Get Rid of a Cough Fast

A lingering cough can make you feel absolutely miserable, and you probably want to get rid of it as fast as you can. They are common side effects of colds and flu, but can also be caused by allergies, asthma, acid reflux, dry air, smoking, and even some medications. Luckily, there ares of ways to get rid of a cough quickly. This article will give you lots of remedies for getting rid of a cough including some natural ones.

Steps

Using Natural Cough Remedies

1. Use honey. Honey is an effective way to suppress a cough and soothe a sore throat. Several studies have found that honey is at least as effective at reducing cough than over-the-counter drugs, and is sometimes more effective. Honey helps coat and soothe mucus membranes. It can be very helpful right before going to bed if the cough is making it hard to sleep.
   • It's good for adults and children, but do not give honey to children under the age of 1 since it could increase the risk of infant botulism.
   • You can take the honey directly. Try 1 tablespoon every few hours while your cough persists. Another option is to add 1 tablespoon or more to a glass of warm tea with lemon.
   • Some studies suggest that honey is as effective as a cough suppressant as dextromethorphan, an ingredient commonly used in many over-the-counter cough suppressants.

Another way to suppress a cough is to use apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is a good way to get rid of a cough without drugs. You can heat it and drink it like tea with an added teaspoon of honey, or drink it cold with apple juice.

1. Drink licorice root tea. Licorice root tea soothes your airways, helps ease inflammation, and loosens mucus. To make it, place 2 tablespoons of dried licorice root in a mug and pour 8 ounces of boiling water into the mug. Steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink twice daily.
   • Don't drink licorice root tea if you are on steroids or have kidney problems.
   • The active ingredient, glycyrrhiza, can cause negative side effects for some people. Look for DGL, or deglycyrrhizinated licorice, at your health food or drug store. It is just as effective.
2. Try thyme tea. Thyme is used in some countries, like Germany, for a variety of respiratory ailments. Thyme helps relax throat muscles and reduce inflammation. Boil water and place the water and 2 teaspoons of crushed thyme in a cup for 10 minutes. Strain before drinking.
   • Add honey and lemon for extra soothing properties. It may also help make the taste more pleasant.
   • Do not use thyme oil internally. Use dried or fresh thyme.
3. Enjoy a piece of hard candy. If you do not have any cough drops on hand or would prefer to stay away from medicated lozenges, you can usually soothe and stop a cough by sucking on a piece of hard candy.
   • A dry cough that produces no phlegm can be halted by nearly any piece of hard candy. Hard candy causes you to produce more saliva and to swallow more, thereby suppressing your cough.
   • If you have a wet cough that does produce phlegm, lemon drops tend to work well.
   • Hard candy is an effective cough remedy for children ages 6 and older. Don't give hard candy or lozenges to children under 3, as they could choke.
4. Try turmeric. Turmeric is a traditional cough remedy that many people have found effective for coughs. Try mixing half a teaspoon of turmeric powder in a glass of warm milk. You can also try turmeric powder and a teaspoon of honey for dry cough. To make turmeric tea, add a tablespoon of turmeric powder into 4 cups of boiling water. Let it steep, then strain. Mix with some lemon and honey for additional cough relieving properties.
5. Dissolve peppermint and ginger in lemon juice. Ginger helps loosen mucus. Both ginger and peppermint can suppress the irritation in the back of your throat that triggers coughs. Add honey to this mixture for an even more effective remedy.
   • Add 3 tablespoons of chopped ginger and 1 tablespoon of dried peppermint to 4 cups of water. Boil the water, then reduce the heat. Simmer until it has been reduced, then strain. Let it cool for a few minutes, then add a cup of honey, stirring until completely dissolved. Take 1 tablespoon every few hours. This can be refrigerated up to 3 weeks.
   • You can drop a piece of peppermint candy into lemon juice. Heat it in a small saucepan until the candy dissolves. Try adding honey, too. Add 1 tablespoon 15 ml) honey to this mixture and stir to combine.
6. Try essential oils. Combining essential oils with steam can help you inhale the oils and reap the benefits. Try tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil, both of which are known to soothe airways and open passages. They also contain anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties which helps fight bacteria and viruses.
   • Boil water and place it in a bowl. Let it cool for about a minute. Add 3 drops of tea tree oil and 1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil. Stir. Lean over and cover your head with a towel to trap the steam. Breathe deeply for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times daily. Just make sure not to lean close enough to the water to burn your face on the steam.
   • Do not take tea tree oil internally. It is toxic when ingested.
7. Make a bourbon-based cough syrup. If you're interested in an effective cough syrup that is strictly for adults only, you can mix a little whiskey into your mug of warm lemon water. While the alcohol is not likely to have any effect on your cough, it can help you relax.
   • Mix 2 ounces (60 ml) of bourbon whiskey, 2 ounces (60 ml) of lemon juice, and 2 to 4 ounces (60 to 125 ml) of water in a microwave-safe mug.
   • Heat in the microwave for 45 seconds.
   • Whisk 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of honey into the mixture and microwave for another 45 seconds.
8. Try a traditional Korean folk remedy. If you have a cough caused by the cold or flu, you could try making a batch of this traditional Korean cold remedy. It combines dried jujubes with spices, honey, and several other beneficial ingredients.
   • Combine 25 dried jujubes (sliced), 1 large Asian pear (quartered and seeded), a 3-inch (7.6-cm) piece of ginger (sliced), 2 to 3 cinnamon sticks, and 3 quart (2.8 L) of water in a large saucepan. Cover and heat on medium-high until it begins to boil.
   • Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for 1 hour.
   • Strain the juice and discard the other ingredients.
   • Add 1 to 2 tablespoon (15 to 30 ml) of honey to sweeten the tea. Enjoy a warm mug of this remedy to soothe your throat and stop your cough within minutes. One of the most simple things you can do is try to relax your body and take deep breaths.
9. Gargle salt water. Salt water is used to help relieve sore throats, but can also help with coughs by helping the swelling go down and dislodge phlegm. Mix 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, dissolve completely, and then gargle for 15 seconds. Spit out the gargle, and repeat until all the water is gone.

