A cough can be an irritating symptom of a variety of illnesses and conditions. While over-the-counter remedies can help to ease your symptoms, there are also natural home remedies that can help to reduce the severity of a cough. In this post, we’ll look at some of the most effective cough home remedies, including natural cough syrup, herbal teas, and humidifiers. We will also discuss the benefits of each remedy, as well as any potential side effects. Finally, we will offer tips on how to prevent and manage a cough. With these natural home remedies, you’ll be able to find relief from your annoying cough and get back to feeling better in no time.
Cough Home Remedies
Cough also known as khansi (Hindi/Urdu), khokala (Marathi), irumal (Tamil), cough (Chinese), tos (Spanish), tosse (Portuguese), kasi (Bengali), kashel (Russian). Types of cough: Dry, productive cough, cough with yellow mucus, cough due to acidity.
- Onion: Onions are often used in the treatment of coughs. Add a peeled onion to 500 ml of water and simmer for 15 minutes. Sweeten this brew with brown sugar or honey and drink this cough remedy hot. OR roughly chop a small onion, put it in a glass jar and cover with honey. Seal the jar and leave overnight. The next day you have a strong onion honey of which you take 1 tablespoon several times a day. Not the best taste, but very effective. OR Take a juice of medium size onion and juice of 1 lemon. Mix together and add 1 cup of boiling water to it. Add honey to taste. Take this 2-3 times a day.
- Banana: For a dry cough or a cough without much mucus, eat a ripe banana with 1 teaspoon of honey and 2 pinches of ground black pepper. You can eat this 2 or 3 times a day.
- Pippali: For kids cough try giving the child a drink of 1/2 cup pomegranate juice with a pinch of ginger powder and a pinch of pippali powder. OR Mix together bay leaf ½ teaspoon and pippali 1/4 teaspoon both in powder form. Take this mixture in 1 teaspoon honey 2 or 3 times a day.
- Sitopaladi Churna: Mix 1/4 teaspoon of sitopaladi powder with 1 teaspoon of honey as an effective cough remedy for children. Honey is antibacterial and moistening. It reduces nighttime cough in children more effectively than a placebo, antihistamines, and the cough suppressant dextromethorphan. However, if the mother is sensitive or allergic to pollen, the child may be allergic to honey. In that case, instead of honey, use maple syrup.
- Herbal Tea: For productive cough with mucus try herbal tea made of equal proportions of sitopaladi and maha sudarshan poeder. Use ¼ teaspoon of the mixture to make a tea, and drink it 3 times a day with honey. OR Make herbal tea with talisadi powder 1/2 teaspoon and licorice powder 1/2 teaspoon. Add a little honey to taste. This tea is quite effective. OR If a cough brings up mucus, take one and half teaspoonful of ginger powder, one pinch of clove, and one pinch of cinnamon powder in one cup of boiled water as a tea.
- Ginger Tea: Ginger has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Ginger tea can soothe throats made raw by coughing. Add about a tablespoon of freshly grated, peeled ginger to a cup and fill with just-boiled water. Steep 10 minutes, strain, and sweeten, if desired. As an alternative, try thyme tea. Also a tea made from ½ teaspoon ginger powder, plus a pinch of clove and a pinch of cinnamon powder in a cupful of boiled water, can offer relief from your cough.
- Garlic: This is helpful remedy for chronic cough. Peel the cloves and gently squash each one with the flat of the knife. Drop the cloves into a clean glass jar. Add enough honey to completely cover the garlic. Stir with a chopstick. Cap the jar. Let it sit for four to six weeks in a cool, dry place. If you already have a cough, you can dip into the honey pot in two days. You can eat the garlic cloves along with the honey. Garlic is antimicrobial and an expectorant. Some of its chemicals are excreted across the lungs. Although that may give you garlic breath, the good news is some of garlic’s beneficial chemicals are coming into contact with your lungs. For a stubborn cough chop a clove of garlic, and boil it in a cup of milk. Then add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. This creates a golden yellow milk that tastes like garlic soup. This garlic-turmeric milk is effective for soothing and healing most types of cough.
- Almonds: For dry cough almonds are very useful. Soak 7-8 almonds in water at night. In the morning peel almonds and grind. In this paste at 20gm of fresh butter and 20gm of sugar. Eat twice a day.
- Lemon + Honey: Mix 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice with 1 tablespoon honey. Heat gently until warm. Take 1 teaspoon every hour, as needed. Lemon packs flavonoids and vitamin C for fighting infection. You can also try 1 teaspoon honey mixed with a pinch of clove powder, 2 or 3 times a day.
