What Exactly Is Chest Congestion?

Chest congestion is a non-medical term used to describe the buildup of fluids and mucus in the lungs. Mucus helps protect your body from infection.i However, if your body makes too much mucus, it can be uncomfortable and cause congestion. Signs and symptoms of chest congestion vary but include coughing and wheezing or difficulty breathing.ii

What Causes Chest Congestion?

Chest congestion can be caused by a number of factors. Often, chest congestion is a symptom of cold or flu.iii Other potential causes of chest congestion include: Acid Reflux, Allergies, Asthma, Chronic Bronchitis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Cystic Fibrosisiv

How To Deal With The Stress of Unpaid Sick Days

Stress management tips from Dr. Sanchez

As part of the Right to Rest and Recover campaign, Theraflu is partnering with licensed psychologist, Dr. Lisette Sanchez, to raise awareness of the emotional and mental health impacts that the inability to take paid sick days can have.

Taking a sick day can cause stress

In the U.S. it’s well known that we have a “push through” culture when it comes to taking time off from work when we are sick. This means we often feel, or are made to feel, guilty for missing work to recover from an illness. For so many people, there’s a financial element too – there are many Americans who can’t afford to take even one day off because they don’t have paid sick days. This can be detrimental to a person’s mental and financial well-being, and cultural stigmas associated with taking sick days only add to the stress.

If you are feeling the mental and financial pressures related to taking time to rest and recover, read Dr. Sanchez’s tips on ways to help you manage your stress this cold and flu season.

1. Talk to a trusted loved one

Reach out to a close family member or friend for support. It helps to talk it through with someone you trust and will reduce the feelings of isolation you may experience.

2. Focus on what is in your control

Are you able to go to bed a little earlier for more rest? Are you drinking enough fluids throughout the day to stay hydrated? What else is in your control?

3. Engage in a self-care activity

Do something to help you wind down: listen to your favorite music or podcast to lift your spirits, take a bath, or allow yourself a few extra minutes of a hot shower.

4. Express your gratitude

Each morning, write down three things you are grateful for. Focusing on something we’re grateful for can help us develop a different perspective on the difficult circumstance we’re experiencing.

5. Try a progressive muscle relaxation

This is an exercise that will help you release some of the tension that you are experiencing in your body. It can also be done in as little as five minutes. For this exercise, you want to find a comfortable position – you can do it sitting down or standing up. Once you are in a comfortable position, you will start tensing and then relaxing muscles in your body. Start with your toes, tense them up and hold them and then release them. As you release the tension, imagine the stress leaving your body. Then move up your body, tensing and releasing each body part. Each time you can visualize the tension releasing.

About Dr. Lisette Sanchez

Dr. Lisette Sanchez is a bilingual and bicultural licensed psychologist, coach, and speaker. She is the founder of Calathea Wellness, a virtual practice providing individual therapy, coaching, and speaking services. Growing up in the San Fernando Valley with immigrant parents from El Salvador and Mexico, she developed a passion for working with BIPOC folks and first-generation professionals.

Theraflu is helping those in need

Theraflu helps to distribute microgrants to women and families, who do not have access to paid sick time through the Rest & Recover Fund - a program created in 2021 to help offset lost wages from unpaid sick days. To learn more about Theraflu’s campaign to raise awareness of this issue, please visit https://www.theraflu.com/RightToRecover/

References

i. Mucus in Your Chest: See 8 Different Causes (And How to Remedy It). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/lung/mucus-in-chest-overview. Accessed 6/25/2020. Referenced text is enclosed in a red box in source PDF.

ii. How to get rid of mucus in the chest: 8 natural home remedies Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321549. Accessed 6/25/2020. Referenced text is enclosed in a red box in source PDF.

iii. How to Get Rid of Chest Congestion. Health.com. https://www.health.com/condition/cold-flu-sinus/how-to-get-rid-of-chest-congestion. Accessed 6/25/2020.Referenced text is enclosed in a red box in source PDF.

iv. How to get rid of mucus in the chest: 8 natural home remedies. Medical News Today. Accessed 6/25/2020. Referenced text is enclosed in a red box in source PDF.

v. 7 Ways to Get Rid of Chest Congestion. Health. https://www.health.com/condition/cold-flu-sinus/how-to-get-rid-of-chest-congestion. Accessed 11/2/2020. Referenced text is enclosed in a red box in source PDF.

vi. Ibid.

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How to Deal with the Stress of Unpaid Sick Days THis Cold and Flu Season

Stress management tips from Dr. Sanchez