Coughing: your body’s way to eliminate irritants and protect your airways.
It should be a helpful thing, but when a cough lingers, it’s frustrating and sometimes painful. Not to mention, the anxious looks from others nearby are hard to ignore. What can be done about these coughs that simply won’t go away quickly?
Best Home Remedies for Coughs
Luckily, a lingering cough is something that can be soothed at home. There are a number of DIY natural therapies you can try.
11 Natural Ways to Deal with a Persistent Cough
1. Sip Something Warm
Warm liquids are a tried-and-true treatment for coughs and dry throats. Think hot tea, warm broth, or steamy lemon water; all of these are cozy and comforting when you need a break from hacking.
Don’t forget about the added health and wellness benefits either. Many teas are high in antioxidants, and drinks like chamomile tea can have calming effects. Drinking bone broth can support your brain and body in many ways. It’s also anti-inflammatory and rich in protein and nutrients.
Sipping something warm is a recipe for immediate and even sustained relief from a cough and other cold and flu symptoms. Research backs it up, finding that warm liquids, specifically compared to room temperature drinks, help alleviate cough, runny nose, sore throat, chilliness, sneezing, and tiredness.
When you’re coughing, treat yourself to a warm drink. It’s a beautiful and relaxing healing ritual.
2. Use Targeted Herbs
There are a few specific herbs that will especially work well in warm drinks or aromatherapy to ease coughing and support your body in overcoming the underlying causes of your cough.
3. Ginger
Ginger is anti-inflammatory and contains compounds that can help to relax your airways, reduce coughing, and make it easier for you to breathe.
Add a few slices of ginger root to steaming water and let it steep for a few minutes before straining and enjoying.
4. Peppermint
The menthol in peppermint can help break down mucus and act as a natural decongestant, reducing the need to cough to clear mucus. Peppermint can open your airways and help you breathe easier if you’re stuffed up too.
Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help to reduce inflammation in your airways and reduce coughing.
Make golden milk by mixing ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger with 1 cup of warm milk of choice.
6. Thyme
Thyme helps to fight infections and soothe muscle spasms, making it a great choice for symptom relief associated with coughs.
Make a thyme tea by steeping crushed thyme leaves in hot water and straining before enjoying. You could also try reaping the benefits of thyme through essential oil aromatherapy.
7. Add Honey
This home health aid is time-tested and tastes soothingly sweet. A tablespoon or two of honey straight or mixed with warm water can instantly calm a scratched or irritated throat and ease coughing.
Honey has both antibacterial and antiviral properties which can help to fight infections that cause coughs.
8. Humidify
Whether you run a humidifier, take a hot shower, or inhale hot water over a bowl, the humidity will help reduce coughing.
Quick and easy steam therapy:
Boil water and pour it into a bowl. Set it on a table.
Grab a towel and drape it over your head as you lean over the bowl.
Enjoy breathing in the moist air for 3-5 minutes.
Repeat 2-3 times per day as needed.
You might find that your cough worsens at night. A humidifier near your bed can be a great option to help you sleep better.
9. Gargle with Salt Water
Gargling with salt water can reduce inflammation in your throat and draw out fluids from your throat tissue. If you gargle, you may feel better and get over that cough sooner.
Research has even found that gargling with salt water on a regular basis might not be a bad idea, as it can reduce the occurrence of catching an upper respiratory infection in the first place.
10. Elevate Your Head at Night
It’s simple, but effective. Adding another pillow under your head, increasing your elevation as you sleep, can help you cough less and sleep better. Sleeping elevated can help reduce postnasal drip sitting in your throat and irritating it and reduce nighttime reflux.
Sleep quality is important anytime, but even more so when your body is fighting to overcome illness. Elevating your head may help you sleep a little better.
11. Drink Plenty of Water
We saved the best (and easiest) for last: drink more water. Hydration isn’t only good for your overall health and energy levels, it’s one of the best ways to relieve a cough that won’t quit.
Fluids can help reduce mucus and keep your throat tissue moist. When your throat is irritated from all the coughing, hydration can help ease your pain and reduce your coughing.
Common Causes of Lingering Coughs
Coughs are one of those symptoms that can hang on for a while. The most common causes of lingering coughs are:
Bronchitis
Pneumonia
Asthma
Allergies
Acid Reflux
A Side Effect of Certain Medications
Smoking
When a cough is a result of a cold or virus, it should clear up within 3 weeks. This can be a long time after other symptoms have disappeared. If your cough lasts more than 8 weeks, it’s considered severe and you should get medical attention.
When to Seek Help
It’s understandable that you may be worried about a cough that won’t go away. Coughs can be a nuisance and sometimes all you need is time and tender loving care. However, if your symptoms worsen or don’t go away, seek help from your doctor.
For those times when you need a little relief from a lingering cough, you can often feel better by trying home therapies, and you’ll be breathing easy again in no time.
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Amy Huffmire is passionate about helping individuals and families live their best lives through nutrition and fitness, as she has seen the positive effects these things have had in her own life. She loves to write in many forms and genres from children's stories to research articles. She has a BS in Business from Brigham Young University.
