Experiencing chest pains can be scary as it’s one of the most common symptoms of having a heart attack, but there are many other reasons you might experience chest pain. Whilst they can be distressing, they’re not all seriously dangerous.  Another heart condition that can cause chest pain is called pericarditis. Luckily, home remedies for pericarditis do exist and can help.

Pericarditis can cause are sharp pains in your chest and make it difficult to breathe. Pericarditis is caused by inflammation of the sac that holds the heart and is found in around 5 percent of all patients admitted to the emergency department for chest pain unrelated to a heart attack.

Because pericarditis can cause a buildup of fluid around the heart which stops it from functioning properly. The major functions of your pericardium (the sac surrounding your heart) include…

• Preventing your heart from over-increases
• Protecting your heart from infections and damage
• Keeping your heart lubricated.

Risk Factors for Developing Pericarditis

Age and gender are common risk factors for developing pericarditis as its most common in men between the ages of sixteen and sixty. It’s also more common in people with a history of heart disease or bacterial/viral infection.  

If you start experiencing sharp chest pains that originate in the back of your shoulders and have difficulty breathing, you should get your doctor to check for pericarditis.

Recognize Your Symptoms

Usually, pericarditis attacks will come on quickly and don’t usually last long. Most people experience a sharp, stabbing pain in the middle or left of their chest. The pain can sometimes be mistaken for a heart attack if you’re not aware that you have pericarditis. It’s important that you can recognize the symptoms of an attack so that you can make sure you get the care and attention you need as quickly as possible when an attack starts. Other symptoms include.

• Pain when breathing or lying down
• Dull ache in the chest area
• Pressure in your chest
• High fever  
• Physical weakness
• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Heart palpitations

Home Remedies for Pericarditis

1. Rest & Reduce Stress

Any form of stress on the body, including intense physical exercise, can make your pericarditis flare up. If you’ve been diagnosed with pericarditis you should make sure that you get plenty of rest in order to allow your body to heal.  Get at least seven to nine hours of sleep at night and relax during the day.

Make sure you chat to your doctor before returning to intense exercises and discuss which exercises will be most beneficial for you.

You should make sure you tackle emotional stress in the same way as your physical stress. Try to incorporate calming activities like meditation, breathing exercises or yoga into your day to help keep your emotional stress at a minimum.

 

2. An Anti-Inflammatory Diet

Supporting your immune system is crucial when you’re suffering from pericarditis. You can do this by limiting your intake of processed foods and consuming more whole, nutrient-dense foods that are packed full of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Following a diet that includes plenty of antioxidants is critical for improving your immune function.

 

3. Oregano Oil

Oregano oil helps to protect your body from viruses, bacterial and fungal infections which might otherwise make your pericarditis worse. mix two drops of oregano oil with a teaspoon of coconut oil and consume once a day. This will help fight infections and reduce inflammation, all of which will help to ease your pericarditis.

4. Wormwood

Antiviral herbs can help your body to protect itself against infections that may contribute to your health problems. That’s why wormwood makes such a great home remedy for pericarditis. It helps to attack viral pathogens and reduce the risk of inflammation, improving the health of your cardiovascular system.  

 

5. Black Walnut

Black walnut is another antiviral herb which helps to build your body’s defenses against infections. It can, therefore, be consumed as a home remedy for pericarditis.

6. Garlic

Garlic helps to boost your immune system and protect you from infections. As such they help your body to heal from a pericarditis diagnosis and restore the health of your cardiovascular system.

 

7. Bentonite Clay

Bentonite clay is another great home remedy for pericarditis that helps by building up your body’s defense against viruses and other infections. This helps to improve your overall health and reduce inflammation, thus protecting your heart from pericarditis.

8. Activated Charcoal

Like other herbs on this list, activated charcoal helps boosts your immune system, improving the way it fights off infections. By consuming activated charcoal, you could lower your risk of pericarditis by lowering the chance of inflammation.

 

9. Grapefruit Seed Extract

Consuming the extract from grapefruit seeds is another great way to protect your heart from pericarditis. Try consuming just a small amount each day and you should notice your condition start to improve.

 

10. Rhodiola

Rhodiola is an adaptogenic herb which helps to support your immune system so that it can better fight off infection. It also helps to reduce both physical and mental stress and fatigue, helping your body to heal faster.  

 

11. Coenzyme Q10 (C0Q10)

Q10 is a type of antioxidant that’s highly beneficial to the health of your heart, making it a great home remedy for pericarditis.  

12. Vitamins E and C

Vitamins E and C have antioxidant properties to support good heart health. They also help to support your immune system and make it easier for your body to heal.