- Mustard + Ginger Powder: Take ground mustard ½ teaspoon and ginger powder ½ teaspoon in a bowl. Mix together into 1 teaspoon of honey, and eat slowly. Ginger relieves congestion, and mustard has a heating action. You can use this mixture 2 to 3 times a day for as long as the cough persists. Mustard contains irritating chemicals that stimulate blood flow.
- Potato Water: An old treatment for a dry cough is to use warm, unsalted potato water. This the water in which potatoes have been boiled. Sweetened with honey as a kind of cough syrup. It does not taste very nice but is said to be very effective.
- Trikatu Powder: For a chronic cough mix 4 parts of garlic powder to 1 part of trikatu. Add a little honey. Take this twice a day.
- Essential Oil: Chest rubs can help loosen congestion. Essential oil of eucalyptus works against a range of bacteria and viruses. It also favorably alters immune function and helps clear excess respiratory mucus. By breathing in through your mouth, you allow the essential oil steam to come in direct contact with your throat. Mix 5 drops eucalyptus essential oil with 2 teaspoons almond oil. Rub some of this mixture on your chest and cover with a hot water bottle or a heating pad wrapped in flannel or a soft thin towel. Leave on 20 minutes. Repeat once or twice a day. Coughs can also be treated by inhaling the steam from the infusion or soaking a cloth in the hot infusion and applying it directly onto the chest. But be careful not so hot as to burn yourself.
- Fennel Seeds: Fennel loosens phlegm and eases cramping. A tea made from fennel seeds is a traditional remedy to ease chesty colds, coughs and tummy troubles in children. Make the tea with a teaspoon of freshly crushed fennel seeds and a cup of almost boiling water, cover and leave to steep for 5 minutes. Sip tea throughout the day. It’s also popular with children to warm the seeds in milk instead of water.
- Turmeric: Dry cough or irritation in the throat may be due to slight congestion in the tonsils, or a congestive condition in the throat such as pharyngitis or laryngitis. To relieve this condition, boil 1 cup milk with ½ teaspoon turmeric and ¼ teaspoon ginger, making a golden yellow milk. If you drink this at night, it will relieve the irritation in the throat and take care of a dry cough.
- Ajwan Seeds: Try chewing ¼ teaspoon of ajwan mixed with 1 teaspoon natural organic sugar. To open blocked node due to cough, take a thick pan. Heat and add few ajwan seeds. Inhale fumes coming out from pan. Be careful while handling hot pan. You may also try “Ajwain Potli”. To make ajwain potli, take handful of ajwan seeds. Put seeds into hot pan. Once seeds got hot but be quick do not burn. Tie into clean muslin cloth. Try to inhale warm vapors coming from potli. This is very useful to open blocked airways.
- Grapes: Take 1 cup of fresh grapes juice and 1 tablespoon of honey. Mix together and drink. This helps to reduce mucus and gives strength to lungs.
- Slippery Elm: Slippery elm is very popular folk remedy to treat coughs and other respiratory ailments. Slippery elm contains mucilage, a substance that, when mixed with water, becomes a slick gel. Slippery elm lozenges can soothe irritated throats and dry coughs.
- Thyme: Thyme has a long history of use in Europe as an herbal treatment for coughs. Place 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaf, in a cup. Cover with just-boiled water and let steep 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey, stevia, or maple syrup, if desired.
- Coltsfoot: Coltsfoot stimulates the appetite and works as an expectorant, particularly for a hoarse cough. Add 1 teaspoon of dried coltsfoot leaves to 1 cup of almost boiling water. Cover and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten if you like. Drink up to two cups per day, as hot as possible.
- Black Pepper: For a productive cough, mix ¼ teaspoon of black pepper powder with 1 teaspoon of honey, and eat it on a full stomach. If your voice is hoarse, use 1 teaspoon of ghee instead of the honey. The heating quality of black pepper helps relieve congestion and drives out the cough. Take 2 or 3 times a day for 3 to 5 days.
- Clover: Suck a whole clove with a piece of rock candy (mishri).
- Apple Cider Vinegar: For a tickle cough try equal parts of honey and apple cider vinegar. When it strikes, let a small amount sit and slowly melt in your mouth.
- Horehound: For a productive cough, try old-fashioned horehound drops. The bittersweet herb has expectorant properties.
- Linden Flowers: Linden flowers are well known to induce perspiration and ease muscle aches. Linden flower tea has long been used in the treatment of cold and flu, it also helps ease a sore throat and coughs. Apart from that it is often drunk because it tastes great. Add 1 teaspoon dried linden flowers to 1 cup of almost boiling water, cover and leave for 10 minutes to infuse. Drink twice daily.
