Cough Facts and Home Remedies

Cough refers to sudden and repetitively occurring reflex that helps clear air passages from agents like fluids, foreign particles, microbes, and other airway passage irritants. While coughing is usually an infrequent act, certain conditions can cause more frequent cough episodes.

Epidemiology

According to United States National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, chronic cough stands as the most common symptom of medical attention with some 12 percent of the general population having the symptom on a daily or weekly set-up. As per the publication, cough leads to a vast array of morbidity, which includes physical and psychological branches like incontinence, social isolation.

As per ERS Journals, chronic cough stands as more common in the United States and in Europe than in Africa and Asia. According to the publication, cough reflex sensitivity also has no significant ethic difference among Caucasian, Chinese, and Indian subjects in the capsaicin cough challenge.

Signs and Symptoms

Cough is associate with a number of signs and symptoms. According to Mayo Clinic, these include runny or stuffy nose, postnasal drip or liquid running down the back of the throat, frequent throat clearing and sore throat, hoarseness of voice, wheezing, shortness of breath, heartburn, sour taste in the mouth, and coughing up of blood.

Although cough presents no urgency as compared to other medical conditions, it also has some complications, which include headache, dizziness, excessive sweating, urinary incontinence or loss of bladder control, fractured ribs, and syncope or passing out.

Home Remedies

Just like the common colds, cough can also be managed by medications and home remedies. A case in point is honey. According to Enki Village, honey stands as one of the oldest dry cough home remedies and one of the most commonly utilized agents in cough syrups. As per the publication, honey is efficient because it has analgesic properties, which help eliminate the mucus and helps soothe the person’s throat. Also, honey has strong anti-microbial and anti-oxidant properties, which help combat microorganisms that cause infection and illness, as well as those unwanted and harmful agents in the body. Honey can be mixed with warm milk and consuming the resulting mixture helps relieve chest pain associated with coughing.

For persistent and dry cough, tea thyme can also be used. According to Everyday Roots, thyme has be used for centuries to manage cough and it was also used to counter the plague called Black Death, which took place in Europe from 1346 to 1353. During that period, people gathered large thyme bundles and burned them to be free from the disease. As per the publication, thyme has anti-microbial properties, just like honey. Thyme relaxes the tracheal and bronchial muscles to help widen the air passages. As a result, the person experiences less coughing and booster comfort. As per the publication, one can yield the remedy with eight ounces of fresh water, honey or lemon, and a handful of fresh thyme sprigs or two tablespoons of dried thyme.

To prepare, the thyme is lightly bruised with mortar and pestle. Next, it is placed in a mug and is covered with eight ounces of boiling water, letting it steep for ten to 15 minutes. After that, lemon or honey is added to taste. The resulting mixture is consumed for two to three times a day, as needed. As per the publication, it can also be drunken just before going to bed.

Overall, cough, while is not as serious as other signs and symptoms, it may be part of an underlying medical condition. Thus, it is important to seek medical consult from a health professional for proper assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

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