Cough Remedies - 9 Useful Home Remedies for Cough

Cough is an important reflex action, which the body undertakes to get rid of substances that are irritating the air passages. A cough is usually initiated to clear a buildup of phlegm in the trachea, by forceful expulsion of air at high speed away from the body. You can choose to cough (a voluntary process), or our body may cough on its own (an involuntary process).

Cough can be of 2 types - acute and chronic. An acute cough is one that begins suddenly and is present for less than 3 weeks. They can be infectious (common cold, sinus, pneumonia), or non-infectious (asthma, bronchitis). Chronic coughs are present for more than 3 weeks. .

Some common causes of cough -

The cause of a cough is usually based on where it is originating from. However, the most common triggers of a cough include -

1) Allergies or asthma, chronic bronchitis

2) Common upper respiratory tract infections, resulting from the secretions of the nose and sinuses draining into the throat, such as in cases of sinus infections, chronic postnasal drip, diseases of the external ear, infections of the throat

3) Exposure to environmental pollutants such as cigarette smoke, dust, pollen, pet dander, industrial chemicals.

4) Smoking as well as exposure to second hand smoke.

5) Side-effects of certain medications

6) Chronic fluid build-up in the lungs.

7) Blockage of the airway due to an inhaled object such as food.

8) Gastroesophageal reflux is also a very common cause of cough. This occurs when acid from the stomach travels up the esophagus, resulting in the reflex production of a cough. This is often associated with a sensation of heartburn; and worsens during the day or when one lies flat on the back.

Symptoms of cough -

The symptoms of a chronic cough can be hard to assess, because many causes of chronic cough have overlapping signs and symptoms. Infact, a cough is an annoying symptom that can have many causes.

However, some common cough symptoms include -

1) Shortness of breath, as well as coughing up pink, frothy mucus - maybe the cause is fluid retention in lungs

2) Cough produces clear pale yellow mucus - due to viral infection, such as cold

3) Cough produces yellow or greenish mucus - cause may be chronic bronchitis or pneumonia.

4) If cough is associated with wheezing and shortness of breath - reason could be asthma.

5) Fever, chills and night sweats along with chest pain when you cough - the cause may be tuberculosis

6) If lung cancer or a cancer of the air passages is present, one may cough up blood. Other symptoms that may point towards a cancer include increasing fatigue, loss of appetite, unexplained loss of weight, or decreased ability to swallow solid or liquid foods.

Treatment -

Coughs can be treated with cough medications. Dry coughs are treated with cough suppressants that reduce the urge to cough, while productive coughs (coughs that produce phlegm) are treated with expectorants that loosen mucus from the respiratory tract.

Antihistamines and decongestants are a good choice for treating coughs associated with post nasal drip.
If some underlying disease is causing the cough, treatment should first be based on treating the underlying disease.

A recent study indicates that, because of the presence of theobromine in chocolate, a bar of dark chocolate may be an effective treatment for a persistent cough.

Gargling with salt and warm water is also very helpful by cutting phlegm and reducing inflammation. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon table salt in 1/2 cup warm water, and gargle every three to four hours.

Some Useful Home Remedies for Cough

Symptoms of cough usually subside on their own with 7-10 days. However, lot of simple home remedies are there which provide relief from the discomfort associated with it.

1) Take three peppercorns, and add a pinch of black cumin seeds and rock salt and consume it.

2) Drink hot milk with honey at bedtime for cough relief.

3) Make a decoction by boiling 50 grams fresh ginger with 5 tablespoon sugar in 2 glasses water for 30 minutes. Drink it hot, twice a day, in one day as this is very effective Home Remedy for Cough.

4) Mix powdered cinnamon, lemon juice and honey. Take two teaspoon twice daily.

5) In one cup of warm milk, add a pinch of turmeric powder (Haldi) and drink twice a day.

6) Mix half a teaspoon of tulsi juice with half a teaspoon of ginger juice. Add 1 teaspoon of honey. Take the above mixture 2-3 times a day. This is also useful Home Remedy for Cough

7) Prepare a mixture by adding 1/2 teaspoon honey with 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and take it every 12 hours. Honey relieves the itchiness by moistening the throat passage.