- Spruce Needles: The needles of the spruce make a good expectorant cough treatment. To make a cough syrup alternate layers of young shoots with layers of sugar. Fill a glass jar this way right to the top, seal and leave near a sunny window. The syrup will be ready when all the plant material has broken down. Strain through a cloth, bottle and store.
- Vicks: Put dabs of Vicks on the sole of each foot. Massage into your soles for about a minute. Cover your feet with clean socks to keep the Vicks contained and help it soak in. The cough-calming plant essential oils in Vicks (camphor, eucalyptol, menthol, and thymol) are absorbed across the skin. Try both chest and foot rubs to determine which is most effective for you.
Tips to Prevent Cough
- Spend time in a warm, steamy shower. Steam loosens mucus and clears air pas- sages. A side benefit is that it also gives you a facial.
- Drink a lot of fluids. Staying well hydrated thins respiratory mucus, making it easier to expel. But avoid sour juices.
FAQs.
Q. Why am I coughing so much but not sick?
If you are coughing but not sick, it may be caused by allergies, air pollution, or irritants in the air. It could also be caused by acid reflux, asthma, or a viral infection. If your coughing persists, it is best to see a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
Q. Does tomato soup help with cough and cold?
Tomato soup can help soothe a cough or cold because it contains lots of vitamin C, which is known to help support the immune system. Additionally, the warmth of the soup can help to clear nasal passages and provide relief from congestion. The broth in tomato soup may also help to keep you hydrated, which can help to thin mucus and make it easier to expel. If you are suffering from a cold or flu, it is best to contact your doctor for advice and treatment.
Q. Why do I have a constant tickle in my throat causing coughing?
This could be caused by several things, such as allergies, post-nasal drip, asthma, acid reflux, or even a viral infection. If the tickle in your throat persists, it is best to see a doctor to rule out any serious underlying conditions.
Q. Why am I coughing so much at night?
There are many possible causes of coughing at night, including allergies, asthma, acid reflux, postnasal drip, sinus infections, and bronchitis. If your coughing persists or worsens, it is important to see your doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Q. I cough a lot since I started to smoke cigarettes every day. What is a good cough medication that helps with smoker cough?
There are a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) medications available to help with a smoker’s cough. Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about what is best for your individual needs. Few home remedies to try meanwhile:
- Drink Plenty of Fluids: Drinking lots of fluids, such as water, herbal teas, and clear soups, can help loosen mucus in the lungs and make coughing more productive.
- Take Steamy Showers: Taking a steamy shower can help loosen mucus in the lungs and make coughing more productive.
- Use a Humidifier: Using a humidifier in your home can help keep the air moist, which may reduce irritation and coughing.
- Avoid Irritants: Quitting smoking and avoiding other irritants, such as perfumes, air fresheners, and strong cleaning products, can help reduce coughing.
- Sip on Honey: Honey is a popular home remedy for coughs because of its soothing and antibacterial properties.
- Use Essential Oils: Eucalyptus, peppermint, and lavender essential oils can help reduce inflammation in the lungs and reduce coughing.
- Try Herbal Remedies: Herbal remedies, such as marshmallow root, licorice root, and slippery elm, can help reduce inflammation in the lungs and make coughing more productive.
Q. How to reduce cough? How can we cure cough and cold at home?
- Drink plenty of fluids: Staying hydrated is an important part of keeping your throat and airways moist, which can help reduce irritation and keep mucus thin and loose. Drink warm or hot fluids, such as broth, tea, and water, throughout the day.
- Try honey: Honey is a natural cough suppressant that can help soothe sore throats and calm coughing. You can take 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey at a time, either straight or mixed into hot tea or warm water.
- Use steam: Steam can help loosen mucus and calm a dry, tickling cough. Take a hot shower, sit in the bathroom with the door closed, or use a humidifier. Breathe in the steam for several minutes.
- Gargle salt water: Salt water can help reduce swelling and irritation in your throat. Mix 1/4 teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water and gargle it for several seconds.
- Suck on cough drops or lozenges: Cough drops and lozenges contain menthol and eucalyptus, which can help calm a cough and soothe your throat.
Q. How to treat dry tickly cough that won’t go away?
- Drink plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated helps thin out the mucus in your airways and makes it easier to cough up.
- Take an over-the-counter cough suppressant. These may contain dextromethorphan, which helps suppress the urge to cough.
