Coughing is a way for the body to eliminate agents that cause infection and irritation, but it is often uncomfortable.
There is a wide variety of cough treatments, ranging from natural infusions to syrups, to control and cure different types of coughs.
It is important to note that if you are going to use any of the natural treatments and want to take some medicine, you should consult your doctor to avoid adverse effects.
So, without further ado, here’s a list of 18 tips to get rid of that pesky cough in no time.
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Reasons for coughing
Coughing has multiple causes of appearance, such as the permanence of a virus in the respiratory tract or for a long time exposure to weather conditions such as snow or rain.
The function of coughing is to expel any foreign agent found in the airways, lungs and throat.
Although some types of coughs do not have serious or severe consequences, others, such as chronic coughs, indicate the presence of a serious disease. In that case, the best recommendation is to see your doctor.
18 home cough remedies
Within this list of home remedies you will find infusions, gargle mixes and even syrups with 100% natural ingredients.
Choose the one you find most functional, easy to make and economical to treat your cough, without having to spend on medicines.
Water and salt gargle
It is one of the remedies that has been passed down from generation to generation for its effectiveness in treating coughs and sore throats.
The water with salt allows that the expectorations are eliminated of the throat and few desires of coughing are generated, to eliminate the mucous.
Just use a glass of hot water and half a spoonful of salt until it has dissolved completely.
Once the salt water is warm, proceed to gargle, leaving the solution at the end of the throat, and start gargle for a few minutes.
Gargle several times a day and you will see that in a few days the cough will be gone.
Chamomile tea
Chamomile is a famous ingredient in home remedies for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic qualities, and it also prevents coughing irritation.
It is important to drink at least two chamomile teas a day, one of which should be before bedtime, to relieve sore throat and help you sleep better.
Garlic
Garlic has similar properties to an antibiotic and is a good food for controlling cough with expectorations.
To treat coughs, garlic can be eaten whole or cut in half.
When ingesting the whole garlic, you must fast. While, when using the garlic cut in half, one half should be placed on each cheek and kept for 15 or 20 minutes to relieve pain.
Tea with honey
Another remedy recognized for its properties is tea with honey, which does not need many ingredients and improves cough.
You only have to serve hot water in a cup and add some herbal tea. When it is ready, add two tablespoons of honey and mix.
Ideally, it should be taken at least twice a day for best results and improvement.
Licorice
Licorice is an ingredient used in two ways to help reduce inflammation caused by coughing.
People can suck on licorice, as well as make an infusion to serve with lemon and some honey
Carrot syrup
Carrot syrup is excellent for treating coughs and causing relief, thanks to its anti-cough properties.
To prepare it you need four peeled carrots and a cup of fresh honey.
Just blend the four carrots and pour it into a pot. Place over a low heat and add the honey until you get a thick mixture.
It is recommended to serve it in a glass container to keep it longer.
To treat a cough in a few days, one should consume a spoonful of the syrup about three or four times a day.
Oregano
The consumption of oregano eliminates the frequent spitting and coughing that causes irritation and pain in the throat. It also eliminates any virus or bacteria that may be lodged in the respiratory tract.
Use a small pot and pour water until it starts to boil. Place the oregano leaves and wait a few minutes for them to absorb their properties.
It is recommended to drink this oregano infusion at least three times a day.
Lemon
The lemon is a food that has multiple properties for the treatment of diseases, and to relieve cough is not left behind.
One of the ways to cure a cough is to suck on a lemon for at least 15 minutes, two or three times a day.
You can also make a hot lemonade, sweetened with a teaspoon of honey.
Yang Teng
Yang Teng’s properties include a high content of softening mucilage, which has the ability to reduce inflammation and irritation of the throat.
With Yang Teng you prepare an infusion that you can drink or gargle with.
With either method the recommendation is to make it a minimum of three times a day.
Marshmallow root
Marshmallow root is an herb that has a great reputation for its effectiveness in treating coughs, sore throats and the inflammation it produces.
You can get them at the market in tea bag presentations or in dried marshmallow root sachets.