8) Mix 8 - 10 tablespoon of coconut milk with 1 tablespoon poppy seed (powdered) and 1 tablespoon of pure honey. Take this every night before going to bed. This remedy is very good Home Remedy for Cough

9) Garlic-onion-chicken soup is an effective remedy for cough. Take it steaming hot, to give relief to irritation in throat.

By Dr James Sameul

Treat Your Cough the Natural Way

With the summer gone and winter on our doorstep I thought it might be appropriate to discuss a medical condition that comes with the change of seasons. As the wintery months approach the change of seasons can bring along the grim possibility of infection from bacteria and viruses. The worst culprit is catching a cold or flu and neither of them is any fun.

In this article I would like to discuss the symptom most common with a cold-the cough. Coughing distracts you from your work, spreads germs, and puts stress on your body. Since coughing is caused by various conditions, many patients simply opt to ride it out and not seek treatment. When it comes to coughing, however, there is no reason to suffer. There are many natural, effective remedies that can alleviate coughing or speed your recovery.

Two Kinds of Cough

Coughing isn't always a bad thing. In fact, it can be highly beneficial. Coughing may be your body's natural defense mechanism against infection. Fortunately, it is easy to figure out whether your cough is beneficial or not.

If your chest is congested, coughing is your body's way of fighting respiratory disease by purging the mucous or phlegm from your chest. Your cough will likely persist until your infection goes away. Signs of respiratory infection include wheezing and a temperature over 101 degrees. In most cases, you should see your doctor to treat the infection. In the meantime, natural remedies can soothe irritation and help you recover more quickly.

If no mucous is present, you have a dry cough. This type of cough is likely due to allergies or asthma and serves no beneficial purpose to your body. Exposure to irritants like dust, mold, pets, grass, pollen or chemicals are probably to blame for your cough. Sometimes the cough is an indication of mild asthma. If you have a persistent cough and cannot determine a specific irritant, your doctor may be able to help with proper diagnosis.

Resolving Coughs Naturally

Many natural and folk remedies exist for coughing. One of the first treatments people turn to are herbs. For congestion, the herb horehound acts as a natural expectorant, helping to alleviate congestion. You may find it in tea bags at natural foods stores.

Other herbs suppress the cough reflex by encouraging saliva production, causing you to swallow less frequently. Commercial cough drops often contain the oils from these herbs. They include peppermint, eucalyptus, anise and fennel. Try taking them as teas. Slippery elm, found as a tea or lozenge, discourages the cough reflex in another manner--by forming a protective layer around the mucous membranes of the throat.

An easy steam treatment is also a good way to not only soothe the throat, but loosen chest congestion. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then remove it from the heat. Hold your face over the steaming water and cover your head with a towel to trap the moisture. Inhale for as long as 30 minutes.

Acupressure can relive tension in the chest caused by coughing. Homeopathy is another alternative treatment that many patients turn to. To try these methods, find a practitioner in your area.

Some easy to find natural products can also soothe coughing. Aloe vera juice mixed with equal parts honey can soothe a dry cough. Apple cider vinegar is an excellent way to manage that "tickling" feeling that is so often present in the throat when you suffer from a cough. Add about 2 teaspoons to a glass of water and sip as needed. Minced garlic marinated overnight in honey also soothes coughs. Garlic is known to be high in powerful antioxidants.

These remedies and many variations on them have been used for generations to fight coughs. No matter which one you choose, take note of its effect on your symptoms until you find the right combination of natural treatments that work for you. If you suspect an infection, see your doctor. If your cough persists, a medical opinion may be needed. With proper natural care, you will be back to feeling healthy in no time.

By Mark Rosenberg, M.D.