 

13. Magnesium

Magnesium is vital to ensuring your heart works effectively. You can take a daily magnesium supplement or consume more leafy greens, like spinach, to ensure you keep your magnesium levels high enough to support your heart. It should be avoided, however, if you suffer from kidney problems.

14. Bromelain

Bromelain is an enzyme most commonly found in pineapple. It helps to reduce inflammation within the body and therefore helps to prevent and treat pericarditis.

 

15. Fish Oil

Over time, consuming fish oil can help to lower inflammation. Try taking a supplement like cod liver oil once a day and you should notice that your condition improves as the oil helps to lubricate your heart.

16. Hawthorn

Hawthorn has been used to treat heart problems in traditional medicine for a very long time. Although it hasn’t been proven to treat pericarditis, it can help to treat a number of other heart conditions so it’s worth trying it and seeing if it helps.

 

17. Echinacea

Echinacea can be used to infuse a tea and drunk to help reduce inflammation and fight infections. As such, it makes an effective home remedy for pericarditis.

 

18. Goldenseal

Goldenseal is often used in conjunction with echinacea to help fight infections and inflammation in order to treat your pericarditis.

 

19. Andrographis

Andrographis are an effective home remedy for pericarditis as they help to reduce inflammation within the body – a major cause of the condition. It also helps to support your immune system so that your body can heal quickly.

20. Switch Your Position

You might find that sleeping or sitting in certain positions makes your pericarditis worse and leaves you more vulnerable to an attack. If this is the case, you should try to find another position in order to ease the pain.

 

21. Horsetail

Adding two handfuls of dried horsetail in five liters of boiling water and add this to your bath water. Make sure the water comes up the area where your kidneys are when you lie down. Bath in the water for twenty minutes and this should help to reduce internal inflammation and ease stresses. You could also use horsetail to make herbal teas which can be drunk two or three times a day to help treat your pericarditis.

22. Mulberry Roots

Mix two parts mulberry tree roots and one-part couch grass roots and add a handful of the mixture to three liters of cold water. Let the roots soak overnight and boil them in the morning until the liquid reduces by half. You can then leave the resulting liquid in the fridge. Consume the entire amount of liquid over the course of the day, every day for two weeks. You should then stop for two weeks before repeating the process again. This will help to provide relief from your pericarditis.

 

23. Aloe Vera

Consuming a quarter of a cup of fresh aloe vera juice twice a day will help to treat your pericarditis. It works by strengthening your cardiovascular system, regulating the level of cholesterol in your blood and maintaining a healthy blood pressure. This, therefore, helps to reduce chest pain resulting from your pericarditis.

24. Apple Cider Vinegar

Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and drink it before each meal (or whenever your experience a pericarditis attack). This will help to reduce your chest pain and other symptoms.

 

25. Turmeric

Add half a teaspoon of turmeric to a glass of hot milk and drink before going to bed. The curcumin in the turmeric will help to prevent cholesterol oxidation which will help to keep your heart healthy and reduce the chest pains associated with pericarditis.

 

26. Basil

Chewing on eight to ten basil leaves once a day or drinking a teaspoon or basil juice could help to treat your pericarditis. This is because it helps to relax your blood vessels and increases the flow of blood to your heart.

27. Cayenne Pepper

Mixing a teaspoon of powdered cayenne pepper to a glass of fruit juice can help to lessen the intensity of your pericarditis attacks and chest pains. This is thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties it possesses which help improve the flow of blood to your heart.

 

28. Fenugreek Seeds

Fenugreek seeds have a number of benefits, you can read about them in our Health Benefits of Fenugreek Seeds article. In our previous article, we discussed the positive effect of fenugreek seeds on your heart health, which is why they can be used as an effective home remedy for pericarditis. Simply soak the seeds in some water overnight and eat them the following morning. You could also try boiling a teaspoon of seed in water for five minutes, strain the liquid and drink it. Do this two or three times each day and you should start to notice an improvement in your condition.

 

29. Almonds

Soak a handful of almonds in some water overnight and in the morning you can peel and eat them as a healthy home remedy for pericarditis. Almonds are a great source of healthy fatty acids which help to lubricate your heart and reduce your risk of pericarditis.

Remember, some of the herbal remedies on this list can interfere with other medications you may be taking so you should always consult with your doctor before using herbal remedies.

References

http://umr.adam.com/content.aspx?productId=107&pid=33&gid=000126

https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Pericarditis

http://www.mynaturaltreatment.com/home-remedy-pericarditis/

Andrographis picture by H. Zell