Several remedies that can help us fight against the cold and its symptoms.
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 get coughing fits 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 relieve and cure cough, with the necessary indications to know how to use them. Of course, it is important to note that these remedies can not replace medical intervention, and that when you notice that throat irritation affects you, you should go to the doctor (among other things, to rule out that it is a symptom of a major disease).
Natural remedies to relieve and cure cough
These are products that you can use in your day to day to combat cough when it is a problem.
Now, it should be added that coughing is not a bad thing in itself, and what it is about is to reduce the condition of the respiratory tract that produces this reaction in your body. After all, coughing is a consequence of the functioning of your autonomic nervous system, responsible for carrying out automatic and involuntary reactions of your body 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 remove an obstruction in those pathways.
So, when we talk about relieving coughing, what it is about is finding a balance between the good condition of the 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 need to cough as much.
1. A couple of tablespoons of honey
Eat two tablespoons of honey so that this substance takes with it the mucus that could be accumulating in the throat . The consistency of this product causes many elements attached to your body to go down towards the stomach area, as they remain attached to the honey and are 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 caused by the accumulation of nasal mucosa that falls down the throat. Therefore, it is convenient to intervene when the nose is covered by this substance.
For this , mixtures of water with salt are very useful, which can be bought at the pharmacy and are marketed in the form of nasal drops. Lie on your back, pour a few drops into your nose, and wait for the mucus to liquefy before blowing your nose. In addition, this saline solution will also run down your throat and help dissolve mucus buildup in that area.
3. Agua
Something as simple as drinking water with the right regularity helps relieve a cough . This is so because when there is water available in the body, it is easier for it to get rid of the mucosa, as it is diluted in substances that our body naturally secretes.
4. Ginger tea
Ginger has many properties that, although they do not make this product a medicine , they do make it one of the best natural remedies to relieve cough.
To prepare this tea, cut a dozen thin slices of ginger and put them in a pot with four glasses of water. Let the mixture simmer for a quarter of an hour. Finally, strain the contents of the pot, and pour a couple of teaspoons of honey every time you drink a glass of this ginger tea.
5. Onion
The onion has antitussive properties that you can take advantage of when you notice that the cough makes you have a hard time. Simply cut half a dozen slices and suck in air by placing your face close (ideally breathing through your nose).
6. Humidifiers
As we have seen, water serves to dilute excess mucus.
However, you can benefit from this effect beyond when you drink . If you make sure that the air is moist, using humidifiers, the vapor in the air will continue to do this job at all times. This is especially important if you run the air conditioner, as these machines tend to dry out the air.
Of course, avoid this if you suffer from asthma, since it will probably cost you more to breathe.
7. Hot water baths
If you want to reap the full benefits of air humidification, take a hot bath . Probably, when you go out, you will notice that the cold has been relieved in a matter of a few minutes.
8. Chocolate negro
Eat a couple of bars of high-purity dark chocolate , 95 to 99% cocoa, to relieve a cough. This natural product contains theobromine , a metabolite that inhibits this reaction in 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 tablespoons of its crushed leaves to the water, boil it for 20 minutes, strain it and add a little honey.
10. Eucalyptus mists
This is another simple solution to combat coughing and throat discomfort: add several eucalyptus leaves to a bowl of very hot water, throw a towel over your head, and suck in the vapors leaving you moments to breathe normally between these exposures to the steam.
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.
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.