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. 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.
This will also get rid of any gnarly taste you have in your mouth from hacking up phlegm.
Don’t drink licorice root tea if you are on steroids or have kidney problems. Thyme tea may also be good for your cough, although there’s less medical research on thyme specifically.
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 want to get rid of a wet cough where you have a ton of phlegm, try citrus candies, like lemon drops. Hard candy is an effective cough remedy for children ages 6 and older. [6] X Research source Don’t give hard candy or lozenges to children under 3, as they might choke.
Do not take essential oils internally. You can also take a sniff directly from the undiluted bottle for a quick boost of comfort.
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 if you find it too bitter.
Look for pills and liquids with phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine as the active ingredients. Always follow the dosage instructions on the label. Mucinex and Sudafed are probably the two most popular decongestants on the market.
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 cannot safely take horehound. [12] X Research source
Just keep in mind, it isn’t ideal to take cough suppressants for an extended period of time. Coughing is your body’s way of getting rid of irritants, so it’s not good to suppress a cough for too long. Look for a cough suppressant containing dextromethorphan, pholcodine, or antihistamines. Do not give cough medicine to children under 4 years of age. Robitussin, Delsym, and Theraflu are the most popular cough suppressants on the market.
Do not give cough medicine to children under 4 years of age since they can cause serious side effects. [15] X Research source The most popular expectorants out there include Mucinex, Air-Power, and Mucus Relief.
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. [17] X Research source
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.
Perfumes and scented bathroom sprays are also known to trigger chronic coughs, Avoid these until your cough goes away.
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 helps get rid of your cough faster.