There aren't many things more annoying than a persistent dry cough. Coughs like this can make us uncomfortable and also annoy others in a group or social setting. However, there are ways, which you can do at home, to reduce or manage your cough. You can try to treat your cough yourself, but keep in mind that if the cough persists for three weeks or more, you should consult a doctor.
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Method 1 of 5: Stay Hydrated
Step 1. Keep your throat moist
Coughing is usually caused by postnasal drip, which is when fluid from the nose drips down the back of the throat. This usually happens when you have a cold or catch a virus such as the flu. Drinking fluids can thin the mucus caused by a cold.
Step 2. Gargle with warm salt water
This will help reduce pain and reduce inflammation. Gargle before bed and whenever you feel discomfort in your throat.
Step 3. Drink lots of warm water
While hot water may seem to be the best remedy for your throat, warm water actually rehydrates body tissues better than hot water. Hot water can irritate inflamed body tissues. Hot tea is a great way to stay hydrated, as well as provide a warm and soothing sensation to your throat.
- Aniseed tea is known to provide a soothing sensation to the throat and relieve coughs. Add cinnamon to it for more benefits in relieving coughs.
- Bring the ginger to a boil with the tea leaves. Add a pinch of pepper and some basil leaves to relieve a stuffy nose. This herbal concoction will reduce tissue sensitivity and soothe your throat, thereby relaxing the throat tissue after excessive coughing.
Step 4. Drink warm honey and cinnamon milk before going to bed
When cinnamon and honey are combined, these ingredients fight infection, reduce swelling, or have antioxidant properties that can help treat a sore throat.
To make cinnamon milk, mix tsp cinnamon and 1 tbsp sugar in a saucepan. Then add 1/8 tsp of baking soda and 240 ml of milk to it and mix well. Heat until steamy, but do not boil. Allow the concoction to cool, and then add 1 tablespoon of honey, stir until the honey dissolves, and drink it while it's warm
Step 5. Drink pineapple juice
Pineapple juice is 5 times more effective than cough syrup, as shown in a 2010 study. It makes the larynx softer but doesn't leave a residue that can make coughing worse. Choose this juice over orange or lemon juice.
Grape juice is also good for treating coughs. Mix a teaspoon of honey in a cup of grape juice. Wine acts as an expectorant; expectorants encourage the expulsion of sputum through the airways, thereby relieving your cough
Step 6. Use oregano to relieve the intensity of your cough
Boil a tablespoon of oregano leaves in a cup of water. Once the water boils, remove the oregano leaves through a sieve and drink the oregano tea.
If you have a tea diffuser (a tea strainer that is shaped like a ball), you can put oregano leaves inside to make it easier to remove the oregano leaves
Method 2 of 5: Eating Foods That Give You a Soothing Sensation
Step 1. Consume honey to give a soothing sensation to your throat
The thick texture of honey will moisturize your tonsils, reducing irritation in your throat (and your urge to cough.) Good honey is almost as effective as a cough syrup!
Rose petal infused water (mineral water to which rose petals are added) is also an excellent alternative to honey. Rose essence can destroy mucus well
Step 2. Use essential oils to relieve your cough
Essential oils are powerful and nutritious oils that can be used for home purposes to the treatment of various ailments. Some essential oils have properties to reduce a persistent cough.
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Eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, sage, tea tree, sandalwood, cedarwood, frankincense and hyssop oils are among the best essential oils for relieving a stuffy nose.
To help clear a stuffy nose, put 1-2 drops of essential oil on your hands, then rub your hands together, cupping your hands over your nose, and take 4-6 deep breaths. You can also pour 2-4 drops of this oil on a cotton ball, put it in a bag with a lid, and take it with you wherever you go
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Tea tree, sage, eucalyptus, peppermint, rosemary, lemon, garlic, and ginger oils are among the best essential oils for relieving a sore throat.
To use essential oils as a sore throat reliever, pour 1-2 drops of essential oil in half a glass of warm water and gargle for a few minutes, then drain the water. Make sure you don't swallow the water with the essential oil mixture
Step 3. Make homemade cough syrup
There are many different types of homemade cough syrups that are much more effective than over-the-counter cough syrups.
- Make herbal cough syrup. Put 60 grams of herb mixture into one liter of water. Herbs that you can use include fennel, licorice, slippery elm bark, cinnamon, ginger root, and orange peel. Heat the mixture until the water is reduced to half (about half a liter). Strain the mixture and add a cup of honey to it. Stir until the honey is evenly mixed.
- Make a cough syrup based on shallots. Shallots are efficacious in destroying phlegm that can cause coughing. Finely chop the onion and remove the juice. Mix the onion juice and honey in equal proportions. Let the mixture sit for four to five hours. After the mixture has cooled, you now have a cough syrup that you can take twice a day.
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Make elderberry syrup. Elderberry syrup is a great option because it's cough-soothing but stomach-friendly. If you have a sensitive stomach, try this syrup. Mix one liter of elderberry juice with two cups of honey and two cinnamon sticks in a saucepan. Boil for 10 minutes. This recipe will make about 1.5 liters of syrup.
If you want to make your own elderberry juice to use in making cough syrup, you can boil some fresh or dried elderberries in a liter of water for about 45 minutes, then strain the fruit and follow the recipe above
Step 4. Eat warm chicken soup
The steam that comes out of the soup will help open your upper respiratory membrane while the warmth will provide a soothing sensation to your throat and prevent your body from suffocating because chicken soup is rich in protein. After all, what's more comforting than a warm bowl of soup?
