chair surrounded by head injuries and broken ankles flicking disconsolately through copies of Woman from the early 90's

would rather try ANYTHING else first

I took something really foul for a congested chest, I don't know if it worked or if my body was just revolted into getting better so I wouldn't swallow it anymore. I'll have a look and see if the bottle is still hanging around. Covonia also loosens things, but you've probably already tried it.

Are you sleeping sitting upright? I always find that helps a lot.

cheers bran, the viler the better

I'm happy to neck creosote if it works

I seem to remember something about goose grease and brown paper..... have no idea what it's supposed to do but if you're willing to try anything

I believe you anoint your chest liberally with the grease and then swathe yourself with brown paper to keep it warm or something.

that sounds revolting enough to be effective

do you think vaseline and newspaper would do?

I can't find the bottle, but it may have been this, it definitely had pine in it.

Had a quick look on google. There seem to be quite a few herbal thingies that claim to help, including thyme, comfrey and echinacea. Might be worth a go......

Oh and eucalyptus oil in the hot water, if you try steaming, sometimes helps, I think.

Re: the above- you could try Vicks on your chest instead of goose grease I suppose.

visions of greensleeves with gunky newspaper print all over her front......

I've just had a (small) cup of garlic whizzed to a paste with lemon juice, and manuka honey, followed by a spoonful of manuka honey, brought round by my lovely neighbour who Knows About These Things. It was liquid enough to drink down in one go, which I think is the way to go.

I read that liqourice might help- perhaps you could try necking a bag of Liqourice Allsorts......

ok (good old dh)I have now got Covenia liquorice stuff

and some AWFUL tasting Boots own brand Bronchial cough mixture

it seems to be mostly ammonia

I honestly had no idea such vile-tasting substances existed

I find if you apply this to your neck it cures all sorts of aches and pains and illnesses

rofl, that is not infeasible as a last resort

I was eyeing the breadknife

echinecea

500mg of Ester-C every hour for 1 day (the ester type is not acidic or stomach upsetting)

Allens pine and honey (tastes like poison but is fab)

Manuka honey, the higher strength the better, go with +25 if you can afford it (go with a good brand too, not an imitation one)

Vogel (aka Bioforce) Ivy-Thyme drops. use half dose every 2hrs for 1 day, then switch to normal dose.

Silver (rivers of health is good quality and not as expensive as other brands)

I can keep suggesting

KnickKnack you are a veritable fount of usefulness

will send dh out again later to get what he can of these

I am really fretting about not being able to go back to work again this week, I missed all of last week and now it;s the last week of term [fret]

I think you'll need to go to a health shop to get most of these, not sure if they are normally open on a sunday?

The Allens syrup and Bioforce ech/ivy might be in chemist.

I should mention...the Allens pine contains chloroform Its kinda knocks out the muscles (or something in the throat, v scientific!)and stops the spasming cough. works a treat

fabulous, thanks KnickKnack - if it stop s the cough from keeping me awake that will be half the battle I think, I am running on empty at the moment

I use it on my 7yr old, he has to hold his nose to take it, but he can go to bed within about 10 min and sleep without coughing.

My personal fave is the EsterC every hour. I've done it twice in the last year and only had to take one day off work each time.

Are you all better Greenie??