5 Home Remedies For Dry Cough

Cough is body’s response to irritants in the throat and airways. The irritants end up stimulating the nerves in the airways or respiratory tract, and these impulses travel to the brain, which sends back signals to the throat and lungs, resulting in cough. Then the cough clears the irritants, secretions, foreign particles and microbes from the airways. There are several causes for cough, including acute sinusitis, asthma, bronchitis, heart failure, influenza, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and lung cancer.

The cough may or may not be accompanied by sputum. If the cough occurs without any sputum production it is called dry cough. The cough can occur any time of the day or night. If the cough is persistent or frequent, accompanied by other symptoms like fever or breathlessness and sputum production, then it could be indicative of an underlying serious lung or heart disease.

In that case you have to consult your doctor. There are several home remedies for dry cough. You can try them individually or severally at once. Most of these remedies work by coating the back of your throat or soothing the cough receptors in the airways.

Home Remedies For Dry Cough

1. Garlic

Garlic contains the active compound allicin, which has antimicrobial properties. It also acts as an expectorant, helping to expel mucus from the airways. Add 2-3 cut pieces of garlic cloves to a cup of water and let it boil for several minutes. When the preparation cools down to room temperature, you can drink it. You could also consume garlic by adding it liberally to your dishes or by eating it raw.

2. Ginger

Ginger has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties because it contains volatile oils, such as shogaols, gingerols and zingerone. Add two teaspoons of chopped ginger to two cups of boiling water, and allow it to steep for 10 minutes. You could add honey or lemon juice to it. Strain it and drink. You can drink up to 3 cups every day, half cup at a time. You could also chew and suck on raw ginger.

3. Honey

Honey soothes the throat and also acts as an expectorant, clearing the airways of mucus. It also has antibacterial properties. Mix one tablespoon of honey in one cup of hot water and drink it. Alternatively, you could consume honey by adding it to any hot beverage like milk or tea. You could squeeze in some lemon juice into it before drinking. This can be taken several times a day.

4. Onion

Onion contains phenolics and flavonoids, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Cut up some onion pieces, add them to a cup of water, and boil it. Drink this onion juice at room temperature. You could also add a teaspoon of honey to this onion juice before drinking it. You can take this juice twice or thrice daily.

5. Turmeric

Turmeric has a good effect on dry cough because it contains curcumin and some volatile oils. Add one teaspoon of its powder to a cup of water, and boil it till the volume of the solution reduces by half. You can add some honey to it before drinking. It can be taken twice or thrice daily.