To ingest it you just have to use hot water and put the marshmallow root. The longer the marshmallow root is in the hot water, the more healing properties it has.
Herbal Syrup
This syrup is a mixture of thyme, liquorice and green anise, herbs with excellent effects on the respiratory tract.
To prepare it you need liquorice, thyme, green aniseed seeds, 500 millilitres of water and 250 millilitres of honey.
Put the 500 milliliters of water in a pot and wait for it to start boiling before adding the thyme, green aniseed and liquorice.
Lower the flame and wait 15 minutes for the water to absorb the properties of the herbs.
When the liquid is at room temperature, strain it to remove the remains of herbs, add the honey and mix.
If you serve it in a glass bottle, your syrup will keep for more than three months.
Bromelain
Bromelain is an enzyme that is present in pineapples and has a higher content in its center.
Bromelain is able to reduce inflammation of the airways caused by coughing and eliminate expectoration.
Pineapple juice is a good way to eliminate coughs, but because it does not contain a high level of bromelain, the healing process takes longer. So it is best to supplement with bromelain supplements.
California Poppy
It is a wild flower that within its properties contains the mucilages, important to reduce inflammation in the short term and eliminate cough.
It is prepared in an infusion that should be ingested one to three times a day to quickly and effectively eliminate the cough.
Pepper and honey tea
Pepper tea helps to remove phlegm from the lungs easily.
Just heat water in a cup, to add one tablespoon of unground peppercorns and two tablespoons of honey.
After 15 minutes, strain the remaining pepper into the cup and you are ready to drink.
Ginger
Ginger is an ingredient that has gained a reputation for its anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the discomfort of coughing in the throat.
To prepare a tea with ginger you should put 20 or 40 grams of ginger in a cup of hot water and put honey or lemon to taste for a better flavor.
Thyme
Thyme is an herb known for the taste it adds to dishes and the properties it has to treat bronchitis, coughs and sore throats.
Thyme can be used to make syrups with other herbs or to drink infusions.
To make thyme tea, heat water in a cup and add two tablespoons of thyme inside. Wait 10 to 15 minutes to strain the thyme and drink it.
Beet Syrup
Beetroot is an ideal ingredient to consume when you have a cough, because of its anti-inflammatory qualities and its rapid effect on the elimination of coughs.
In addition to consuming cooked or juiced beets, you can make a syrup to cure a cough.
To make your homemade beet syrup you need two tablespoons of sugar and a large beet.
Cut the beet into medium sized pieces or slices and place them in a container to mix with the sugar.
Cover the container and wait 24 hours to serve the juice that was formed in another container. That will be your syrup.
It is recommended that adults take two tablespoons of beet syrup at least three times a day and that children take only one tablespoon until the cough is gone.
Good hydration
To close a tip that is rarely taken into account.
If you have a cough, it is best to maintain frequent consumption of warm drinks to relieve the sore throat that it causes.
It is important to drink water at room temperature, vegetable creams and teas.
Types of coughs
To begin with, the most common types of coughs are highlighted: dry coughs and coughs with mucus.
In the case of a dry cough, people do not cough up any mucus. In a dry cough, mucus is present in the lungs.
Asthmatic coughing is also common, causing difficulty in breathing for people with asthma.
In some cases, coughs can be convulsive, causing people to have long episodes of coughing in a short time.
And the most complex cough is the chronic one, which is classified that way when the person has a cough for more than 15 days without any improvement.
Cough prevention
Although you already know some of the home remedies or treatments you can take to treat your cough, it is important to prevent it.
One of the main steps to take is to get the influenza vaccine in the appropriate amount of time.
Similarly, it is important to keep your distance from people who have a cough and to avoid going out of the house so as not to transmit the cough to people in your common environment.
It is important to wash your hands often to avoid spreading any remaining viruses or bacteria that you may have after eating, coughing, or doing anything else.
If you feel like sneezing or coughing, you should cover your face with the inside of your elbow, so that you do not spread saliva in the environment or touch other people.
Also remember to keep your home, workplace and vehicle clean.