For too many people, winter equals chest congestion¹ season, when you have a load of mucus in your chest that just won't come up, no matter how hard you cough. Chest congestion can be caused by any number of ailments², chief among them the common cold and the flu.

对很多人而言，冬天就是胸闷的季节，这个时候你的胸腔有一大堆粘液，怎么咳都咳不出。胸闷可能是由很多毛病引起的，最主要的原因是普通感冒和流感。

Fortunately, chest congestion relief also comes in many forms, from home remedies like hot steam to different kinds of medications. Hopefully one of these ways to break up chest congestion works for you.

幸运的是，缓解胸闷的方法也有很多，从热蒸汽等家庭疗法到不同的药物治疗，不一而足。希望这些方法能让你告别胸痛。

Plug in a humidifier

打开加湿器

Getting moisture into the air with a humidifier is a great home remedy for chest congestion. The principle is simple: Moisture helps loosen the mucus weighing down your chest so you can cough it up and out more easily.

用加湿器给空气加湿是治疗胸痛的有效家庭疗法。原理很简单：水分有助于松开粘在胸腔上的粘液，便于咳出。

Using a humidifier to combat chest congestion doesn't work for everyone, but it's worth a try. If it works for you, just make sure to use it safely, says Alan Mensch, MD, a pulmonologist and senior vice³ president of medical affairs at Northwell Health's Plainview and Syosset Hospitals in New York. Humidifiers can breed mold and fungi⁴, which can cause infections of their own. Clean your humidifier according to the manufacturer's instructions. "They're probably safe as long as they're kept clean," says Dr. Mensch.

用加湿器缓解胸闷并不适用于所有人，但值得一试。如果你适合用这种方法，一定要确保安全使用，Alan Mensch医学博士说道。他是美国犹太保健集团Plainview and Syosset医院的肺病专家、高级副总裁。加湿器会滋生霉菌和真菌，本身就能引起感染。根据制造商的指示清洁加湿器。"只要保持干净，加湿器还是很安全的，"Mensch博士说道。

Embrace steam

蒸汽

Lingering in a hot shower is a more targeted way to get the moisture where it needs to go than using a humidifier. Another option: Run the hot water in your sink and cover your head and the faucet⁵ with a towel, breathing in the steam.

相比加湿器，泡热水澡更能直接获得水分。另一个选择：在水池中放热水，用毛巾盖住头和水龙头，吸入蒸汽。

"That warm steam helps the airways⁶ open up a little bit," says Alice Hoyt, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

"暖暖的蒸汽有助于打开气道，"范德比尔特大学医学中心的医学助理教授、医学博士爱丽丝·霍伊特说道。

Another plus: It gets you to take a break from your frenzied⁷ daytime activities. "So many people are very, very busy and stressed and aren't able to take time to rest," says Dr. Hoyt. A relaxing shower or a few calm minutes breathing deeply can help-as long as you don't let the water get too hot. Be wary⁸ if you have asthma⁹, as inhaling¹⁰ steam may constrict¹¹ your airways, cautions Norman Edelman, MD, chief scientific officer for the American Lung Association.

另外还有一个好处：一天的疯狂活动之后，蒸汽能让你放松。"所以很多人非常非常忙、压力很大、没有时间休息，"霍伊特博士说道。舒展身心的沐浴或几分钟的平静呼吸就能起到作用--只要水不是太热就行。如果你有哮喘，那一定要注意，因为吸入蒸汽可能会压迫你的气道，美国肺脏协会首席科学官诺曼·爱德曼医学博士警告道。

本栏