Home Treatment for Cough

The cough reflex is one of the body’s best defenses. The violent rush of air clears foreign material from the air passages. Smoke, air pollutants, accidentally inhaled food, or any other airway irritation can trigger a cough.

When you have a cold, mucus from the nasal passages may drain into the airway (postnasal drip) and trigger the cough reflex. You can treat this with a cough suppressant.

If your lungs are congested, coughing may expel pus and mucus. This type of “productive” cough is helpful in clearing the lungs. You should not suppress a productive cough with drugs.

Here are some of the common causes of cough:

• Smoking kills the cells lining the airway so that you can’t expel mucus normally. The smoker’s chronic cough is evidence of the continual irritation of the air passages.
• Viral infections can cause a cough that usually produces yellow or white mucus. Antibiotics are useless to treat a viral infection. The illness runs its course within a few days.
• Bacterial infections can cause a cough that usually produces rusty or green mucus. The mucus looks like it contains pus. Your doctor can prescribe an antibiotic to treat a bacterial infection. Doctors use the term “pneumonia” most often to mean a bacterial infection of the lung, but the same label can be applied to other lung infections, more or less serious. Don’t panic if you hear that word.

How to Prevent Cough

• If you are a smoker, quit or cut back. A dry, hacking “smoker’s cough” signals that your lungs are constantly irritated.
• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day.

Home Treatment for Cough:

• Drink lots of water. Water helps to loosen phlegm and soothe an irritated throat.
• Cough drops can soothe irritated throat.
• For coughs brought on by inhaled irritants—smoke, dust or other pollutants—avoid exposure or wear a face mask.
• Coughs that follow viral illnesses may last up to ten days and often get worse at night. Elevate your head at night with extra pillows.
• Use an over-the-counter cough suppressant containing dextromethorphan to help quiet a dry, hacking cough so that you can sleep.

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