How to relieve chest/Lung congestion

Nancy77, please give him Flaxseed oil. It is wonderful for breaking up mucous so that it slides right up and can be spit out.

Yes, Nancy77. I’ve used it for many years, and long before my SCI. I used to work 8 hours a day, sometimes 6 days a week, and even overtime on top of that, doing customer service by phone. I would loose my voice. And I would get a dry cough with flem stuck in my throat, sinuses, and chest. When I should have been choking stuff up, instead, I would be straining for all I was worth against impossibly thick rope-like mucous. I don’t even remember now how I found out about Flaxseed oil, but it was a blessing. Taking too much gives a laxative effect,...which can even be useful at times. But I just thought I should let you know.

Flaxseed oil is perfectly fine on salad. I don’t let my flaxseed oil be exposed to heat at all. I keep it refridgerated. And I throw it away the minute it becomes rancid rather than ‘sweet’ and pleasant.

This article says to make ‘boiled flaxseed oil’, rather than just flaxseed oil. I take the plain oil -about a teaspoonfull twice a day, when I’m very sick- but you could surely try the boiled flaxseed idea, too.
hubpages.com/health/Breathe-Easy-with-Flax-seed-Oil

Thanks you all for your replies. I'll definitely have hom try the flax seed

Oh that’s exactly why I won’t take a Benadryl!!! Thank you for that info!!

I'd be very cautious about using sudafed for congestion. This drug is notorious for raising the blood pressure. It contains ephedrine. If your husband is prone to autonomic dysreflexia, it could elevate his blood pressure to very dangerous highs. If he experiences headaches, very deep pains in the centre of his head, take his blood pressure immediately. You may have to administer nifedipine sublingually.

I took a read on the Christopher & Diana Reeve website to see what they recommend and found they have a useful section on this subject. I copied a few points but I will link the page because it is well worth a read.

Extract taken from 


Quick tips to prevent respiratory issues



Maintain proper posture and mobility.

Sit up every day and turn regularly in bed to prevent the buildup of congestion.


Cough regularly. Have someone perform manual assist coughs, or perform self-assist coughs; use a machine to help.

Wear an abdominal binder to assist intercostal and abdominal muscles.


Follow a healthy diet and manage your weight – problems are more likely to occur if you are too heavy or too light.


Drink plenty of water. Water helps keep congestion from becoming thick and difficult to cough up.


Do not smoke or be around smokers. Smoking not only causes cancer, but also decreases oxygen in the blood, increases congestion in the chest and windpipe, reduces the ability to clear secretions from lungs, destroys lung tissue, and increases the risk for respiratory infections.


Exercise. Every person living with paralysis can benefit from some type of exercise which can dramatically reduce respiratory infections. There are a number of commercially available hand-held devices for inspiratory muscle training.

For those with a high level of paralysis, it may be helpful to do breathing exercises.


Get vaccinations for both influenza and pneumonia.


Clearing secretions

Mucous secretions are like glue, causing the sides of airways to stick together and not inflate properly. This is called atelectasis, or a collapse of part of the lung. Many people with paralysis are at risk for this. Some people have a harder time knocking down colds or respiratory infections; they have what feels like a constant chest cold.



Pneumonia is a serious risk if secretions become the breeding ground for various bacteria. Symptoms of pneumonia include shortness of breath, pale skin, fever and an increase in congestion.



Ventilator users with tracheostomies have secretions suctioned from their lungs on a regular basis; this may be anywhere from every half hour to only once a day.



There are many preventive measures to help the respiratory system clear secretions and combat infections.



Mucolytics are medications that aid in the clearing of airways, lungs, bronchi and trachea, including:



Nebulized sodium bicarbonate is frequently used to make tenacious secretions easier to eliminate.


Nebulized acetylcysteine is also effective for loosening secretions, although it may trigger reflex bronchospasm.


Read more here at the reference website

Wow, Bre! Great article. Thanks for sharing it. I’ve opened a new file on my tablet notepad called ‘benadryl’, so I can find this article again when I need it,...and from Harvard Medical School yet!