Suffering from cough is a normal health problem that occurs with climate variation. Many people experience a dry cough due to extended winter as a slight change occurs in the temperature. If you, too, are suffering from a dry cough, do not panic. Using a few commonly available kitchen ingredients can help you combat the dry cough naturally.
What is a dry cough, and what are its causes?
A cough can assist in maintaining your throat & nose free from mucus and other irritants. Dry cough can also be one of the symptoms of several ailments such as an allergy, viral contamination, or bacterial contagion. Sometimes a dry cough isn’t anything linked to your lungs. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can also provoke a cough (1) Cough hypersensitivity symptoms can describe a few chronic coughs. The sympathetic cough reflex is observed more in women than in men. It can be healed by the consumption of a few medications. Cough due to bacterial infections will need antibiotics. If you don’t wish to consume medicines, you can try simple home remedies to ease the dry cough.
Home remedies for cough and cold
Lemon and honey syrup – One useful home remedy is a combination of cinnamon, lemon, and honey. Mix a few drops of lemon with half a spoon of honey and a pinch of cinnamon. Drink this homemade syrup twice a day to heal dry cough.
1. Warm water – Drink warm water regularly as it assists in fighting the cold, cough, and inflamed throat. Warm water lessens the soreness in your throat. It also diminishes germs out of the body.
2. Ginger tea – Ginger tea helps in curing a common cold and cough as well. This tea aids in draining the running nose, hence discharging mucus from the respiratory region. Amongst numerous health benefits of ginger, it is understood to relieve dry cough most effectively.
3. Milk and turmeric – A primary ingredient found in almost all Indian kitchens, turmeric has a potent antioxidant that supports in healing many health dilemmas. Turmeric whipped with warm milk is a common and powerful means to fight cold and cough. Sipping a glass of lukewarm turmeric milk before sleeping assists in quicker healing.
4. Masala tea – Prepare tea with a mixture of ginger, tulsi leaves, and black pepper. This spiced tea is the best home remedy for coughing. These three elements represent a vital role in combating a common cold and dry cough.
5. Gargle with saltwater – This is an effective therapy that efficiently diminishes cough reflex in the human body. Mixing turmeric in this saltwater is also advantageous.
6. Amla – Eating an amla always renders numerous health benefits as it guarantees the liver’s peculiar functioning, boosts the immune system, and increases blood dissemination.
7. Flaxseeds – Flaxseeds are another powerful solution to heal a dry cough. You can steam flax seeds in water until it thickens. Later add a few drops of honey and lime juice to it and drink the mixture for relief from cough.
8. Garlic cloves – Add a little garlic in ghee and consume this when hot. This can be a stinging mixture but is a soothing remedy for dry cough(2)
9. A mixture of black pepper and jaggery – Add cumin, black pepper, and jaggery to boiling water. Drink this hot solution as it will provide you relaxation from chest blockage.
Home remedies for dry cough for child
Continued cough can get annoying, particularly for children. Paracetamol or ibuprofen may relieve some of the dry cough symptoms in kids. But instead of using medicines, it’s best to try out Indian home remedies for cough for kids first.
1. Gargle frequently – A simple way to provide relief for kids from cough is by making them gargle with lukewarm water. It’s most helpful to gargle thrice in a day. Also, don’t forget to add a teaspoon of salt to the water.
2. Give Ginger – Ginger is an outstanding home remedy for cough as it is understood to have antiviral properties. It’s best to consume ginger directly. Combine honey to lessen the powerful taste of ginger. It’s a cough suppressant element for diminishing night-time coughing in kids.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar – Because it is recognized for its antibacterial traits, apple cider vinegar is an efficient home remedy for treating a cough in kids. It can be combined with sliced ginger.
4. Piece of Lemon – Lemon increases the power of the immune system as it has healing properties. Honey with lemon juice proves an absolute cough syrup for kids.
5. Steam therapy – Steam therapy (3) is a solid choice, particularly if your kid has a blocked nose, co-occurred by a dry cough. The heat of the steam will decrease the phlegm and make it drop out quickly. It works efficiently by decreasing the cough reflex. This alleviates the desire to cough, making them especially beneficial for dry coughs. Boil water in a pot and combine some droplets of eucalyptus oil to it. Let your kid sniff the steam.
6. Utilize a Humidifier – Dry weather can form phlegm in the throat leading to irritation and dry cough. Humidifiers aid in ejecting the phlegm and render relief from dry cough. (4) Always keep the humidifier cleaned to stop mineral accumulation and the outgrowth of bacteria and fungi.
7. Turmeric Milk – The best home remedy for instantaneous relief from cough is turmeric milk! Turmeric has antibacterial qualities that can efficiently treat a viral infection. Add a teaspoon of turmeric in hot milk and let your kid drink every night before bed for a few days. Turmeric is known to heal the uppermost respiratory ailments and asthma in Ayurvedic medicine for eras. (5) You may also consume turmeric in the form of a capsule.