Ayurvedic and Herbal Home Remedies For Cough Treatment

Cough is not a disease actually; it is a symptom of any kind of obstruction in the respiratory tract. Coughs can originate in the pharynx, bronchial tubes, trachea and the pleura lining of the lungs.
In Ayurveda, coughing is known as Kaasa roga. It is predominantly an effect of the vitiation of the vata dosha. But the pitta and the kapha doshas can also cause coughs. Based on the causative factor, there are five types of coughs - vataja, pittaja, kaphaja, kshataja and kshayaja.
Vataja cough is dry and hacking in nature. There is little phlegm observed. Side symptoms are headache and pain in the chest. In pittaja cough, there is yellow sputum which may sometimes have streaks of blood in it. Other symptoms like fever, excessive thirst and burning sensation in the mouth and the pharynx are also felt. In kaphaja cough, there is a thick mucus discharge, which is slimy and white in color. This cough makes the whole body feel heavy.
Kshataja cough is vata vitiation to the extreme limit. There is dyspnoea and blood in the sputum. Kshayaja cough is a very serious kind of cough in which pus is observed in the sputum.
(1) Useful Herbs in the Treatment of Cough
- Bay Berry (Myrica nagi) The bay berry is very effective in curing throat congestions which causes the coughs. It can even cure coughs that are caused due to chronic bronchitis. Its bark is the effective part which is to be taken in the form of a powder.
- Belleric Myroblan (Terminalia belerica) The fruit of the belleric myroblan has excellent curative powers in the treatment of coughs caused due to catarrh.
- Betel (Piper betle) Betel leaves when crushed, made into paste with water and applied externally on the chest have amazing effects in the treatment of coughs.
- Butea (Butea monosperma) Butea leaves can treat congested and inflamed throats. They are effective in the treatment of coughs and sore throats. The leaves are boiled in water. This solution is used as a mouthwash to get the desired effects. Coughs caused due to septic and sore throats are treated in this manner.
- Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) Cloves can reduce the irritation of the throat. Cloves are more effective if the coughs are produced due to inflammation of the pharynx.
- Euphorbia (Euphorbia hirta) Euphorbia is a very potent medicine in the treatment of all kinds of cough. It enjoys a special position in Indian herbology in treating the coughs caused due to colds, asthma and bronchitis.
- Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) Fenugreek seeds are effective in the removal of coughs that are associated with sore throats. The seeds are boiled in water for half an hour and this water is used to take gargles.
- Garlic (Allium sativum) Garlic is an excellent remedy for whooping cough. The syrup of two to three pieces of garlic must be taken two to three times a day in the case of whooping cough. If the symptoms still persist, or if it is a severe cough, then the dosage must be increased.
- Henna (Lawsonia inermis) Henna is a definite remedy for sore throat and the related cough problems.
(2) Dietary Treatments for Cough
- Cold foods must be avoided as these can aggravate the throat further. Water that is drunk normally also must be warmed a little before drinking.
- Use old rice in the diet. Wheat can also be used beneficially.
- Do not consumer any fruits or vegetables that can cause excessive cooling of the body. Foods like cucumbers, green bananas, papayas, watermelons and oranges must be strictly avoided.
- Fennel seeds are effective in the treatment of cough. These must be taken along with figs for better results.
(3) Ayurvedic Treatment for Cough
- Ayurvedic doctors prescribe slightly different kinds of medicines depending on which type of cough is observed. a) If the cough is of vataja type, then kanakasava or kantakaryavaleha are prescribed. b) If the cough is of pittaja type, then sitopaladi choorna is preferred in conjunction with chandansava or vasarishta. Vasavaleha and matulungadi avaleha may also be prescribed. b) If the cough is of kaphaja type, then trikatu, triphala, guggulu and shilajit are the drugs of choice.
(4) Home Medications
- The pulp of the fruit of the belleric myroblan is mixed with long pepper, salt and honey. This is to be taken once a day.
- Clove oil mixed with garlic and honey helps to eliminate spasmodic coughs which are produced in tuberculosis, asthma and bronchitis. This mixture must be taken every night before going to bed.
- Prepare an extract of ginger. Sweeten this with honey. Take this in a teaspoonful quantity three to four times a day. There will be confirmed positive results.
- Prepare a mixture of extract of tulsi (holy basil) leaves with ginger and honey. This is better than the above method for the treatment of coughs. This mixture must be taken if the cough is severe, and is caused due to some serious ailment such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, etc.
- Make a decoction of licorice in honey. Consume this decoction so that it makes good contact with the inner lining of the throat. This will relieve cough and the feeling of irritation in the throat.
- A very simple way to stop coughs in the night is to place three to four pieces of long pepper in the mouth. Chew them slightly so that their extract oozes into the mouth. As long as the peppers remain in the mouth, the urge to cough will be suppressed and you will get a restful sleep at night.
- Figs are known to clear the buildup of phlegm in the chest cavity. This brings about an elimination of cough.
- Make a powder of cardamom and dissolved it in water. Take this thrice in a day. This will keep all types of cough at bay.