Getting Rid of Your Cough with Medicine

1. Take a decongestant. Decongestants help relieve coughing by reducing nasal congestion and drying up mucus in the lungs and expanding airways. You can take decongestants in a variety of ways, such as pills, liquids, and nasal sprays.
   • Look for pills and liquids with phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine as the active ingredients.
   • Excessive use of decongestants can lead to dryness and cause a dry cough.
   • Only use nasal sprays for 2-3 days. More than that might cause more congestion thanks to the "rebound effect." Your body can become dependent on decongestants if you overuse them.
2. Try medicated throat lozenges. Try a menthol cough drops since they tend to be the most effective. These lozenges numb the back of your throat, restricting the cough reflex and putting an end to your coughing fit sooner.
   • For moist coughs, horehound lozenges often prove helpful. Horehound is a bittersweet herb with expectorant properties, so it brings up more phlegm faster, allowing your cough to be over with sooner. Pregnant women should not use horehound.
   • For dry coughs, you could also use slippery elm lozenges. These lozenges are made from the bark of the slippery elm tree. The substances they contain coat the throat, thereby limiting the coughing reflex and putting an end to your hacking. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not use slippery elm.
3. Use a medicated chest rub. An over-the-counter medicated chest rub containing menthol or camphor should be able to halt most dry and moist coughs.
   • These rubs should only be applied topically and are not safe to ingest.
   • Do not use medicated chest rubs on infants.
4. Try a cough suppressant. An over-the-counter cough suppressant is best used for moist coughs that occur during the middle of the night.
   • Cough suppressants halt the flow of cough-causing mucus and tell your brain to restrict the coughing reflex. They are a good idea if you need to stop your cough temporarily to sleep at night or for another reason, but you should not rely on cough suppressants for the duration of a cough-causing illness since they can cause mucus to stay trapped in your lungs, increasing your risk of developing a bacterial infection.
   • Look for a cough suppressant containing dextromethorphan, pholcodine, or antihistamines.
   • Be careful which medicine you use if your main symptom is a cough. Antihistamines and decongestants in cough medicines can make the mucus hard and dry, making it harder to clear from your airways.
   • Do not give cough medicine to children under 4 years of age.
5. Use an expectorant. An expectorant will thin the mucus so you can cough it up. Expectorants are great if you have a cough with thick phlegm.
   • Do not give cough medicine to children under 4 years of age since they can cause serious side effects.

