A cough that doesn't go away can be really miserable, and you want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Coughing is a common side effect of colds and flu, but it can also be caused by allergies, asthma, acid reflux, dry air, cigarettes, and even some medications. Coughs can be very painful and annoying, so try following some of these tips to try to get rid of the cough quickly.
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Part 1 of 3: Using Natural Cough Remedy
Step 1. Use honey
Honey is an effective way to suppress coughs and soothe the throat. Several studies have shown that honey is at least as effective as over-the-counter medications in relieving coughs, and sometimes even more effective. Honey can help coat and soothe mucous membranes, so it's great to drink it at night if you're having trouble sleeping due to a cough.
- Honey is suitable for both adults and children, but do not give honey to children under 1 year of age, as this can increase the risk of infant botulism.
- You can drink honey directly. Try taking 1 tablespoon every few hours while you are coughing. Another option is to add 1 tablespoon of honey (or more) to a glass of warm tea with lemon.
- Some studies suggest honey is as effective at suppressing coughs as dextromethorphan, an active ingredient usually found in over-the-counter cough suppressants.
Step 2. Drink licorice root tea
Licorice root tea can soothe your airways, help relieve inflammation, and loosen phlegm. To make it, put 2 tablespoons of dried licorice root in a cup, and pour 250 ml of boiling water into it. Steep for 10 to 15 minutes. Drink twice a day.
- Do not drink licorice root tea if you are on steroid medications, or have kidney problems.
- Glycyrrhiza which is the active ingredient in licorice root can cause negative side effects for some people. So look for DGL, or deglycyrrhizinated licorice at a drugstore or pharmacy, which is just as effective.
Step 3. Try thyme tea
Timi is used in some countries, such as Germany, to treat a variety of respiratory disorders. Thyme helps soothe throat muscles, and reduces inflammation. Bring the water to a boil, and put the water and 2 tablespoons of powdered thyme in the cup for 10 minutes. Strain before drinking it.
- Add honey and lemon to strengthen its calming effect. Honey and lemon will also make the taste more delicious.
- Do not swallow thyme oil. Use fresh or dried thyme leaves only.
Step 4. Enjoy hard candy
If you don't have cough gum available, and don't like taking lozenges, you can usually calm and stop your cough by sucking on a hard lozenge.
- A dry cough that doesn't produce phlegm can be suppressed with almost any type of hard candy. Hard candy causes you to produce more saliva and swallow more, thereby suppressing your cough.
- If you cough with phlegm, lemon gum is likely to be more beneficial for you.
- Hard candy is an effective cough remedy for children 6 years of age or older.
Step 5. Try turmeric
Turmeric is a traditional cough medicine that is known to be effective in treating coughs in many people. Try mixing a teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of warm milk. You can also try a mixture of turmeric powder and a teaspoon of honey to treat a dry cough. To make turmeric tea, add 1 tablespoon of ground turmeric to 4 cups of boiling water. Leave, then strain. Mix it with lemon and honey to strengthen its effect in relieving coughs.
Step 6. Dissolve peppermint and ginger in lemon juice
Ginger helps thin phlegm. Both ginger and peppermint can suppress the irritation in the back of your throat and trigger a cough. Add honey to this mixture to make it even more effective.
- Add 3 tablespoons of chopped ginger and 1 tablespoon of dried peppermint to 4 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat. Let it simmer until the volume is reduced, then strain. Let it cool for a few minutes, then add a cup of honey, stirring until completely dissolved. Take 1 tablespoon every few hours. This mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- You can add one peppermint candy to the lemon juice. Heat in a small saucepan until the candy dissolves. Try adding honey too. Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey to this mixture and mix well.
Step 7. Try essential oils
Mixing essential oils with steam can help you inhale and absorb the benefits. Try tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil, both of which are known to soothe and open the airways. This oil also has antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties so it can help fight bacteria and viruses.
- Boil water and place in a bowl. Let it cool for about 1 minute. Add 3 drops of tea tree oil and 1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil. Stir. Come close and cover your head to trap the steam. Inhale deeply for 5 - 10 minutes, 2 - 3 times a day. Make sure to keep your distance from getting too close to the water, so you don't hurt your face from the hot steam.
- Don't drink tea tree oil. This oil is toxic if ingested.
Step 8. Make cough syrup with bourbon
If you want to make an effective cough syrup for adults only, you can mix a little whiskey in a cup of warm lemon water.
- Combine 60 ml of bourbon whiskey, 60 ml of lemon juice, and 60 to 125 ml of water in a microwave-safe cup.
- Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds.
- Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey to the mixture, stir, and reheat in the microwave for 45 seconds.
Step 9. Try traditional Korean remedies
If you have a cough due to a cold or flu, you can try making this Korean fever remedy. This remedy mixes jujube with spices, honey, and several other nutritious ingredients.
- Combine 25 dried jujubes (sliced), 1 large Asian pear (cut into quarters, cored), 7.6 cm ginger root (sliced), 2 to 3 cinnamon sticks, and 2.8 l water in a large pot. Cover, and heat over medium-high heat until it starts to boil.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 1 hour.
- Strain the juice and discard the dregs.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of honey to sweeten it. Enjoy a warm cup of this remedy to soothe your throat and stop your cough within minutes. One of the simplest things you can do is relax your body, and take deep breaths.
