Table of Contents
Tara has an examination due tomorrow, but her head is bursting because of cough and cold. Sitting in her hostel dorm alone, she felt anxious. She couldn’t concentrate on anything. Going to a doctor would have cost her a lot of time, and drinking a cough syrup would have made her sleepy. All Tara could think of at that moment was of her grandmother. If she had been with her right now, she could have used one of her grandmother’s home remedies to find an immediate cure to her suffering, but alas, all she had at that moment was to struggle and suffer from cough and cold.
We all have fallen prey to the nasty cough and cold at least once in our lifetime. Honestly, it is annoying. But do you know that coughing is a positive sign of health? Want to know more? Keep reading this blog to find some exciting things about cough and cold. Also in case, you don’t have your grandmother with you, use our site to get the best home remedies for cough and cold.
What causes us to cough?
Coughing is our body’s response when something irritates our air channels, especially the throat. Scientifically explaining, when an irritant stimulates the nerve, it sends a message to your brain. Then the brain orders the muscles of your chest and abdomen to push out the air of your lungs forcefully so that the irritant also gets out.
Coughing occasionally is normal and healthy. But if a cough prolongs for more than a few weeks or if it brings up discoloured or bloody mucus, it is best advised to get immediate medical attention.
Coughing forcefully can be very dangerous to your body. Not only does vigorous coughing irritate the lungs, but it can also be very exhausting. Coughing can cause sleeplessness, dizziness, headaches, urinary incontinence, vomiting, and surprisingly even broken ribs.
To get quick relief, one should resort to home remedies for cough.
Top 5 Home Remedies for Cough
-
Honey for naturally suppressing cough
Honey is considered the best dry cough home remedy. It is a natural cough suppressant. Some studies even suggest that honey helps in relieving cough more effectively than many over-the-counter medicines. Honey has antibacterial properties and also coats the throat against irritation. Doctors recommend that taking honey with hot liquids can help soothe the throat and treat cough for a short time. You can add a tbsp of honey in warm water or add it to your favourite tea to get a ready-to-drink medicine for your sore throat.
-
Drink lots of fluids
Another one of the effective home remedies for cough is drinking a lot of fluids, especially the hot ones. Not only does it help in hydration, but it also helps your immune system fight the infection or the virus’s source. Drinking hot liquids like warm water, tea, soups, etc., helps fight the cold and may also help remove mucous. Drinking hot water may encourage coughing and nose-blowing but for good reasons.
-
Make your cough go away with gargles.
Gargling with simple water weakens the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, commonly known as the common cold. Gargling with warm water mixed with salt is a very effective home remedy for cough. Gargling in a general daily routine can help prevent infections from happening in the first place. Reports have in it that gargling with warm salt water can reduce the duration of cough symptoms and relieve the throat. Hence, it is one of the best throat pain home remedies.
-
Steam for easing congestion
Applying heat to the sinuses can decrease the pressure caused by the cold and other nasal allergies. Steam is the best and a quick way to unclog your blocked nose. Steam helps in thinning of mucous, which makes it easier to drain down the nose. The best way to experience steam treatment is by pouring boiling water (carefully) into a large bowl. Lean over the bowl while covering your head with a towel and breathe in the steam coming out of the hot water bowl. It is one of the best home remedies for cough but be very careful while using this remedy.
-
Over-the-counter medicines always work.
One of the guaranteed home remedies for cough would be going for any over-the-counter medicine like a cap of Benadryl or a tablet of citizens.
Conclusion
One can quickly cure cough and cold by using home remedies for cough. The most effective home remedies for sore throat are eating honey, drinking fluids, salt water gargling, steam treatment, etc. It is always advised to try home remedies for cough before turning on the medications. It is essential to take preventive measures, and if diagnosed with something, keep your distance and stay safe.