Coughing is one of the most uncomfortable experiences associated with the disease in general. or throat irritation in particular.
Not only does it go hand in hand with the fact of breathing with greater difficulty; sometimes it can even fuel the itching we feel in the affected area, and when we have coughing spells it even affects our ability to concentrate, relate to others or perform a task.
In this article we will see a series of very useful natural remedies to alleviate and cure coughs.with the necessary indications to know how to use them. However, it is important to point out that these remedies cannot replace medical intervention, and that when you notice that the irritation of the throat affects you, you should go to the doctor (among other things, to rule out that it is a symptom of an important disease).
Natural Remedies to Relieve and Cure Coughs
These are products that you can use in your day to day to fight cough when it is a problem.
Coughing isn’t a bad thing in itself, and it’s about lowering the condition of the airways that this reaction causes in your body. After all, coughing is a consequence of the functioning of your autonomic nervous system, in charge of carrying out automatic and involuntary reactions of your organism necessary to survive, and that in this case sends a signal to several groups of muscles to expel air through your nose and mouth at high speed, to try to eliminate an obstruction in those pathways.
So when it comes to relieving coughs, it’s all about finding a balance between the good condition of your throat and the possibility that you cough from time to time to allow you to breathe better. These natural remedies usually act on the part of your airways that are inflamed.so you don’t have to cough so much.
1. A couple of spoonfuls of honey
Eat two tablespoons of honey so that this substance takes with it the mucus that you might be accumulating in your throat.. The consistency of this product makes many elements adhered to your body go down to the stomach area, to be attached to the honey and be dragged.
This is one of the most useful natural cough remedies, as it is based on a product that is very close at hand.
2. Saline nose drops
Many times, coughing fits are the result of the accumulation of nasal mucus that falls down the throat. Therefore, it is advisable to intervene when the nose is blocked by this substance.
To this end mixtures of water and salt, which can be bought in the pharmacy, are very useful. and are marketed in the form of nose drops. Lie on your back, pour a few drops into your nose, and wait for the mucus to liquefy to blow. In addition, this saline solution will also fall down your throat and help dissolve mucus accumulations in that area.
3. Water
Something as simple as drinking water with proper regularity helps relieve coughing. This is because when there is water available in the body, it is easier to get rid of the mucous membrane, because it is diluted in substances that our body naturally secretes.
4. Ginger tea
Ginger has many properties that, while they do not make this product a drugdo make it one of the best natural remedies for relieving coughs.
To prepare this tea, cut a dozen thin slices of ginger and pour them into a pot with four glasses of water. Bring mixture to a simmer for a quarter of an hour. Finally, strain the contents of the pot, and pour a couple of teaspoons of honey each time you have a glass of this ginger tea.
5. Onion
Onions have antitussive properties that you can take advantage of when you notice that coughing makes you have a bad time. Simply cut half a dozen slices and suck in air by placing your face close together (if possible, breathing through your nose).
6. Humidifiers
As we have seen, water is used to dilute excess mucus.
However, you can benefit from this effect beyond when you drink.. If you make sure the air is humid, using humidifiers, the air vapor will continue to do this job at all times. This is especially important if you turn on the air conditioner, as these machines often dry out the air.
However, avoid this if you suffer from asthma, as it will probably be more difficult for you to breathe.
7. Hot water baths
If you want to get all the benefits of air humidification, take a hot bath.. Probably, when you get out, you will notice that the cold has been relieved in a matter of a few minutes.
8. Dark chocolate
Eat a couple of high purity dark chocolate bars.95-99% cocoa for cough relief. This natural product contains theobrominea metabolite that inhibits this reaction of your nervous system.
9. Thyme tea
Another of the natural remedies in the form of tea that you can use is thyme tea.. Simply add a couple of spoonfuls of crushed leaves to the water, bring to a boil for 20 minutes, strain and add a little honey.
10. Eucalyptus vapours
This is another simple solution to fight cough and throat discomfort.Add several eucalyptus leaves to a container of very hot water, throw a towel over your head, and breathe in the vapors, leaving you to breathe normally between these exposures to steam.
Bibliographic references
- Braman S.S. (2006). Postinfectious cough: ACCP evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Chest. 129(1): 138S – 146S.
- Canning, B.J.; Chang, A.B.; Bolser, D.C.; Smith, J.A.; Mazzone, S.B.; McGarvey, L. (2014). Anatomy and Neurophysiology of Cough. American College of Chest Physicians. 146 (6): 1633 – 1648.
- Imperial College London (2004). Chocolate Ingredient Could Put A Stop To Persistent Coughs And Lead To New Cough Medicines. Science Daily.