Getting Rid of Your Cough Other Ways

1. Drink fluids. Hydration is important for wet and dry coughs alike. Fluids help to thin the mucus that drips into your throat, causing the cough. Any beverage is good, except alcohol or drinks with caffeine (which can dry you out) and acidic citrus juices and drink (which can irritate your throat).
   • Aim for the equivalent of at least eight 8 oz (250 ml) glasses of water per day while you suffer from your cough.
   • To treat a cough in children 3 months-1 year old: give the child 1 to 3 tsp (5 to 15 ml) of warm, clear liquid such as apple juice up to four times per day to soothe a cough. This is in addition to the fluids they drink normally, such as breastmilk or formula.
2. Inhale warm water vapor. Take a hot shower and inhale the steam. This can help loosen the congestion in the nose, which can drip down into your chest and cause cough. It also helps moisturize dry air, which can also cause coughing. At night, run a humidifier and breathe in the warm vapor.
   • This method is helpful for coughs caused by colds, allergies, and asthma.
   • Humidifiers need to be cleaned out regularly. Otherwise, they may cause more harm than good. Mold, other fungi, and bacteria can build up inside the machine and get transferred into the air alongside the steam.
3. Change the way you cough. You may instinctively start with large, hearty coughs as soon as a coughing fit comes on, but building up to these large coughs slowly can actually help you get rid of a coughing fit faster. This is especially helpful if you have a moist cough. When a coughing fit begins, start by taking a series of small, light coughs. These coughs will not produce much mucus. At the end of your series of small coughs, do one big cough. The small coughs move the mucus toward the top of your air passage and the large cough has enough force to bring the mucus out.
   • Coughing in this method will prevent your throat from becoming more irritated. Since an irritated throat is more likely to cause continued coughing, making your throat less irritated should help you get rid of your cough faster.
4. Remove airborne irritants. Chronic coughs are often caused or worsened by airborne irritants. These irritants can cause chronic sinus irritation, leading to chronic coughing due to the excess mucus. The most obvious irritant to avoid is tobacco smoke.
   • Perfumes and scented bathroom sprays are also known to trigger chronic coughs and should be avoided at least for the duration of your cough if you want your cough to leave quicker.

Tips

• Note that antibiotics are rarely, if ever used to treat a cough. Antibiotics kill bacteria and do nothing more, making them ineffective against viral coughs or coughs that are not caused by illness. A doctor will only prescribe an antibiotic if he/she suspects that your cough is a symptom of a bacterial infection.
• If you are having trouble breathing, use an inhaler or keep one in your reach.
• Liquids such as coffee or black tea may inhibit your immune function.
• When trying to stay hydrated with water, drink warm water because cold water will irritate the throat.
• Rest as more as you can. Avoid long walks, jogging or exercise until you feel better.
• If your coughing doesn't go away in a week, go and seek medical advice.

Warnings

• Know when to see a doctor. Coughs usually clear up on their own within 10 days, and with the above mentioned remedies, they will often clear up even faster. If your cough persists past two to four weeks, though, you should call the doctor. You should also call if you cough up blood or if it is accompanied by sharp chest pains, severe fatigue, dramatic weight loss, chills, or a fever of 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38.3 degrees Celsius) or higher.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Get Rid of a Dry Cough
• Make Homemade Cough Drops
• Get Rid of Phlegm in Your Throat Without Medicine
• Treat a Cough
• Stop Coughing at Night
• Heal Chronic Cough
• Stop Coughing
• Make Yourself Cough
• Stop Coughing in 5 Minutes
• Get Rid of a Cough

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