A bad cough could put a damper on your life, prevent you from working, going to school, and even functioning at 100%. But not to worry because we’ve got you covered, we’ve borrowed some natural home remedies from mom, which can help get rid of that cough in no time.
Why do we develop coughs?
A cough usually begins with a tickle in your throat and this happens when a virus, bacteria, dust, pollen, or any other substance irritates your nerve endings that are located in the airways between the throat and lungs. When you start coughing, this is a way of your body trying to clear the passages. This is why it’s important to relieve a cough as soon as possible. The longer something stays in the way of your airways, the more prone you are to developing a serious illness.
Natural Remedies
Honey
In the Hispanic community cinnamon tea is very popular, especially when you have a cough. Adding lemon and honey is a great way to soothe a sore throat, which can help reduce nighttime coughing.
Ginger
Ginger has a lot of medicinal properties and instead of reaching for the cough syrup, eat ginger. It is a natural antihistamine and decongestant that might taste a little spicy, but can be quite effective. It can be taken with hot water, lemon, and honey as a tea.
This citrus fruit can also help soothe your throat by sucking the juice out with your mouth or adding it to some warm tea. In the Mexican community, it’s very common for people to grill half a lemon or lime and then apply the hot lemon onto your neck. It might be a little hot, but the warm heat helps soothe a cough.
Mouthwash
Mouthwash is used primarily to kill bacteria. Simply gargle your mouthwash for a couple of minutes and it should help get rid of the cough. Another home remedy includes warm water, mouthwash and a little bit of salt, which you also use by gargling the water.
Apple Cider Vinegar
ACV is great for a variety of ailments including a bad cough. Gargle with 1 tablespoon of ACV and 1 teaspoon of salt dissolved in a glass of warm water, you can also add honey if you don’t like the acidic taste.
How can we forget herbal tea. Sage tea help soothe coughs, but it also helps kill bacteria, since it’s antibacterial and even helps lower fevers. Thyme tea relaxes the muscles of the trachea and bronchi opening up airways. Chamomile tea is often used to sleep, but it also helps lower cough frequency.