Home Remedies for Cough
If you are searching for a home remedy for cough treatment, we know how frustrating it can be. Whether it’s a dry cough, tickly cough, chesty cough, wet cough, barky cough – home cough remedies can be all the difference between tossing and turning all night or getting some much needed rest!
What is the Cause of the Cough?
Before you choose the best natural cough remedies to try, it helps to understand what is causing your symptoms. For most, it is due to a virus, such as the common head cold or the flu and there is little doctors can do to relieve your symptoms. However, if you are experiencing shortness of breath, wheezing, high fever temperatures, are a child or infant, or have had a chronic cough that lasts more than 24-48 hours, it is best to seek professional medical care. For many people, a “pesky cough” could indicate a more serious condition, such as a respiratory infection or lung disease.
Note: Some of these home cough remedies listed on this page are not suitable for children. For babies or toddlers or small children under the age of 8, please see our article on Cough Remedies for Children.
Your Own Home Remedy for Coughing: Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey
This is the best treatment for most coughs associated with colds, viruses, and flu.If you need a dry cough home remedy this will work just as well as it will work on a phlegm cough. It is not the best smelling, or the best tasting…but it is far more effective than cough syrups if you can get past that part!
Easy Cough Home Remedy Recipe
1 Teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Organic Honey
Directions: Mix Together with a toothpick.
(Note: You may wish to increase the amounts depending on the severity of your cough/age/weight/etc. The above amount should be “safe” for just about anybody – but people who are larger might need more. If necessary, use a larger ratio of honey.
Note: You can also substitute apple cider vinegar with fresh squeezed lemon juice.
You can watch this video to see someone who found this simple home remedy so effective they emptied all of the cough medicines right down the drain. There must be over $50 worth of cough syrups there! Meanwhile, apple cider vinegar only costs about $2 and if you buy organic honey from a local beekeeper maybe only $6 (and you’ll have it for other tasty things like tea and cooking as well!) – I would avoid any honey that is from the grocery store, even if it does say organic. Raw, unprocessed is the best kind.
Now, if you have a very severe cough, and are feeling really brave and adventurous, a popular variation of the recipe above is to add ginger and cayenne pepper to the mix. These are not always ingredients everyone has on hand, and while ginger and cayenne do have many healing properties which could help with the coughing.
Here is the recipe for that version, as described in the very popular and interesting book Herbally Yours by Penny C. Royal
Penny C. Royal Homemade Cough Syrup Recipe
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons water
Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a jar and take by the teaspoon as necessary.
Whiskey and Tea Variation
Note: Whiskey should NOT be given to children or infants in any amount. It is potentially dangerous, and also illegal. Children do not process alcohol the same way as adults, and in young children can be fatal.
Okay, so everyone knows that drinking alcohol is excess is deadly. Alcohol, in a way, is just poison. BUT, it can sometimes have health benefits. For example, whiskey is made from fermented grains, and there are many health properties in a number of fermented foods. Some studies even believe becaise of Whiskey’s content for ellagic acid, it may even be good for the immune system in moderation. (One has to remember that alcohol also can cause the immune system to weaken!)
Whiskey, being an alcoholic beverage, can also have a sedative effect. This can help one get some rest. However, it is VERY important you do not drink too much whiskey. Your body needs to stay hydrated, and it also needs to not be so sedated that your natural reflexes be inhibited.
Warnings aside, in moderation, this is a viable home remedy for anyone with a cough over the age of 21. If you do not drink alcohol, you can still enjoy tea with peppermint and honey.
Whiskey Tea Cough Remedy
1 Cup of Hot Tea
1 Shot of Whiskey or Brandy
2 drops of peppermint extract
1 teaspoon of raw, organic honey
Directions: Try mixing 1 shot of whiskey with 1 cup of tea and 1 teaspoon of honey. Do not take this remedy for more than 3 days in a row.
Variations: Another good alternative is lemon if you do not like the taste of peppermint or the peppermint extract. You can also add or substitute some ginger or ginger ale to this if you would like.
More Home Remedies for Cough to Try
Beyond creating wacky concoctions of teas, honey, and fermented liquids – there are a number of other things you can try as natural cough remedies:
Steam and Moisture: If you find yourself coughing uncontrollably, unable to stop, usually either steam or cold air will help immensely. Some coughs will react better to steam than cold air and vice versa – so if one doesn’t work, you may wish to try another.
Use a Vaporizer: A vaporizor is a great way to help add moisture and warmth or coldness to the air. Warm air vaporizors in general however should not be used with children or pets, as it could potentially cause burns. It is also important to keep them clean and sanitized in between use – they provide excellent breeding grounds for bacteria.
Gargle Warm Salt Water: While this is a common sore throat home remedy, it can also help with relieving a bad cough, though it does not usually make the cough go away.
Relieve Post Nasal Drip: If the cough is due to allergies or mucous dripping down your throat, it can help to use saline nasal drops or a sinus rinse to help clear nasal passages.
Stay Hydrated: Be sure to drink plenty of fluids. Warm fluids seem to help, but so can cold ones. Popsicles are also good for coughing – just be sure to get ones without too much sugar or artificial additives/chemicals.
Eat Well, Take Vitamins: A healthy diet will always make a big difference in fighting off colds and coughs. Zinc, garlic, and vitamin C can sometimes help your body get the energy it needs. Natural multi-vitamins based on food sources can also be helpful.
Prevent Spreading Germs: Only you can stop other people from catching your cough. Wash your hands and frequently disinfect common areas. Stay away from young children or people who may be around young children. Do not touch stuff when you are out in public. Cover your mouth when you cough. After you get a cough or bad cold, be sure to stay away from others for about 7-10 days to ensure contagiousness has passed. Sound OCD and overly neurotic? Maybe – but respiratory infections can be deadly for many people. Keep your germs to yourself please!
We hope that our home remedies will help you sleep better and get some much needed rest. If you’ve had any success with these cough remedies, we’d love to hear your experience or any other helpful tips you may have in the comments section below.
Important Note: If you have a chronic cough that is not related to a viral cold/flu, or if you experience wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, or high fever, you should consult a doctor, immediately, especially with children. It is important to out rule a more serious condition, such as potentially fatal respiratory infection, as well as any lung diseases or cancer. Some coughing might not be a serious potentially life threatening condition, but could actually be due to allergies to food or the environment.
Category: Home Remedies
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