Inflammation of the lungs, bronchitis, tracheitis, simple cold - all these diseases are accompanied by coughing. In this case, the symptom can have a different nature. In some cases, it significantly affects the quality of life of the patient. For example, if the disease is accompanied by a dry cough, then it bothers evening and night, interfering with rest. To eliminate this unpleasant symptom, doctors can prescribe not only medications, but also alternative medicine - warming compresses.
Application features
Most often, parents try to protect their children from synthetic drugs, so they resort to folk remedies for cough treatment. What is the reason for this? Firstly, many synthetic drugs cause side effects, but they are not inferior to natural ones in effectiveness. Secondly, the child may have intolerance to certain components of the drug from the pharmacy.
Compresses for children from coughing have several actions at once. Their properties allow you to effectively deal with an unpleasant symptom. Compresses are used to eliminate both dry and wet cough.
How do such remedies work? Compress with a dry cough enhances sputum production. This allows you to quickly remove foreign agents from the bronchopulmonary region. As for wet cough, compresses improve the bronchial function. This improves mucus discharge.
What is a compress?
The cough compress for children is a kind of bandage that is applied to the back and chest, and it consists of several main layers:
- Internal is a medicine that is used as a main component or as an impregnation. Soft tissue or gauze is moistened in the preparation, and then applied to the treated area.
- Medium is a material that does not allow the active substance to evaporate quickly. To do this, use a piece of film, a plastic bag, etc.
- External - has a warming effect. To achieve the desired effect, the middle layer is covered with warm material. To do this, use a scarf made of natural wool or down, a woolen scarf, a towel, etc.
Where to apply?
In order for the warming compress to have the desired effect, you need to know where to apply it. To eliminate the signs of a respiratory illness, a bandage with the drug is applied to the chest area or to the throat. It is not recommended to affect the area where the heart is located.
With a dry cough, such compresses can be applied not only to the chest, but also to the back of the child. In this case, there is an exception - children's age up to 10 months. Making compresses to infants is undesirable. As the reviews of doctors show, the likelihood of developing complications increases. It is for this reason that lotions are made for babies.
It is worth noting that the warming cough compresses for children contribute to the rapid discharge of sputum, as well as reducing the focus of inflammation and strengthening the protective functions of the body.
Rules for
In order for such a procedure to produce a tangible effect, it is necessary to observe certain rules for its implementation:
- Before applying the compress, it is necessary to lubricate the treated area of the skin with any means with a greasy base. It can be sunflower oil, baby cream or petroleum jelly.
- A compression dressing should be applied before bedtime.
- Do not reuse the same compress.
- At the end of the procedure, the skin should be wiped with a napkin or cloth moistened with warm water.
The child during the period of illness should be protected from drafts. This is especially important when applying warming compresses.
Benefits of the procedure
Folk remedies for cough in the form of compresses can be used at home. Their preparation does not cause difficulties. In addition, the procedure takes a little time. Ingredients are available in every home. This greatly facilitates the process. Among the advantages of the procedure are the following:
- Lack of addiction. Unlike synthetic drugs, the active components of compresses are not addictive.
- A tangible effect can be seen after several procedures.
- Saving money.
- No unwanted consequences if the procedure is carried out correctly.
- A positive effect on the body of the child. The use of compresses allows you to remove the inflammatory process, strengthen the immune system, eliminate pathogenic microorganisms.
- It can be used to treat cough in both children and adults.
Many parents refuse drug therapy and conduct treatment with folk remedies. This is not entirely correct. If you have symptoms of an ailment, you should consult with specialists.
Limitations
Cough compresses for children are considered relatively safe. However, there are certain restrictions on their use. Here are the basic rules:
- You can not put a warming compress to the child if his body temperature is above 36.7 ° C. This will only worsen his condition.
- The use of compresses to treat cough in infants (up to 1 year) is strictly prohibited.
- With a child's predisposition to various atopic reactions, it is forbidden to use components that can cause allergies. These include propolis, honey, beeswax, etc.
- To avoid skin burns, a thin cotton fabric should be placed under the inner layer of the compress.
