Home remedies are a good way to complete the treatment recommended by the pulmonologist as they help to alleviate symptoms, improving comfort and, sometimes, speeding up recovery.
However, it is important to remember that home remedies should not replace any indication given by the pulmonologist and that, whenever possible, they should be used with the doctor’s knowledge.
Furthermore, as the use of plants can have several side effects during pregnancy or in children, these remedies should not be used in pregnant women or children without guidance from a doctor or herbalist. Check out the medications and other treatments that may be indicated for tuberculosis.
5 home remedies for tuberculosis
Some home remedy options for tuberculosis are:
1. For cough with phlegm
A cough with phlegm can be easily relieved at home by maintaining good hydration, drinking around 2 liters of water per day, as it helps to fluidize the phlegm, making it easier to eliminate.
In some cases, some teas can also be used to try to control coughs and eliminate excess secretions, such as basil or ginger, for example.
- How to make tea: Place 1 tablespoon of basil or 1 cm of ginger root in a cup of boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then strain and drink 2 to 3 times a day.
Furthermore, it is also recommended to carry out some nebulization, which can be done by breathing the steam from bath water, for example.
Another way to nebulize is to breathe the steam released by a pan of boiling water, where plants with expectorant properties such as eucalyptus or marshmallow, for example, can be added. Check out other homemade nebulization options.
2. For high fever
To reduce a high fever, one of the best natural options is white willow tea, as this plant contains a substance similar to aspirin, which in addition to reducing body temperature, also relieves the sensation of pain in the body.
Another option for making tea is to use tansy or feverfew, which is a plant widely used in countries like England or France to treat fever, and is even known as Feverfewwhich means “little fever”.
- How to make tea: Place 2 tablespoons of dry white willow leaves or aerial parts of feverfew in a cup of boiling water and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Then strain and drink warm. This tea can be taken at intervals of 3 to 4 hours, for example.
These teas should not be used by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people who are allergic to aspirin or who are using anticoagulants. See other home remedies that can help reduce a fever.
3. For chest pain
Since tuberculosis causes a lot of coughing, chest pain is common, which usually occurs due to excessive effort of the breathing muscles.
Therefore, a good home technique to relieve chest discomfort is to make an arnica compress to apply to the painful area. This plant has analgesic properties that, when in contact with the skin, reduce pain and relieve muscle fatigue.
- How to make the compress: Place 2 tablespoons of arnica leaves in a container and cover with 150 mL of boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and use gauze to soak in this tea and use warm several times a day on the painful area.
Arnica should not be used by children under 12 years of age, pregnant women, or while breastfeeding. This medicinal plant should also not be used on skin with open or bleeding wounds, or on the eyes, and should never be ingested, due to its toxic effects.
4. For tiredness and lack of energy
Ginseng is an incredible medicinal plant to increase the body’s capacity in cases of tiredness or indisposition, which is why its tea can be used throughout tuberculosis treatment, combating the symptoms of fatigue from the disease but also from the continuous use of antibiotics.
- How to make tea: Place 1 tablespoon of ginseng root in 150 mL of boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and drink warm, 3 times a day, for 3 to 4 weeks. Another option is to use ginseng in capsules, under the guidance of an herbalist.
Ginseng tea should not be used by children under 12 years of age, if pregnant or breastfeeding, by people who have heart disease or asthma, or who are taking medication for depression or diabetes.
5. To strengthen the immune system
To help fight the tuberculosis bacillus, you can drink astragalus tea to improve the body’s defenses and facilitate the cure of tuberculosis.
- How to make tea: Place 1 tablespoon of astragalus in 500 mL of boiling water and let it rest for 5 minutes. Strain and drink warm, at least twice a day.
Astragalus tea should not be used by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Furthermore, people with autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis or rheumatoid arthritis, should only drink the tea if recommended by their doctor. Check out other natural recipes to increase the body’s defenses.
How to ensure faster recovery
Tuberculosis treatment can be lengthy and last between 6 months and 2 years, but symptoms generally improve after the first month of taking antibiotics recommended by the pulmonologist or infectious disease specialist.
Therefore, it is very important to continue taking antibiotics for the time indicated by the doctor to ensure the disease is cured.
Normally, the doctor orders a new exam after 1 or 2 months of using the medicines to check if the Bacillus de Koch The cause of tuberculosis has already been eliminated from the body and treatment only stops when it is eliminated.
Bibliography
- FU, J.; et al. Review of the botanical characteristics, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Astragalus membranaceus (Huangqi). Phytother Res. 28. 9; 1275-83, 2014
- SESTILI, P.; et al. The potential effects of Ocimum basilicum on health: a review of pharmacological and toxicological studies. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol. 14. 7; 679-692, 2018
