While there are claims that some natural remedies can help the treatment of pleurisy, these are just claims and have no scientific basis. Practitioners of alternative medicine recommend a lot of natural remedies for pleurisy, of which St. Jacob's oil is one of the most common one. Natural therapists also believe that it is important to fast when the first signs of pleurisy are seen. They recommend consuming nothing but 4-6 glasses of water throughout the day for the first few days. Alternately, they also recommend consumption of milk three to four times a day. However, it is important that you consult your doctor before taking any such dietary advice.
If you experience a lot of pain and change in the color of your chest tissues, hold an ice pack to your chest and keep it there for a few minutes. Then remove the ice pack for a minute and use it once again for several minutes. Try not to keep the ice pack to your chest for a long time as this can simply complicate the pain and make it more severe. You can also alternate between hot and cold packs on your chest to improve respiration and heal the inflammation. However, this is only a quick fix method and is only for temporary relief.
Some of the other home remedies for Pleurisy include a neutral immersion bath in water heated to a 100 F and sunbathing. Alternative therapists believe that the warmth of water or sunny air can naturally heal the inflammation in your chest. If you experience sudden shaking chills, keep yourself warm by wrapping a quilt around yourself.
Yoga breathing techniques may help, but most of these techniques involve deep breathing exercises. These would usually cause aggravated pain as the lungs are put into overdrive. Before attempting any yoga exercises, talk to your doctor and consult a qualified yoga practitioner or instructor. Some other cleansing techniques like jala neti can help remove infection from the respiratory tract and keep the lungs healthy. Those who perform such cleansing techniques regularly may be at a lower risk of developing respiratory infections and other such health problems.
One simple way to avoid pain while you are undergoing treatment is to lie on the side where the pain is less. This will help you breathe properly without causing much pain. There may still be slight pain when you try to take in a deep breath. You can also use over the counter pain medications to lessen the pain you experience while breathing.