Respiratory Treatments

💡TL;DR: The fastest way to calm a cough is a 30-second sequence: briefly hold your breath, switch to small nose breaths, and sip water. Most coughs from colds settle in 1–2 weeks without prescriptions; quick home fixes cost $0–$10 (water, honey, lozenges), while a bedroom humidifier runs

💡TL;DR: Chest pain that worsens with deep breaths often points to pleurisy, while pain you can reproduce by pressing the chest usually means costochondritis. Musculoskeletal chest wall pain is common in primary care (about 20–40%) and costochondritis is a frequent cause, while pleurisy signals inflammation of the lung

💡 TL;DR: Use your rescue inhaler 10–15 minutes before exercise and warm up for 10 minutes — these two steps prevent most episodes. Quick-relief inhalers protect for about 2–4 hours; if you need them often, a daily inhaled steroid or an ICS/formoterol plan can cut symptoms. Montelukast may

💡TL;DR: Most kids with croup can spread the virus from about 1 day before symptoms start until around day 3 of illness. A steroid such as dexamethasone eases breathing within hours, but it does not shorten how long your child is contagious. Plan for home rest for about 3–

💡TL;DR: Most kids with croup sound worse after bedtime because small airways, lying flat, drier cool air, and low nighttime cortisol stack up. Nights 1–2 are usually the worst; most cases improve in 3–5 days. Calm cuddles, steamy bathroom air, a few minutes of cool air, and

💡TL;DR: Use your quick-relief inhaler first, then sit upright and breathe slowly; that is the fastest way to calm a night asthma cough. Nights are tougher because of your body clock, lying flat, cool dry air, and bedroom allergens. To prevent wake-ups, take controller meds on schedule, sleep on

💡TL;DR: Most people clear airborne mold spores without illness, but damp homes can trigger allergies or, in at-risk people, aspergillosis (a mold infection). Early signs look like allergies and often improve when you leave the damp space, while serious infection brings high fever, chest pain, weight loss, or blood

💡TL;DR: Acute bronchitis is usually contagious for about a week after symptoms start, per the Cleveland Clinic. You’re most contagious in the first few days. If a clinician confirms a bacterial cause and you start the right antibiotic, you’re generally low risk about 24 hours after the

💡TL;DR: Active Cycle of Breathing Technique (ACBT) is a three-step, equipment-free way to clear lung mucus: relaxed breathing, deep chest-expanding breaths, then huff coughing. It’s free to do at home; device-based options (like PEP devices or vests) add cost and maintenance, so ACBT is often a first-line choice