Five tips to ward off a bad cough
Constant cough can be debilitating. With the cold and flu season around the corner, you might find yourself coughing regularly and ultimately resulting in a chest ache. Besides common cold, allergies, asthma, acid reflux, dry air, pollution and smoke can also cause incessant bout of coughing. You can end up with a chronic cough. Most often one treats these with OTC drugs or cough lozenges and syrups. We present some easy home remedies to keep your coughing bouts under check:
1. Drink lukewarm water: It is important to stay hydrated when you have a cough. Mucus in your nasal passage can actually irritate your throat, so drinking water can thin out the mucus and cause less irritation. Also avoid dry places when you have upper respiratory infection
2. Try cough drops and hot tea: Menthol-based cough drop or syrup works to numb the back of the throat where maximum irritation happens. It decreases the cough reflex. Also try drinking hot tea with honey which can soothe the back of the throat since both have antiseptic properties
3. Take a hot shower: If you have cough and a blocked nose, a hot shower can loosen the secretion from nose and clear the sinuses. The moisture in the steam can also help moderate your coughing bouts
4. Try steam inhalation: If you are coughing due to asthma or allergic reaction them steam inhalation with a bit of eucalyptus oil open up the sinus and soothe irritated throat
5. Avoid strong perfumes: Steer clear of strong room sprays or even deodorants. They can cause chronic sinus irritation, which can in turn cause excess mucus secretion and cough