How to clear the airways for people with measles

Measles is an acute fever, easily spread through the respiratory tract, and can be fatal. The first symptoms of the disease are fever combined with cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis. MSc. Dr. Mai Manh Tam, Deputy Head of the Respiratory Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, suggests some of the following ways to help reduce uncomfortable respiratory symptoms for patients.

Drink enough water

Patients need to drink enough water to thin the phlegm, facilitate coughing, clear the airways, and reduce nasal congestion. Warm water, herbal tea, or broth… are all good choices to soothe the throat and provide necessary moisture.

Use medication as directed by your doctor.

Before using any medication, patients need to consult a doctor to ensure safety and effectiveness. This is very important for people with underlying respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pulmonary fibrosis… or cardiovascular diseases. Antihistamines can often be used to reduce nasal congestion and cough symptoms.

Sauna

Steam inhalation is also an effective method to warm and moisten the airways, helping to reduce discomfort such as stuffy nose, cough due to irritation of the nose and throat. For a long time, ancient people have used herbs containing essential oils such as lemongrass, ginger, lemon, bamboo leaves, grapefruit leaves, basil leaves… to steam when having flu or nose and throat diseases.

Dr. Tam noted that when steaming, use warm water, not too hot to avoid burns. You can add essential oils such as peppermint or eucalyptus to enhance the nasal decongestant effect. The patient sits at a safe distance from the steam source, usually about 30-40 cm, steaming for about 10-15 minutes, steaming for too long can cause discomfort and suffocation.

Get plenty of rest

The body needs time to recover, so maintaining good health and getting enough sleep is important. People with measles should supplement foods rich in vitamins A, C and zinc such as fruits and green vegetables. Foods rich in protein also help strengthen the immune system.

Breathing exercises

Performing deep breathing exercises can improve lung circulation. The simplest exercise is abdominal breathing. To do this, the patient sits or lies comfortably with one hand on the abdomen and the other on the chest. Inhale deeply through the nose, feeling the abdomen expand while keeping the chest still, then exhale slowly through the mouth. The patient inhales gently through the nose for two seconds, then exhales slowly through the mouth for four seconds.

Do these exercises for 5-10 minutes each time, 4-5 times a day, to help clear the respiratory tract and bring a feeling of relaxation. People with worsening symptoms such as high fever, chest pain, difficulty breathing… should contact a doctor immediately for timely treatment.