Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 09/05/2024
★★★★★
Inhalations of steam, medicated or not, are often of great service in alleviating distress and pain of breathing in throat affections, such as hoarseness, ordinary sore throat, diphtheria, quinsy, in loss of voice from catarrh - ' common cold ' and in bronchitis. The preparation and application are very simple the mouth is held over a jug of boiling water, and the steamy vapour inhaled along with air. The benefit and relief derived from these inhalations is explicable in several ways. The warm moist particles restore the circulation in the congested mucous membrane, soften the tissue, and enable absorption to take place ; whilst the moist warm air having less oxygen in it and we see in the case of a burn or scald how air (oxygen) helps on the fire and inflammation- if we bar the access of it to the inflamed surface, relief is given. Of course in throat affections we could not stop off all the oxygen, for the patient would die suffocated, but we can limit it, and then what does reach the tissue is all the more efficiently absorbed, from the softness and permeability produced by the steam.
Old nurses are fond of adding sage to the boiling water, and this, if it has no specific action, does no harm at any rate. In diphtheria, the greatest benefit may be derived from the addition to the water of a few grains of Iodine, a substance promoting absorption, and one that is so volatile as to be easily dispersed by the warm vapour.
From the book; A Practical Guide to Health, and to the Home Treatment of the Common Ailments of Life with Hints to Mothers 1874, by Frederic Arnold Lees, page 152-153.
Posted by Rob (Kentucky) on 11/04/2022
★★★★★
Question - How much mucus can the human body produce? Apparently, ALOT! In the past, I used a pot of water on the stove and a beach towel to cover my head and make a tent and inhaled the hot steam. I don't do it as often as I should because I don't like it because of the heat rolling over in my eyes. I then tried putting the hot water into another pot and inhaling but the water became cold a did not produce any more steam after a few minutes.
Then I found a little machine called The Vicks Sinus Steam Inhaler sold at Wally-World. This has made a BIG Difference in my sinus and lungs congestion and thick mucus. The hot steam liquifies the thick mucus coating the membranes of the sinus and lungs similar to thick molasses coating the inside of a jar. Add hot steam and the molasses liquifies to run out of the jar.
The instruction state not to put essential oils in it but I do. The top is removable exposing the water fill base so I put 1 drop of thieve's blend in there and inhale for 15 minutes per setting.
Sources of these Steam Vaporizers:
Dr. Trust 3-in-1 Steam Vaporizer in India
Vicks Sinus Steam Inhaler in USA
Note: Do not use just steaming alone to fix the problem. Use multiple remedies at one time to attack your illness.
