How to stop coughing
Having a cough under any circumstances is certainly frustrating. After all, a cough can range from irritating to uncomfortable, and it can also alarm the people around you.
Why are you coughing in the first place? On a very basic level, coughing is a way to clear your airway. “It’s a reflex and protective response to any irritant in those areas—either mucus, dust, saliva, or even food,” says Nina L. Shapiro, M.D., an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat doctor) and professor of head and neck surgery at the UCLA School of Medicine.
If you have a cough that’s lingering or develop a sudden severe cough with difficulty breathing, wheezing, or a sudden loss of voice, Shapiro says you need to see a doctor “right away.”
But, if you’re just dealing with a regular cough, you can try at-home solutions to try to get relief. It can also be helpful to work with your medical provider to determine if your cough is related to allergies, asthma, a cold, or something else.
Just know this: Cough syrup is unlikely to help much. Research has found that natural interventions can be more effective at stopping a cough than the common cough suppressant dextromethorphan.
Here’s how to stop coughing with natural solutions
Ways to stop a sudden coughing attack.
A sudden coughing attack can be alarming, and you often need help fast to make it stop. Experts say these natural solutions can help:
1.Drink fluids.
Reaching for clear liquids like water or broth is best to help stop a coughing fit. “They literally clear the upper airway—above the voice box and vocal cords—of an irritant,” Shapiro says.
If you’re near a microwave or have access to a warm drink, that’s even better, says Margaret Quinn, DNP, a clinical associate professor in the Rutgers University School of Nursing. “Warm fluids can help soothe the throat and loosen mucus,” she says.
2.Sip a drink that contains ginger.
Ginger has two things going for it, according to Shapiro: It “acts as a decongestant and can also relax the muscles around the airway.” Ginger is also “a wonderful anti-inflammatory and is commonly used in home cough remedies,” says Jess Henning, APRN-CNP, a family nurse practitioner at the Ohio State University’s Department of Family & Community Medicine Center for Integrative Medicine.
3.Breathe through your nose.
If you feel like your cough is tied to a “tickle” in your throat, Shapiro recommends trying this hack: Sit down, try to stay calm, and breathe through your nose. “This opens up a different part of the airway and relaxes the muscles around the voice box,” she explains.
Ways to stop a stubborn daytime cough.
If you have a daytime cough that won’t quit, these solutions may help:
1.Suck on a cough drop.
Cough drops “release solidified sweeteners to coat the throat,” Shapiro says. And, if you have a stuffy nose, you can reach for lozenges with menthol for a decongestant effect.
2.Sip a thyme-infused drink.
Research has suggested that thyme can help reduce coughing, including one study that found a thyme concoction lowered the number of coughing fits people with bronchitis had by nearly 69% compared with nearly 48% in people who took a placebo. Another study of 749 people with a cough found that those who took a thyme-infused syrup had a “significant reduction” in the severity of their cough.
To reap the benefits at home, Henning suggests mixing a tablespoon of dried thyme in a cup of boiling water, letting it steep for a bit, straining it, and then adding a little lemon juice and honey “for a throat-soothing tea you could sip on all day.”
3.Try a steam treatment.
Exposing your airways to steam—which can be as simple as running hot water in your shower and breathing deeply—can help thin out some of the thicker mucus in your nose and moisten the back of your throat, Shapiro says.
If you have a cough that’s lingering or develop a sudden severe cough with difficulty breathing, wheezing, or a sudden loss of voice, Shapiro says you need to see a doctor “right away.”
But, if you’re just dealing with a regular cough, you can try at-home solutions to try to get relief. It can also be helpful to work with your medical provider to determine if your cough is related to allergies, asthma, a cold, or something else.
Just know this: Cough syrup is unlikely to help much. Research has found that natural interventions can be more effective at stopping a cough than the common cough suppressant dextromethorphan.
Here’s how to stop coughing with natural solutions.
Ways to stop a sudden coughing attack.
A sudden coughing attack can be alarming, and you often need help fast to make it stop. Experts say these natural solutions can help:
1.Drink fluids.
