As a rule, cough should be considered an abnormal phenomenon since it is a symptom that occurs in response to an attack on the respiratory tract. When it is dry, it usually disappears in a few days; when the cough is productive, with greenish or yellowish phlegm, it means that there is infection; and if they contain blood (hemoptysis) you should see a doctor as soon as possible. In any case, here are several home remedies that you can try if you want to calm your cough.
As a rule, cough should be considered an abnormal phenomenon since it is a symptom that occurs in response to an attack on the respiratory tract. When it is dry, it usually disappears in a few days; when the cough is productive, with greenish or yellowish phlegm, it means that there is infection; and if they contain blood (hemoptysis) you should see a doctor as soon as possible. In any case, here are several home remedies that you can try if you want to calm your cough.
Keep calm
Keep calm
First of all, don't lose your temper. If you have a coughing attack - something very common in the morning, for example - relax, because being irritated makes the cough worse. Drink water or swallow saliva. Honey candies also have a calming effect.
Very warm feet
Very warm feet
It is proven that the heat in the feet calms the cough considerably. Just rub a menthol and eucalyptus ointment on your feet and put on some socks. You can also use this ointment on the chest and a small amount under the nostrils to decongest.
Don't lie down at all
Don't lie down at all
The cough worsens if you are fully stretched and, especially, if you sleep on your back. To solve this, it is best to sleep on your side, put some books under the mattress that slightly raise the head of the bed or keep your head more upright with the help of pillows.
Drink water and moisten the environment
Drink water and moisten the environment
One of the worst enemies of a cough is environmental dryness. To counteract it, moisten the environment with a vaporizer to relieve the itchiness caused by a sore throat. Taking a hot shower or steam bath can also improve coughing by thinning secretions. And if you are not at home, try to always have a bottle of water or candy on hand to produce more saliva and alleviate dryness.
Beware of perfumes
Beware of perfumes
Although they smell great, some perfumery products can irritate the airways and make coughing worse. If you have attacks, try not to use strong perfumes or deodorants and, of course, avoid tobacco.
Be careful with cough suppressants
Be careful with cough suppressants
It is not advisable to resort to antitussive medications unless the doctor or pharmacist advises it. For a dry cough they can work. But if it is accompanied by mucus, they will not allow the body to eliminate secretions naturally and, instead of fighting the catarrhal process, they will lengthen it.
A coughing attack can cause anything from a cold to an allergic reaction, to having inadvertently breathed in an irritating substance. Knowing the tricks to alleviate it when it assaults you is key to feeling better quickly. In our gallery you will find 6 very simple tricks that will help you calm a coughing attack.
But it is also important to know what types of cough there are and when to see a doctor. And it is that cough is a defense mechanism of the respiratory system that, in general, has no major impact. But if it is intense or lasts over time, it can reveal a more serious problem.
Home remedies for cough
- Keep calm and gulp
- Drink a glass of water
- Have a caramel with honey
- Apply some menthol and eucalyptus ointment under the nose
- Use this same ointment to massage your feet and then put on socks
- Sleeps slightly incorporated
- Put a humidifier in the room
What kind of cough do you have?
- Dry With this type of cough, no mucus is expelled. It causes an itch in the throat, tends to irritate the respiratory tract and makes it difficult to rest at night. It is typical of smokers.
- Productive It is what we all call "cough with mucus." This cough is accompanied by expectoration, which contributes to the clearing of the respiratory tract. It is typical of chronic bronchitis and bacterial infections.
- Sharp Generally, it is due to short-term infectious processes of the upper or lower respiratory tract, such as influenza or viral colds. It usually disappears after three weeks.
- Chronicle. Cough is considered chronic if it lasts more than three weeks. The causes can be several, although the main ones are smoking and COPD (chronic bronchitis and emphysema).
When should you go to the doctor?
As a rule, cough should be considered an abnormal phenomenon, since it is a symptom that occurs in response to an attack on the respiratory tract.
When it is dry, it usually disappears in a few days; when the cough is productive, with greenish or yellowish phlegm, it means that there is infection; and if they contain blood (hemoptysis) you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
If the cough is not related to a clear acute process, such as the flu, and it lasts for more than a week, it is necessary to go to the doctor to make the appropriate examinations and thus find out what its origin is.
And if what you have is a manual cold, we give you the keys to end the cold in 24 hours.
