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Nyquil, rest, chicken soup, rest, water, nyquil, rest, chicken soup, rest, and water. Vick's Vapo-Rub is pretty useful, or Tiger Balm if you have that instead.
Prop yourself up when you're resting so that your head is above your chest. If you need to cough, sit UP...or stand if possible, and don't try to resist the cough. Give into it completely even if it means you blow chunks.
Taking an expectorant (Robitussin DM) during the day, and a suppressant at night (such as Nyquil) so you can sleep, is really the only thing you -can- do.
If yours is bacterial bronchitis (as opposed to viral bronchitis), then you would benefit from an antibiotic. Chances are though, it's viral, which means all you really can do is treat the symptoms, promote a wet cough instead of a dry cough, and wait it out.
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I'd say that if it lasts more than a week or you get a fever, go see a doctor, because it might be developing into pneumonia.
AnonChick has good recommendations. The steam from the chicken soup is as helpful as the soup itself, so inhale that a lot. Loading the soup with garlic also loosens congestion temporarily. Thyme also works and goes well with soup.
Codeine is an excellent cough suppressant if you have some around and your cough becomes very painful, but shouldn't be over-used because you do need to cough out some of the crud.
Mentholated cough drops help somewhat.
Look for the ingredient guaifenesin in over-the-counter medications, it seems to have fewer side effects than any other expectorant.
Ordinary tea made twice as strong as normally is an EXCELLENT remedy, sipped throughout the day.
Wild cherry bark tea (found at some healthfood stores) and angelica are helpful.
Some liqueurs were originally developed to be medicinal as well as good tasting. Anisette is one, and Chartreuse is another but more complex liqueur with many medicinal herbs.
Hot shower(s) help loosen it too. If you don't want to get wet steam the bathroom up and sit and read for a bit. Take a pillow in with you and sit on the floor if you don't have a lazy-boy in there!
Vicks vapor rub, Nyquill. if you are coughing up anything yellow or green, it maybe a good Idea to go to the Dr. Untreated bronchitis can turn into pneumonia. I hade pneumonia 3 times, once as a child and twice in 2010.For me personally I'd go to the doctor anyway just to see. They may want to give you a chest X-ray. I have also had bronchitis maybe 7 or 8 times. I have seasonal allergies so I am prone to this. Does your chest hurt when you cough??? Is your throat hoarse? I usually feel a tightness in my chest, burning and feels like someone is stitting on my chest when I have bronchitis.
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