Suffering From Dry Cough? These 8 Home Remedies May Help You

As winter approaches, more and more people are complaining of cough—both dry and wet. Now, dry cough is an unproductive cough, meaning that it is unable to remove mucus, phlegm or any other irritants from lungs or nasal passages. However, it is an active symptom of flu. Postnasal dip, asthma, acid reflux and long term exposure to environmental toxins such as cigarettes smoke are known to be major causes of dry cough.

On the other hand, there are a multitude of treatments for it also. Besides prescribed medicines and usage of air purifiers, it could be treated using a vast range of home remedies. The most simple way to treat dry cough is to gargle with hot water. Gargling with warm water can help soothe a dry cough, but it may not fully treat the underlying cause.

Home Remedies For Dry Cough

You can begin with honey—a simple natural ingredient that has antibacterial properties and can help alleviate irritation in the neck and throat. You can take honey by the teaspoon several times daily, or add it to tea or warm water to drink.

You can also try turmeric. Turmeric contains curcumin, which is known for its anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. It can also help with a dry cough. Notably, curcumin is best absorbed into the bloodstream when taken with black pepper.

To make the best use of it, health experts recommend adding turmeric to your tea. Alternatively, you can add 1 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper into a beverage, such as cold orange juice. You can also make it into a warm tea.

Ginger has also been known to boost immunity and aid digestion. Moreover, it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. You can make ginger tea by steeping peeled or cut ginger root in warm water. Adding honey may make it even more beneficial for a dry cough.

Marshmallow root is an herb commonly used in cough syrup and lozenges to soothe dry coughs. A study, published in National Library Of Medicine, has confirmed that it has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties.

Masala chai is commonly used in India and other Southeast Asian countries. It contains several antioxidant ingredients, including cloves and cardamom. Cloves may also be effective as an expectorant. Cinnamon, another active ingredient in chai, has anti-inflammatory properties.

Cayenne pepper is a type of chili pepper. Adding a few drops of cayenne hot sauce into water can help. Capsaicin, the active compound in cayenne, is known to reduce chronic coughs. While capsaicin can be taken as a capsule, you can also make tea with cayenne hot sauce and warm water.

Lastly, Peppermint are also very useful hen it comes to treating dry cough. They contain menthol, which has a numbing effect on the nerve endings in the throat that are irritated while coughing. There are several ways to take peppermint, including drinking peppermint tea or sucking on peppermint lozenges. Try drinking peppermint tea right before bed to help soothe your throat the original content.