- It is forbidden to use vodka and alcohol for the preparation of compresses if the child is less than 6-7 years old. In this case, oil solutions can be used.
With individual intolerance to a particular product, it is also not recommended to make compresses with its use.
What is included in the composition?
Cabbage with honey helps from coughing. Compress with the addition of these products can be prepared independently. Potato-based products have also proven their worth. Most often used to prepare compresses:
- natural honey;
- white cabbage;
- cottage cheese;
- potatoes;
- goat or interior fat;
- essential oils;
- apple vinegar.
Preparations from such products are suitable for the treatment of any cough: wet, allergic, dry.
Based on bee honey
So, how to make a compress at home? Honey is a great product that helps fight many of the symptoms of the common cold. Honey can reduce inflammation, destroy pathogenic bacteria, strengthen immunity. Among the popular recipes for compresses based on it, it is worth highlighting:
- The use of honey in its purest form. Heat the product slightly in a water bath, it must be evenly distributed on the surface of the skin in the selected area (throat, chest or back). Apply a middle and top layer of compress.
- You can make a child a cough compress with honey and vinegar. Mix the components, add a little boiled water. Distribute the therapeutic application across the chest without affecting the area of the heart. For cooking, you can use apple or grape vinegar. In extreme cases, you can use the dining room.
- Cabbage and honey. This effective tool is able to enhance the effect of drugs. To prepare a compress, apply a little honey on the cabbage leaf and evenly distribute. You can apply it to the back, and to the chest, and to the throat at the same time. Wrap the compress with cling film and wrap the baby with a down scarf or towel.
Alcohol compresses are also prepared on the basis of honey. However, for the treatment of children, they are not recommended.
Using cabbage
Based on white cabbage very often do warming compresses. After all, this product has many positive qualities. Compresses with cabbage can be applied with a wet, dry and allergic cough, as well as with a mild sore throat.
It is worth noting that such a tool allows you to get rid of bronchitis, tracheitis and other diseases of the upper respiratory tract. But how to make a compress with cabbage? Here are some ways:
- Cabbage juice. Squeeze the juice from fresh cabbage. Mix it with sugar. Such a tool is recommended to be taken orally by 1 teaspoon up to 4 times during the day. For compresses, it is more effective to use gruel from cabbage leaves.
- Cabbage gruel. Chop the vegetable, place in a blender and grind. It should be gruel. Use it as an inner layer when applying a compress.
And if honey and cabbage can not be used?
If the child has an allergic reaction to honey or cabbage, other compresses can be used to eliminate the unpleasant symptom. As a rule, only natural products are used for the procedure:
- Based on cottage cheese. You can use any product to make a compress. Warm cottage cheese, wrap in cotton cloth. Place the compress on the baby’s chest, after checking the temperature of the dressing. Leave the compress overnight. If the product turns yellow, then this indicates the onset of the inflammatory process in the lungs.
- Compress for coughing from potatoes. To prepare a compress, boil the tubers in their skins or in the usual way. Mash potatoes, add a little vegetable oil. Wrap the resulting mass in cotton, place on the chest or on the back of the child. Very hot compresses are not suitable for the treatment of respiratory diseases. They must be warm.
- Oil based. For cooking, take an essential oil or cream-based product. Warm the composition and apply on the chest of the child. Apply two layers on top: film and fabric. If the child is prone to allergic reactions, then such a tool is prohibited.
- From interior fat. As the main component, interior fat is used . You can also use goat fat. Rub them on the baby’s chest and back without affecting the area of the heart. Wrap the treated surface with a cloth and a warm scarf or towel.
When choosing a recipe, you should focus on the features of the child's body. If the child has a predisposition to allergic reactions, then some drugs are contraindicated.
In conclusion
To avoid unpleasant consequences and worsening of the condition of the child, consult a pediatrician before using alternative medicine. The specialist will prescribe the appropriate treatment and advise which compresses can be used for coughing. Remember that such procedures are not the main treatment for respiratory diseases. Compresses only complement it.