Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 5: Drinking
• Method 2 of 5: Soothing foods
• Method 3 of 5: Humidity
• Method 4 of 5: Medication
• Method 5 of 5: Treating the cause of the cough
• Tips
• Warnings

Few things are as annoying as a persistent dry cough. Coughing like this can be uncomfortable and annoying to those around you. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce or get rid of your cough from the comfort of your home. However, keep in mind that if your cough does not stop for three weeks or more, you should consult your doctor.

Steps

Method 1 of 5: Drinking

1. 1 Moisturize your throat. A cough is often caused by the flow of mucus from the nose into the throat, which often occurs with a cold or flu. Drinking fluids looses mucus caused by a cold or a virus, such as the flu.
2. 2 Gargle with warm saline. This will ease pain and reduce inflammation. Gargle before bed and anytime during the day when you feel uncomfortable.
3. 3 Drink plenty of warm water. It is believed that hot water should be drunk for a sore throat, but warm water is better for soothing a sore throat. Hot water can cause additional irritation to tissues that are already inflamed. Warm tea is a great way to keep your body hydrated while warming and softening your throat.
   • Anise tea can help soothe your throat and reduce coughing. Add a pinch of cinnamon to this tea for more effect.
   • Steep the ginger root with the tea leaves. To relieve nasal congestion, add a little ground pepper and a few basil leaves to the tea. This herbal combination will soothe sore throats from excessive coughing.
4. 4 Drink hot milk with cinnamon and honey before bed. The combination of cinnamon and honey helps fight infection, reduce swelling, and has antioxidant effects in treating sore throat.
   • For a milk-cinnamon drink, mix 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon with 1 tablespoon of sugar in a saucepan.Then add 250 ml of milk and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda and mix thoroughly. Heat the mixture until it starts to boil, but do not bring it to a boil. Let cool, add 1 tablespoon of honey and stir until honey dissolves. Drink warm.
5. 5 Drink pineapple juice. A 2010 study found that pineapple juice is five times more effective for coughing than cough syrups. Pineapple juice softens the larynx without leaving a residue that would provoke an even worse cough. It is better to drink pineapple juice than orange or lemon juice.
   • Grape juice also helps soothe coughs. Add 1 teaspoon of honey to a glass of grape juice. Grapes act as an expectorant; expectoration helps clear phlegm from the airways, thereby eliminating your cough.
6. 6 Oregano can help reduce a coughing fit. Brew one teaspoon of oregano leaves. After the water boils, strain the broth and drink it as a tea.
   • If you have a tea strainer, this will make the brewing process easier.

Method 2 of 5: Soothing foods

1. 1 Soften your throat with honey. The flowing texture of honey will moisturize the tonsils and relieve throat irritation (and therefore the urge to cough). Good honey can be just as effective as cough medicine!
   • An alternative to honey can be water infused with rose petals. The pink essence helps to remove phlegm.
2. 2 Use essential oils to calm your cough. Essential oils are a powerful home remedy that can help treat many diseases at home. Some of these may help to alleviate a persistent cough.
   • Eucalyptus, mint, rosemary, sage, tea tree, sandalwood, cedar, frankincense and hyssop oils can relieve nasal congestion.
     • To relieve nasal congestion, put 1-2 drops of essential oils on your hands, rub them together, bring them to your nose, and take 4-6 deep breaths. You can also put 2-4 drops of oil on a cotton ball, seal it in a ziplock bag and take it with you.
   • Tea tree, sage, eucalyptus, mint, rosemary, lemon, garlic, and ginger oils are the best oils to soothe a sore throat.
     • To use essential oils for gargling, add 1–2 drops of oil to half a cup of warm water, gargle for a few minutes, and spit it out. Do not swallow essential oil water.
3. 3 Make homemade cough syrup. There are many different recipes for making syrups that will do a lot better with coughs than store-bought ones.
   • Make an herbal cough syrup... Take 60 g of the herbal mixture in 1 liter of water. Herbs such as fennel, licorice, elm bark, cinnamon, ginger root, and orange peel are especially effective. Simmer the herbs over low heat until the mixture is halved. Strain and add 1 cup of honey to the remaining liquid. Put the mixture on low heat again and simmer until the honey is completely mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
   • Make an onion-based cough syrup... Onions have phlegm-removing properties. Chop the onion finely and squeeze out the juice. Mix 1 teaspoon of onion juice with 1 teaspoon of honey. Let the mixture sit for 4-5 hours. Take the resulting cough syrup twice a day.
   • Make elderberry syrup... This is an excellent remedy for soothing coughs and does not harm the stomach. If you have a sensitive stomach, try this syrup. In a saucepan, combine 1 quart of elderberry juice with 2 cups of honey and 2 cinnamon sticks. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes. You will have 1.4 liters of syrup.
     • If you want to make your own elderberry juice, boil dried or fresh elderberries in 1 liter of water for 45 minutes, then strain and follow the recipe above.
4. 4 Eat warm chicken soup. The steam from the soup will help open the membranes of your upper airways, its warmth will soothe your throat, and the protein in chicken will give you strength.Besides, what better food to eat while sick than a bowl of warm soup?
5. 5 Suck on hard candy. Buy menthol lozenges or lozenges, which will numb the back of your throat, relieving your cough. Lozenges are especially effective if you are in a public place, such as a classroom or a movie, and do not want to annoy others with a cough.
   • If you don't have a cough lozenge on hand, try sucking on a regular caramel. It increases saliva production and soothes dry coughs. Chewing gum is also a temporary solution. Mint candies are especially good because they cause the same mild numbness as menthol.