Anna Hardy

Tastiest Home Remedy For Cough - Honey

Looking for a home remedy for cough? One that is natural and perhaps easy to go down? Consider the sweet liquid from nature - pure honey.

Now, when you are down with a bout of sickness, for instance, cold, sore throat, or fever, I am sure at one point or another, you have wondered and questioned what's going on in your body, what has gone wrong and is causing those symptoms of discomfort...

An extremely common ailment which probably all of us have experienced before, cough is a vital bodily function and can be technically defined as an involuntary reflex signalled and triggered by our brain to clear a blockage or irritant (e.g phlegm, cigarette smoke, pungent gas, dust, etc) from the air passage. What is visible or audible to us when this happens is a sudden expulsion of air from the lungs that helps clear airway very quickly.

When you complain of having a cough, doctors or pharmacists often like to ask this question: is it chesty or dry? Chesty cough or productive cough is characterised by the presence of mucus or phlegm on the chest, whereas in a dry cough where the throat and upper airways are inflamed or irritated, no phlegm is produced or expelled. In some cases, a cough can be chesty but is not productive. This happens when the phlegm is not loose enough to be coughed up.

Many smokers can have a continual dry cough throughout their lives. A cough caused by a viral infection such as the flu or common cold usually disappears within two weeks; if it does not, it may be a symptom of a more serious problem and x-rays may be necessary to diagnose the problem. Persistent or chronic cough could be caused by environmental irritants or even stress (such a cough disappears while sleeping), but it could also be a sign of viral infection like bronchitis or pneumonia, whereby antibiotic medicine would be required. Signs and symptoms that point to an infection include fever, chills, body aches, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, headache, sinus pressure, runny nose, and night sweats. When cough is a warning sign of an underlying cancer of the lung or air passage, other symptoms may also be present, including worsening fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, or decreased ability to swallow solid or liquid foods.

Cure

Over-the-counter cough syrups for minor coughs are easily accessible. There are two primary goals in treating a cough: one is to suppress the cough reflex, especially when a cough causes pain or affects with sleep; the other is to thin the mucus, making it easier to bring up and be flushed from the body. It's beneficial to drink lots of water, warm broth, tea, and room-temperature fruit or vegetable juice to help thin and loosen the mucus.

I notice that across different cultures, home remedy for cough can vary a lot. There is obviously an interesting vast array of recipes for treating cough, but you may not be very comfortable with some of them depending a lot on the beliefs you grow up with (such as the concept of "heaty and cooling foods" which I tend to believe in). Here I would mention a few using honey, one of nature's most precious gifts:

1. Mix equal amount of honey and lemon grass juice then drink to reduce the coughs.

2. Mix a syrup consisting of 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, mix and drink.

3. Boil some water with 2 garlic cloves, 1 table spoon of oregano. Pour into a cup add 1 tablespoon of honey and drink.

4. Make a lemon and honey drink. Active Manuka honey and propolis have been commonly used as ingredients in the home remedy for cough because of their strong antibacterial properties.

Some researchers believe that honey, a traditional, natural home remedy for cough can offer a "safe and legitimate alternative" to dextromethorphan (DM), which can occasionally cause severe side-effects in children, including muscle contractions and spasms. A study (2007) by researchers from Penn State College of Medicine, US, involved 105 children with coughs between the ages of 2 and 18. Before bed, the children were given artificial honey-flavoured DM cough syrup, buckwheat honey or nothing at all. Results revealed that parents of children who received the honey rated their children's sleep and symptoms as better! Honey's ability as a home remedy for cough may be due to the way it soothes on contact and stimulates saliva. However, please note that honey should not be given to children under age 1 because of a rare but serious risk of botulism.

Ruth Tan