Reaching for clear liquids like water or broth is best to help stop a coughing fit. “They literally clear the upper airway—above the voice box and vocal cords—of an irritant,” Shapiro says.
If you’re near a microwave or have access to a warm drink, that’s even better, says Margaret Quinn, DNP, a clinical associate professor in the Rutgers University School of Nursing. “Warm fluids can help soothe the throat and loosen mucus,” she says.
2.Sip a drink that contains ginger.
Ginger has two things going for it, according to Shapiro: It “acts as a decongestant and can also relax the muscles around the airway.” Ginger is also “a wonderful anti-inflammatory and is commonly used in home cough remedies,” says Jess Henning, APRN-CNP, a family nurse practitioner at the Ohio State University’s Department of Family & Community Medicine Center for Integrative Medicine.
3.Breathe through your nose.
If you feel like your cough is tied to a “tickle” in your throat, Shapiro recommends trying this hack: Sit down, try to stay calm, and breathe through your nose. “This opens up a different part of the airway and relaxes the muscles around the voice box,” she explains.
Ways to stop a stubborn daytime cough.
If you have a daytime cough that won’t quit, these solutions may help:
1.Suck on a cough drop.
Cough drops “release solidified sweeteners to coat the throat,” Shapiro says. And, if you have a stuffy nose, you can reach for lozenges with menthol for a decongestant effect.
2.Sip a thyme-infused drink.
Research has suggested that thyme can help reduce coughing, including one study that found a thyme concoction lowered the number of coughing fits people with bronchitis had by nearly 69% compared with nearly 48% in people who took a placebo. Another study of 749 people with a cough found that those who took a thyme-infused syrup had a “significant reduction” in the severity of their cough.
To reap the benefits at home, Henning suggests mixing a tablespoon of dried thyme in a cup of boiling water, letting it steep for a bit, straining it, and then adding a little lemon juice and honey “for a throat-soothing tea you could sip on all day.”
3.Try a steam treatment.
Exposing your airways to steam—which can be as simple as running hot water in your shower and breathing deeply—can help thin out some of the thicker mucus in your nose and moisten the back of your throat, Shapiro says. “This will help loosen any congestion so one can clear it,” she adds.
4.Sip horehound tea.
Horehound is an herb in the mint family that’s been successfully used as a cough remedy. One Molecules study notes that it’s usually used in horehound candy, which can help relieve cough, minimize hoarseness, and even help with bronchitis.
Horehound usually appears in the form of a cough drop, but it can also be brewed as a tea, with honey and lemon.
Ways to stop a nighttime cough.
A nighttime cough can keep you awake. These solutions can help:
1.Have a teaspoon of honey.
Research suggests that taking a spoonful of honey before bed can be more effective at stopping a cough than actual cough medicine. A study of 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 with upper respiratory tract infections found that those who took honey at bedtime had the most relief from their cough and slept better than those who were given cough syrup or no treatment. “It coats the back of the throat, easing some of the discomfort and irritation that triggers the cough,” Shapiro says.
It’s possible that your cough could be linked to gastroesophageal reflux, a condition that can happen when stomach acid or bile irritates the lining of your esophagus. That irritation can then trigger coughing. “Certain foods are very reflux-inducing,” Shapiro says, listing off those that are heavy on spices, caffeine, and grease as being particularly problematic, along with alcohol. Certain food allergies may also trigger this, such as dairy.
3.Use a neti pot or other nasal irrigation before bed.
Neti pots and other nasal saline irrigations are “fantastic” ways to clear out your nose and sinuses, Shapiro says—and that can also help your cough. “Congestion and sinusitis are common triggers for cough, due to postnasal drip to the back of the throat, especially during sleep,” she explains. “Minimizing nasal and sinus issues, often the source of cough, can very successfully minimize coughing.”
4.Use a humidifier in your bedroom.
Indoor heating will warm up your home, but it can also remove moisture from the air, Quinn says—and that can irritate your throat and lungs. A humidifier can help add that moisture back, she says. Extra moisture will cause less dryness and irritation “leading to less coughing,” Shapiro says.
source:-www.mindbodygreen.com