- Use a humidifier. Dry air can irritate your airways and make your cough worse. A humidifier can help keep the air in your home or office moist.
- Try a cough drop or lozenge. These can help soothe an irritated throat.
- Get some rest. Coughing can tire you out, so it’s important to get plenty of rest.
- Gargle with warm salt water. This can help reduce inflammation and irritation in your throat.
- Avoid irritants. These include smoke, strong scents, and cold air.
- See a doctor. If your cough doesn’t improve with home remedies, you may need to see a doctor to find out the cause and get some stronger medications.
Q. Urge to cough when talking. Why do I cough when I talk?
This is generally caused by anxiety or stress and is known as ‘glossopharyngeal neuralgia’. It is a condition that causes involuntary spasms of the muscles in the throat that control swallowing and coughing. This usually occurs when someone is talking or singing, and is caused by interference in the nerve pathway that controls the muscles in the throat.
Q. Why does my throat tickle when I talk or laugh?
A tickling sensation in the throat when talking is usually caused by dryness, allergies, or irritation. Allergies to things like dust, pollen, or pet dander can cause irritation in the throat, while dryness can often be caused by air containing low levels of humidity. If the tickling sensation is persistent, consult a doctor to ensure that it is not a symptom of a more serious underlying condition.
Q. How do I stop coughing when I talk?
- Make sure to stay hydrated and avoid dry air. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and use a humidifier in your home or office if needed.
- Avoid known triggers that may irritate your throat, such as smoking, air pollution, and strong odors.
- Use throat lozenges or cough drops to help soothe your throat.
- Try to relax when talking. Take some deep breaths before speaking and make sure to speak slowly and clearly.
- Consider taking a small sip of water before speaking to help lubricate your throat.
- Avoid talking in loud environments or when your throat is already irritated.
- Practice good posture when speaking to help open your airways and reduce coughing.
- If your cough is persistent, consult your doctor for further evaluation and treatment.
Q. What is wet cough and how to cure it?
A wet cough is a cough that produces mucus or phlegm. Common causes of a wet cough include allergies, asthma, and the common cold. Treatment for a wet cough will depend on the underlying cause, but may include rest, hydration, and over-the-counter medications such as cough suppressants, expectorants, and antihistamines. A doctor may also prescribe antibiotics if the cause is bacterial.
Q. Is coconut water good for cough and cold?
No, coconut water is not recommended for treating cough and cold. For a cold or cough, it is better to drink plenty of fluids, such as water, juice, or broth. You may also want to try warm tea with honey and lemon to help soothe your throat.
Q. Why is alcohol used in cough syrups?
Alcohol is often used in cough syrups to help dissolve other ingredients and to act as a preservative. It can also help to mask unpleasant flavors and reduce the thickness of the syrup.
Q. Is honey an effective remedy for cough?
Yes, honey is a popular remedy for coughs, especially for dry and persistent coughs. It is thought to have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties that may help to soothe and reduce irritation in the throat. However, it is important to note that honey should not be given to children under the age of one.
Q. Why do I have cough when sitting up but not lying down?
It is possible that you have postural cough syndrome, which is a type of cough reflex that is triggered by certain positions. When you are lying down, it is more difficult for the irritants that may cause your cough to reach your airways. However, when sitting up, the irritants can reach your airways more easily, triggering the cough reflex.
Ayurveda home remedies for cough
Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine that originated in India. Ayurvedic medicine offers a variety of natural remedies for treating coughs. These include herbal teas, herbs, and spices such as ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon. Additionally, Ayurveda recommends lifestyle adjustments such as avoiding cold drinks, eating warm and nourishing foods, and getting plenty of rest. Other remedies for coughs include steam inhalation, gargling with warm salt water, and drinking warm milk with honey.
- Honey and Cinnamon: Mix one tablespoon of honey and one-half teaspoon of cinnamon powder into a cup of warm water and drink it twice a day.
- Ginger: Boil a teaspoon of grated ginger in a cup of water for about 10 minutes. Strain the liquid and add a teaspoon of honey and drink it.
- Garlic: Boil a few garlic cloves in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain the liquid and drink it.
- Lemon and Honey: Mix a tablespoon of honey and the juice of one lemon in a cup of warm water and drink it.
- Turmeric: Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a cup of warm milk and drink it before bedtime.
- Steam: Boil a pot of water and add a few drops of eucalyptus oil. Cover your head with a towel and inhale the steam.
- Herbal Tea: Prepare herbal tea with licorice root, ginger, and peppermint. Drink the tea twice a day.