Coughing is the body's way of getting rid of mucus and foreign matter from the lungs and upper respiratory tract. This is important to remember when a cough strikes because it is often very difficult to contain it. You'll want to stay comfortable while your coughing continues, without having to block your body's mechanisms of getting rid of accumulated mucus. Consider making your own cough medicine at home to reduce discomfort from coughing without eliminating it altogether.
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Method 1 of 2: Making Cough Medicine at Home
Step 1. Make a cough medicine from honey and lemon
Carefully heat one cup of honey over low heat. Add 3-4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the hot honey. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water to the lemon-honey mixture, then stir while continuing to cook over low heat. Store the honey mixture in the refrigerator. Drink 1-2 tablespoons of honey mixture as needed when you need cough medicine.
- Medicinal honey, such as Manuka honey from New Zealand, is highly recommended. However, any organic honey usually contains antiviral and antibacterial properties.
- Lemon juice contains high levels of Vitamin C--the juice of 1 lemon contains 51% of the amount of Vitamin C the body needs in one day. Lemon juice also contains antibacterial and antiviral properties. The combination of Vitamin C and antimicrobial substances is believed to make lemon very effective in fighting coughs.
- Do not give honey to children under 12 months of age. There is a slight risk for your child to develop infant botulism due to the toxic bacteria sometimes found in honey. Although this has never happened in Indonesia and most children with infant botulism make a full recovery, you should stay alert!
Step 2. Use another method to make cough syrup from honey and lemon
Slice 1 lemon that has been washed into small pieces (along with the rind and seeds). Add the lemon slices to 1 cup of honey. Heat the mixture over low heat for 10 minutes while still stirring.
- Crush the lemon wedges while stirring.
- After cooking, strain the mixture to separate out the remaining lemon wedges and store it in the refrigerator.
Step 3. Consider adding garlic to a cough syrup made from honey and lemon
Garlic contains antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, and antifungal substances. Peel 2-3 cloves of garlic, then chop as finely as possible. Add the chopped garlic to the lemon-honey mixture before adding the water. Heat over low heat for about 10 minutes. Then, add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water to the lemon-honey mixture and stir while continuing to cook over low heat.
Store the lemon-honey mixture in the refrigerator. Drink 1-2 tablespoons of the lemon-honey mixture as needed when you need cough medicine
Step 4. Consider adding ginger to your cough syrup from honey and lemon
Ginger is generally used to improve the condition of the digestive system and treat nausea and vomiting, but is also often used to relieve dry coughs. Ginger works by relaxing the airway, making it easier for you to breathe. To make cough medicine from honey, lemon, ginger:
- Mix the grated rind of 2 lemons, 1/4 cup (about 25 grams) of peeled and chopped ginger, and 1 cup (about 250 ml) of water in a small saucepan. If you don't have fresh ginger, use about 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) of ground ginger.
- Boil this mixture for 5 minutes then strain and put in a heatproof container.
- Heat 1 cup (250 ml) of honey in a clean saucepan over low heat. Don't let the honey boil. Add the strained lemon and ginger solution then add 1/2 cup (120 ml) of lemon juice. Stir everything until thickened.
- Store this solution in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Take 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of the solution every 4 hours for cough relief in adults or teens, or 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) every 2 hours for children under 12 years of age.
Step 5. Consider adding licorice to your cough syrup from honey and lemon
Licorice has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help relieve coughs. Brew licorice tea then add honey and lemon juice to soothe a cough or sore throat.
- Do not drink licorice tea too often and avoid it altogether if you have a history of high blood pressure. Licorice can reduce the body's supply of potassium and make your blood pressure rise.
- Consult the use of licorice with your doctor if you also use other drugs, herbal remedies, or supplements. Sometimes, licorice can interact negatively with other medications and supplements.
