Allergies, infections, COPD, and other conditions can tighten your airways. When your airways are constricted, you might hear a wheezing sound when you breathe in or out. This sound might indicate dangerous conditions, so visit your doctor to rule them out or treat them. In the meantime, you can try some tips on how to stop wheezing and reduce the whistling sound whenever you inhale or exhale.
How to Stop Wheezing at Home
Some tips will help you wheeze less. However, you shouldn’t rely on them as a treatment. It is still vital to inform your healthcare provider of this condition so they can assess and treat you accordingly.
Some ways you can stop wheezing include:
1. Drink Warm Liquids
Stubborn mucous in the windpipe can cause congestion, which might result in wheezing noises when you breathe. Hydration helps with any type of congestion, and sipping on warm liquids can significantly break up the stubborn mucous. Warm water and herbal teas are the go-to liquids to stop wheezing.
2. Breathe In Moist Air
You can free your airway of mucous and congestion by inhaling moist air or steam. It will be much easier to breathe after the steam or humid air loosens the mucous in your airway. Therefore, the following might help stop wheezing:
- A hot, steamy shower with closed doors
- Using a humidifier
- Spending time in the steam room (although avoid the dry and hot air of the sauna)
3. Refrain From Smoking
Not only does smoking irritate your airways, but it can also put you at risk of severe conditions, like emphysema and chronic bronchitis, that cause wheezing in COPD. Moreover, secondhand smoking also makes one susceptible to wheezing, especially in children.
Avoiding smoke from nontobacco sources like BBQ grills and fireplaces can be beneficial too.
4. Use Pursued Lip Breathing Technique
Pursued lips technique helps improve shortness of breath and reduce wheezing. This is accomplished by keeping the airways open longer, slowing the breathing rate, and making each breath effective. To try this technique, follow these steps:
- Relax your neck and shoulders.
- Breathe in with your nose slowly and gently while counting to two.
- Pucker your lips like you’re about to whistle.
- Exhale slowly while you count to four.
- Repeat this several times, as necessary.
You should feel much better after trying this technique as it will help stop wheezing.
5. Avoid Exercising in Cold & Dry Weather
Your airways can tighten when you exercise in cold, dry weather. Then, you start wheezing when your breathing increases. Known as exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, this condition can affect anyone with or without chronic asthma.
Start exercising indoors if cold, dry weather makes you wheeze.
6. Add Fruits & Vegetables to Your Diet
Some studies show that adding foods rich in vitamins C, D, and E to your diet can help stop wheezing by improving respiratory conditions.
For Vitamin C, you can add Broccoli, oranges, bell pepper, tomatoes, etc., to your diet. Spinach contains vitamins C and E, other nutrients that might improve the condition. In addition, peanut butter, Sunflower seeds, and Almonds also contain vitamin E. Besides this, you can eat egg yolks, dairy products, red meat, etc., to get your share of Vitamin D.
What’s the Takeaway?
There are many tips on how to stop wheezing that help alleviate this condition. Although wheezing itself isn’t dangerous, it can represent a condition that is. Hence, visit a reputable lung doctor like our Pulmonary Medical Consultants team to improve your condition. Dial (281)357-1300 to contact us.