A cough is a common health woe that brings great discomfort to the body. It interferes with work and leads to exhaustion and irritability. Among its other known side effects are:
- Sleep interruptions
- Difficulty breathing
- Heartburn
- Unpleasant taste in the mouth
- Bad breath
- Sore throat
- Hoarseness
- Occasional bleeding of the throat
Whether you have a phlegmy or dry cough, one thing is for sure, you have to take action right away to regain health and strength. There are several things that you can do, listed below are six highly recommended ways to effectively and quickly treat a cough.
1. Get a prescription for the right cough formula.
Visit your doctor for a check-up. Your physician will correctly determine the kind of cough that you have, and you will be prescribed the appropriate cough medicine and perhaps other medications for your specific condition.
The right cough medicine will give you relief from persistent coughing and other uncomfortable symptoms.
2. Boost your immune system.
Taking vitamins to boost the immune system while taking medication is considered safe. However, do consult your doctor first because there are supplements that can actually diminish the effect of certain medications.
To play it safe, eat healthier instead of relying on vitamins for a better performing immune system. Increase your intake of nutritionally dense foods such as berries, dark leafy greens, eggs, green tea, garlic, ginger, and natural probiotics.
3. Avoid exposure to irritants.
Exposure to irritants can aggravate cough and delay your full recovery.
Do your best to avoid situations wherein your throat can get itchy and inflamed. For example, stay away from people who smoke because exposure can trigger a coughing fit. Avoid highly polluted places as well or cover your nose and mouth with a face mask when you need to spend time outdoors.
4. Drink more water.
Warm water, specifically, is good for cough, especially if you squeeze in some lemon to make the drink alkaline and slightly more nutritious with vitamin C. Drinking warm water can calm the urge to cough and it can also ease a sore throat. It can also loosen phlegm and replace the fluids you lose from often urinating due to the pressure placed by coughing on your bladder.
Plus, if your cough is due to a virus, staying hydrated will help boost the immune system and make it more effective in expelling that virus from your body.
5. Breath in steam.
You can use a steamer or breathe in steam when taking a hot shower. This will loosen phlegm as well as help your throat feel moist.
To make steam treatment more effective in soothing your cough, you can add essential oils such as eucalyptus (a known expectorant), peppermint (which improves nasal airflow), and frankincense (which is known for its positive effects on the respiratory system).
5. Massage your chest, back, and throat with essential oils.
Apart from being good for a steam treatment for cough, certain essential oils can be used as rubs for massage therapy to expedite cough recovery.
Frankincense, for instance, can relieve a typical cough, as well as asthma and bronchitis. The same can be said for eucalyptus and peppermint oils. You only need a few drops of oil to massage your throat, neck, chest, and back.
6. Elevate your head when you sleep.
Avoid aggravating your cough during nighttime by making sure that your head is properly elevated. Propping up your head so it is higher than your chest will prevent mucus that causes coughing from gathering at the back of your throat. Also, shift from one side to another often when sleeping to let mucus flow without causing a coughing fit.
Combine all of these methods and, in no time, you will be free from your persistent cough.
It bears repeating how important it is to boost your immune system. A healthy body with a strong immune system is more resistant to common illnesses like coughs and colds. It also bounces back from illness much faster.