Method 3 of 5: Humidity

1. 1 Use a humidifier. Dry air dries up mucous discharge in the nose and causes discomfort, leading to coughing. A humidifier will help to cope with this.
   • If you use a humidifier regularly, keep in mind that mold and mildew can enter the air if not cleaned regularly. This will intensify the cough, not relieve it.
2. 2 Take a hot steam shower. Close all windows and doors in the bathroom and turn off the fan. This will create a steam room. Steam relieves nasal congestion and helps against coughs caused by colds, allergies or asthma.
3. 3 Inhale the steam over the boiling water in a saucepan. Boil water in a saucepan, then remove the saucepan from the stove and place it on a heat-resistant surface. Then, keeping your head above the water, inhale the steam. For more effect, you can cover your head with a towel.
   • Add thyme (thyme) leaves to the water for added benefit.

Method 4 of 5: Medication

1. 1 Use a nasal congestion remedy. If your cough is caused by mucus flowing from your nose into your throat, consider decongestants that reduce swelling of your nasal tissues and the amount of mucus. Decongestants come in the form of nasal sprays, tablets, and drops.
   • Decongestant nasal sprays should not be used for more than three days. Longer use can lead to recurrence of nasal congestion.
   • Nasal sprays may contain oxymetazoline, which has a decongestant effect, but can damage nasal tissue with prolonged use.
2. 2 Try antihistamines. Antihistamines limit the production of histamine, which increases the secretion of mucus in the nose and can lead to coughing. Antihistamines are effective for seasonal allergies, or if the cough is caused by an allergic reaction to an external irritant, such as mold or cat hair.
3. 3 Find cough suppressants. Cough suppressants contain active ingredients such as camphor, dextromethorphan, eucalyptus oil and menthol. They will cure your cough for a while, but they will not cure it. If your cough is making you unable to sleep, or if you are coughing so badly that your chest or muscles hurt, you can take these medications at night. Just keep in mind that they will not cure a cough.

Method 5 of 5: Treating the cause of the cough

1. 1 Make an appointment with your doctor to diagnose an infection. If you have a bacterial infection, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic for you. Viruses don't respond to antibiotics, so if you have a viral infection, antibiotics won't help.
2. 2 Look for possible irritants. If you've recently switched to a new perfume or toilet air freshener, it could be causing your cough. Smoke is another major cause of coughing.
   • If your cough is caused by tobacco smoke, consider quitting smoking.
3. 3 Avoid irritating your stomach. If you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or heartburn, take steps to minimize the effects. Avoid lying down within 3 hours of a meal and avoid eating spicy foods and other foods that trigger heartburn.
4. 4 Review the medications you are taking. Certain medications such as ACE inhibitors can cause chronic cough. If the medications you are taking may cause coughing as a side effect, consult your doctor about a possible alternative.
5. 5 Avoid dust and other allergens. If you can't get rid of dust or allergens even with air purifiers, allergy medications can help treat chronic allergy-related cough.

Tips

• One way to avoid coughing is to practice good hygiene. Regular hand washing with soap and water will prevent infection.
• Do not drink or eat anything too cold.
• Do not Cry. This overstrains the vocal cords.
• Get enough sleep, especially if the cough is accompanied by other cold symptoms.
• Don't lie all the time; try to sit down. Sip warm honey tea or pineapple juice and try not to talk a lot.
• Drink plenty of water.
• When using a humidifier, clean it regularly according to the instructions.
• A cup of tea with honey and lemon can soothe a throat and soothe a cough, but be careful not to get the tea too hot: the scalding liquid will have the opposite effect.

Warnings

• Many of these treatments, especially those involving boiling water, are not suitable for children.
• If the cough persists for a long time, see your doctor.
• If you are pregnant, consult your doctor before starting any home treatments.
• Home treatments may not be suitable for children. Please note that children under one year old cannot eat honey.
• Call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms along with a sore throat:
  • heat;
  • chills;
  • chronic, prolonged cough;
  • wheezing.