Step 5. Eat lozenges
Buy lozenges that contain menthol. The menthol will reduce the sensitivity of the back of your throat, thereby relieving coughing. Menthol is a compound derived from the peppermint plant that contains an anesthetic sensation that can relieve sore throats. Lozenges are a great option if you have to be in a public place but don't want your cough to bother other people, such as in a movie theater or classroom.
If you don't have lozenges on hand, suck on regular, hard candies. Simply sucking on a hard candy or lollipop can increase saliva production and relieve your dry cough. Chewing gum can also temporarily relieve your cough. Peppermint gum is a good choice because it has anesthetic properties similar to menthol
Method 3 of 5: Making Use of Humidity
Step 1. Use a humidifier
Dry air can cause nasal secretions to dry out and make your respiratory system uncomfortable, which can lead to coughing. Thus, this tool is necessary for that reason.
Be careful if you use the appliance too often-if not cleaned, it can pump mold and bacteria back into the air. This can cause your cough to take longer to heal, not relieve it
Step 2. Take a hot, steamy shower
Make sure you close all windows in the bathroom and turn off the fan. Thus, you will create your own sauna room at home. The steam will thin your nasal secretions. Steam is also efficacious to relieve coughs caused by colds, allergies, and asthma.
Step 3. Breathe in the steam from the pot of boiling water
Bring a pot of water to a boil, then remove the pan from the stove and place it on a heat-resistant surface. Then hold your head above the water and inhale the steam. You can also place a towel over your head to help collect steam for you to breathe.
Try adding thyme leaves to the water for the added benefit of clearing your breath
Method 4 of 5: Using Drugs
Step 1. Take a decongestant medication
If postnasal drip is causing your cough, consider taking a decongestant, which is a medication that reduces swollen nasal tissue and reduces mucus. Decongestant medications are available in the form of nasal sprays, pills, and liquids.
- Decongestant nasal sprays should not be used for more than three days. Using it for more than three days in a row can cause nasal congestion.
- Decongestant drugs also usually contain Oxymetazoline which is a nasal congestion reliever, but if used for more than three days can damage the respiratory tract.
Step 2. Try taking an antihistamine
Antihistamines limit the release of histamine in the body, which can cause excessive mucus in the nose and throat, resulting in persistent coughing. Antihistamines are especially effective during allergy season, or if your cough is caused by a mild allergic reaction to something around you, such as pet dander or mold.
Step 3. Know about cough suppressants
Cough relievers contain active ingredients such as camphor, dextromethorphan, eucalyptus oil, and menthol which will temporarily relieve your cough but will not cure it. If you're having trouble sleeping because of your cough, or if you're coughing so much that your chest or muscles hurt, you might consider taking a cough suppressant at night. But keep in mind that cough suppressants cannot cure your cough.
Method 5 of 5: Treating the Main Problem
Step 1. Visit your doctor to diagnose the infection
If your infection is caused by bacteria, your doctor can help you by prescribing antibiotics. Viruses don't respond to antibiotics, so if your infection is caused by a virus, antibiotics won't work.
Step 2. Watch for things that irritate the respiratory system around you
If you recently changed your perfume or bathroom spray with a new product, it is likely that this is irritating your sinuses and causing your cough. Cigarette smoke is also a major cause of coughing.
If cigarette smoke is causing your cough, you should consider trying to treat this common cough that smokers suffer from by quitting smoking
Step 3. Avoid gastric irritation
If you suffer from GERD / Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (chronic acid reflux disease) or often experience heartburn (heartburn), you must take measures to minimize its effects. Don't lie down within 3 hours of eating and avoid spicy foods or other "trigger" foods.
Step 4. Review the medications you are taking
Certain medications, such as ACE inhibitors (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme / enzymes that play a role in regulating extracellular volume) can cause chronic cough. If the medicines you are taking have these side effects, discuss with your doctor about other drug options for your disease.
Step 5. Avoid dust and other allergens
If you can't get rid of dust or allergens from the environment you're in using an air filter or clean the area properly, allergy medicine can be used to treat a chronic cough caused by allergens.
Tips
- One way to prevent coughing in the first place is to maintain good hygiene. Washing your hands regularly with soap and water is one of the best ways to prevent infection.
- Avoid foods or drinks that are too cold.
- Avoid exclaiming or shouting as this can damage your voice.
- Take plenty of time to sleep, especially if your sore throat is accompanied by other cold symptoms.
- Make sure you sit up straight. Drink hot tea with honey, or pineapple juice. While sitting, try not to talk too much.
- Drink lots of water.
- When using a humidifier, do not use the small insert more than once a day. Doing so can cause the humidifier to clog, and will allow the appliance to pump out more mold.
Warning
- Sometimes home remedies are not suitable for children. Please note that children under the age of 1 year should not consume honey.
- If the cough doesn't subside and worries you, seek medical attention from your doctor.
- Most of the above treatment methods, especially those involving boiling water, are not suitable for children.
- If you are pregnant, check with your doctor before trying any home remedies.
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Call your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms along with your sore throat:
- fever
- shivering
- chronic cough that doesn't go away
- wheezing (shortness of breath)
Related article
- How to Cure Cough
- How to Cure a Sore Throat
- How to reduce fever without medicine