8. Cure Dry Cough At Home (Video)
Consult a physician if any symptoms increased. This is especially crucial if your kid has a long-term sickness or pathological ailment – for instance, breathing issues or neurological disorder. Physicians are experienced at checking kids over severe sickness.
Home remedies for dry cough at night
Colds lead to the generation of excess phlegm. While you lie down, that phlegm can drop down over the throat and trigger your cough reflex. There are various ways to reduce night-time cough, including medicine, lifestyle modifications, and home remedies. Try these home remedies to reduce coughing at night and ensure a night of better sleep.
1. Menthol cough drops – Menthol is medicated throat medicine that has a cooling and calming impact. (6) Engulfing menthol before you are going to bed may assist your throat and prevent stress during the night due to dry cough.
2. Marshmallow root – Marshmallow root is an herb that has a great history of use as a treatment for coughs. The herb can relieve annoyance arising from coughing because of its high adhesive content. Mucilage is a solid, sticky substance that covers the throat. One small research that is medically reviewed (6) showed that green cough syrup, including marshmallow root, completely reduced coughs emanating from common colds and respiratory region germs. Taking the syrup for 1 day, 90% of the people considered its effectiveness as excellent or very helpful. Marshmallow root is also accessible as a dry herb. Add warm water and then drink it quickly or let it freeze first. Keep the marshmallow root in water for a lengthier period, and after that, drink it. You can buy Marshmallow root online or in medical stores.
2. Drink green tea before bed-time – Green tea has been a cough remedy for centuries of years. A synopsis published in August 2014 in Frontiers in Microbiology(8) reasoned that antioxidant-rich green tea might also assist in shielding the body versus viral and bacterial viruses. Add honey for additional relaxation from dry cough.
3. Avoid irritants – Irritants like dirt, dust, and pet hair in the house or outside can cause a dry cough and block the respiratory tract. Take care by having pets out of the bedroom and having windows closed throughout the allergy period. Also, set allergy-proof bed covers and cushion covers.
4. Sip a lot of fluids – Hydration is essential to the medicinal process. Keeping hydrated maintains your throat wetness, which is a key to protecting it from irritants. Drink 7-8 glasses of water every day. When you’re suffering, it eases if you drink more. You can add warm lemon water to the fluids section.
Home remedies for wet cough
1. Lemon and Honey – Lemon and honey come first when curing wet cough. Mix lemon juice with honey and add a pinch of pepper powder to it. Sipping this fluid every 2 hours will effectively heal wet cough in a very short period.
2. Sugar Candy – One of the best home remedies for wet cough is the consumption of sugar candy. Break a small rock of this sugar candy and eat with a teaspoon of pepper, at least three times a day. If you don’t like to take the dry powder, you can mix it with lukewarm water and prepare a tonic to get rid of wet cough.
3. Ginger and honey – Honey and ginger are the most popular herbal combination for maintaining immunity. Here you should grind one-inch ginger, grind it well into a coarse paste. Now, extract its water into a small container and add 2 two teaspoons of honey. Boil this mixture and store as a tonic in an airtight vessel and drink it for four days to get better results.
4. Basil Leaves – Make a thin paste of a few basil leaves. Add extracted ginger juice, a teaspoon of honey and a few drops of lemon juice. You will get an instant tonic for a wet cough. Store it for at least three days and consume it twice a day.
Few important tips to avoid dry cough
- Wash hands with clean water regularly.
- Don’t touch your face often, especially the mouth, nose, and eyes. Utilize disposable things if your family member has been infected. Make sure your home surfaces are disinfected.
- Utilize paper towels, wiping the palms after hand washing.
- Toss tissues away after one-time use.
- Live a healthy lifestyle, and keep your anxiety under control.
Bottom Line
Utilize the above-given cough home remedies and implement a healthy regime united with a clean atmosphere. Keep your children away from dirty and contaminated regions. Make sure that your kids wash their hands often, especially before food intake. Although these home remedies for coughing do not have side effects, sometimes they might not suit your body. If the cough reveals no symptoms of going away, visit a doctor without any delay.
FAQs
Which fruit should I eat for dry cough?
Pineapple is very helpful for a severe cough. Pineapples have an enzyme termed bromelain that aids spit phlegm. (9) The fruit is unusually effective if you are grieving from dry coughs. You can also take a glass of pineapple juice in a day to get relief from dry cough.
Which are the best dry cough remedies for pregnant women?
A few of the best home remedies for pregnant women can include warm drinking water, utilizing a humidifier, and engulfing on menthol or honey pills.
How useful is ginger for dry cough?
Ginger is a medically reviewed ingredient for dry cough. (10) The main reason is ginger’s unusual anti-inflammatory properties, which calm congested airways and ease one’s breathing. Boil a few slices of ginger in water and drink it if you have dry coughs.
Very nicely explained
Thanks.