Step 6. Use glycerol instead of honey
Replace honey with glycerol if you don't have it, don't like it, or can't eat it. Heat 1/2 cup glycerol and 1/2 cup water over low heat. Then add 3-4 tablespoons of lemon juice to the mixture. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of water to the lemon-glycerol mixture and stir while continuing to cook over low heat. Store the mixture in the refrigerator. Take 1-2 tablespoons of the lemon-glycerol mixture as needed when you need a cough syrup.
- Glycerol has received the FDA's "generally recognized as safe" (GRAS) status. Pure glycerol is a colorless and slightly sweet-tasting vegetable product that is used to make all kinds of food/beverage and body care products.
- Because it is hygroscopic, or capable of absorbing water molecules, small amounts of glycerol can help reduce swelling in the throat.
- Buy natural (not synthetic or man-made) glycerol.
- Understand that glycerol is used to treat constipation, so reduce the amount of glycerol you use (1/4 cup of glycerol to 3/4 cup of water in the basic recipe) if you have diarrhea.
- Prolonged and excessive consumption of glycerol can increase blood sugar and fat levels.
Method 2 of 2: Checking Your Cough
Step 1. Understand the possible causes of coughing
The most common causes of an acute cough are: the common cold, influenza (better known as the flu), pneumonia (a lung infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi), chemical irritation, and whooping cough (known as pertussis, i.e. a lung infection caused by a highly contagious bacterium). The most common causes of chronic cough are: allergic reactions, asthma, bronchitis (inflammation of the bronchi or air passages in the lungs), acid reflux disease, and post-nasal drip (mucus drips from the sinuses into the throat and causes irritation accompanied by with cough reflex).
- There are several specific causes of cough associated with other lung disorders, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
- Coughing can also occur as a side effect of taking medications. The case mainly occurs in the use of a class of drugs for blood pressure -- Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
- Cough can be a side effect of other diseases, namely cystic fibrosis, chronic and acute sinusitis, congestive heart failure, and tuberculosis.
Step 2. Decide if you need to see a doctor
Try home remedies for 1-2 weeks. This period of time is sufficient to cure coughs in general. However, make an appointment with your doctor to get further diagnosis and determine what action should be taken to treat cough if the condition does not improve after 1-2 weeks.
Also, make an appointment with your doctor if within 1-2 weeks you experience: fever with a body temperature of more than 37.7˚C for more than 24 hours, cough that produces greenish-yellow phlegm (this can indicate serious bacterial pneumonia)., coughing up patches of pink or red blood, vomiting (especially if the vomit looks like coffee grounds-- these symptoms may indicate stomach bleeding), difficulty swallowing, difficulty breathing, wheezing or shortness of breath
Step 3. Assess whether a child's cough needs to be checked by a doctor
There are several diseases that children are very susceptible to and can make them paralyzed. Therefore, the condition of cough in children should be examined differently. Call your doctor right away if your child has any of the following symptoms:
- Fever with body temperature above 37.7˚C.
- Cough with a barking sound-- these symptoms may indicate croup (a viral infection of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (airways/breathing passages). Some children may also have stridor, which is a high-pitched whistling sound or gasping for air. Call immediately doctor if you hear one or both of these sounds.
- A type of wheezing and gurgling cough that sounds hoarse or wheezing. These symptoms may indicate bronchiolitis which may be caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
- Whooping sound when the child coughs, which sounds like whooping cough.
Step 4. Decide if the cough requires treatment
Remember that coughing is your body's natural way of getting rid of bacteria, viruses, or yeast-filled mucus, and it's a good cause! However, if your child's cough is keeping you from resting or sleeping, or causing shortness of breath, it's time to treat it. Adequate sleep and rest is needed when suffering from a cough, so this is when medicines can be very useful.
Various home remedies can be taken as much and as often as desired. Home remedies can also help you stay hydrated, which is especially important when your immune system and body are recovering
Tips
- Take 2 tablespoons of your favorite cough medicine just before going to bed so you can sleep more soundly and get enough rest.
- Make sure to stay hydrated--drink at least 8-10 235ml glasses of water every day.
