Home remedies for coughs: these are the best

Home remedies for coughs
These are the 5 best

by Stephanie Pingel

03/15/2021, 10:34 am

A cough is always inconvenient – and we want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Usually a dry, irritating cough develops first, a few days later the mucus in the airways loosens and can be coughed up (cough with sputum). We often find this uncomfortable, but the urge to cough is a sensible protective reflex of the body: With the mucus we cough up the pathogens.

Home remedies for coughs: what helps?

Of course, that does not mean that we have to be plagued by the symptoms for weeks – especially not when a strong cough prevents us from our restful sleep. These home remedies for coughs will help to gently relieve the discomfort:

inhalation

Inhalation is suitable both for calming dry coughs and for loosening phlegm in the case of a productive cough. The easiest way is with an inhaler – you only have to fill it with a little water, then breathe in and out slowly and deeply. If you don't have an inhaler, simply use a bowl, place a towel over your head, and then inhale the steam. This should be repeated about every three hours.

Extra tip: If you have a dry cough, an infusion with sage helps when you inhale. The plant soothes the mucous membranes and relieves the urge to cough. If you have a stubborn cough, for example bronchitis or a runny nose, a few drops of an essential oil (for example menthol) are recommended. to clear the airways. But be careful – these oils are not suitable for children and asthmatics!

Potato wraps

Chest wraps are probably one of the oldest home remedies for coughs and colds. To do this, the potatoes are boiled, wrapped in a linen cloth and mashed. As soon as the potato wrap has cooled down to a comfortable temperature, it can be placed on the chest and secured with another cloth. The wrap provides soothing warmth. By the way, it's also a good home remedy for a sore throat and a home remedy for a fever!

tea

The following applies to coughing: drink a lot! It can be 2.5 to 3 liters a day. Especially water, but also tea with herbs, especially these types:

The herbs soothe throat irritation in a gentle way and act as a mucus solution. And tea can do even more: It also helps as a home remedy for colds!

Onion syrup

Sounds a bit disgusting at first, but thanks to the addition of honey or sugar it doesn't taste bad at all and is effective against dry coughs: Cut an onion into small pieces, drizzle with honey or a little sugar and seal the mixture in an airtight jar. The juice should steep for several hours, but preferably overnight. Then one spoon each is taken in the morning, at noon and in the evening.

Cough drops

Cough drops can work in two ways: They either calm the urge to cough or promote mucus loosening. To relieve irritable coughs, the sweets usually contain essential oils that stimulate the flow of saliva. An acute coughing attack can be soothed in this way. In order to be able to cough up better, on the other hand, herbal mixtures (e.g. from thyme or sage) are often used in cough drops, which are supposed to make the mucus more fluid.

Here we also explain how to treat a chronic runny nose and what to do if your nose is blocked or you have chills.