Step 10. Gargle with salt water
Salt water is used to help soothe an inflamed throat, but it can also help with coughs by reducing swelling and removing phlegm. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt in 250 ml of warm water, stir until completely dissolved, then gargle for 15 seconds. Repeat until the water runs out.
Step 11. Try apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is used to treat coughs without medicine. You can warm up apple cider vinegar and drink it like tea with a spoonful of honey, or as a cold drink with apple cider.
Part 2 of 3: Coping with Cough with Medicine
Step 1. Take a decongestant
Decongestants can help relieve coughing by reducing nasal congestion and drying up phlegm in the lungs and other airways. You can use decongestants in a variety of ways, such as pills, liquids, and nasal sprays.
- Look for pills and liquids that contain phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine as the active ingredients.
- Excessive use of decongestants can dry out the airways and cause a dry cough.
- Only use the nasal spray for 2-3 days. More than that can actually exacerbate the blockage.
Step 2. Try lozenges
Try menthol lozenges as they are usually the most effective option. These lozenges will numb the back of your throat, inhibit the cough reflex, and stop your coughing faster.
- For coughs with phlegm, horehound lozenges often prove to be useful. Horehound is an herb with a bitter sweet taste that acts as an expectorant, so it can expel phlegm faster, thus allowing your cough to heal faster.
- For a dry cough, you can also use slippery elm lozenges. These lozenges are made from the trunk of the slippery elm tree. The ingredients contained in it can coat the throat, thereby suppressing the cough reflex, and ending your suffering.
Step 3. Use a chest rub
Over-the-counter ointments containing menthol or camphor should relieve most phlegm stones and dry coughs.
- This liniment should only be used on the surface of the skin and is not safe to swallow.
- Do not use liniment on babies.
Step 4. Try a cough suppressant
Over-the-counter cough suppressants are best used to relieve a cough with phlegm in the middle of the night.
- Cough suppressants will block the flow of cough-causing phlegm, and instruct your brain to block the cough reflex. This medicine is a good choice if you need to temporarily stop your cough at night during sleep or for other reasons, but you should not rely on cough suppressants while you are sick, as this can cause phlegm to become trapped in your lungs. thereby increasing the risk of bacterial infection.
- Look for cough suppressants that contain dextromethorphan or an antihistamine.
- Be careful using the drug if the main symptom you experience is a cough. Antihistamines and decongestants in cough drops can dry and harden mucus, making it difficult to remove it from your airways.
- Do not give cough medicine to children under 4 years of age.
Step 5. Use an expectorant
Expectorants will thin the phlegm so you can cough it out. Expectorants are perfect if your cough is accompanied by very thick phlegm.
Do not give cough medicine to children under the age of 4 years, because it can cause serious side effects
Part 3 of 3: Coping with Cough in Other Ways
Step 1. Drink fluids
Meeting the needs of body fluids is important for healing cough with phlegm or dry cough. Liquids can help loosen the phlegm that drips down your throat causing you to cough. You can use any kind of drink, with the exception of alcohol, or drinks containing caffeine (which can draw fluids from your body), and sour citrus drinks and juices (which can irritate your throat).
- Try to drink 8 glasses (250 ml) every day for at least as long as you cough.
- For the record, this is the only treatment you can give children between the ages of three months and one year. Only give children 1 to 3 teaspoons (5 to 15 ml) of clear liquid up to four times a day. Try warm water or apple cider.
Step 2. Breathe in the steam of the warm water
Take a warm bath and breathe in the steam. This can help open the blockage in the nose, which can drip into the chest and cause coughing. Another way that can help is to humidify dry air, which can also cause coughing. At night, turn on the humidifier and breathe in the warm steam.
- This method is beneficial for coughs caused by hay fever, allergies, and asthma.
- The humidifier needs to be cleaned regularly. Or it can actually cause more problems than help solve them. Mold and bacteria can build up inside this machine and spread into the air along with moisture.
Step 3. Change the way you cough
Instinctively, you may start coughing loudly as soon as your throat feels itchy, but coughing slowly can actually help you get rid of coughing attacks faster. This is especially useful if you are coughing up phlegm. When you start coughing, do it slowly even though many times, then end with one big cough. Small coughs will slowly bring the phlegm to the top of your airway, and large coughs will push it out.
Coughing this way will also prevent your throat from getting more irritated. Since an irritated throat can lead to further coughing, keeping your throat from becoming irritated should help you get over your cough more quickly
Step 4. Remove irritating materials from the air
Chronic coughs are often caused or worsened by airborne irritants. These ingredients can cause chronic sinus irritation, leading to chronic coughing due to phlegm buildup. The most obvious irritant is cigarette smoke.
Perfumes and bathroom deodorizers are also known to trigger chronic coughs and should be avoided at least during a cough if you want your cough to heal faster
Tips
- Be aware that antibiotics are rarely -- if even used, to treat coughs. Antibiotics will kill bacteria, that's all, making them ineffective against coughs caused by viruses, or coughs that are not caused by illness. Your doctor will only prescribe antibiotics if he or she suspects that your cough is a symptom of a bacterial infection.
- If you have trouble breathing, use an inhaler or have an inhaler nearby.
- Liquids such as coffee or tea can hinder your immune function.
- When trying to keep your body hydrated with water, drink warm water, as cold water can irritate your throat.
