Home Remedies for a Dry Cough

What is a Dry Cough?

You will all be familiar with this type of cough, you know the ones that don’t seem to go away. Dry coughs can be a right pain especially when you are out eating with friends and constantly having to cover your mouth as you hack endlessly.

Dry coughs are a particular kind of cough which do not produce the phlegm and sputum associated with other types of coughing. These annoying coughs are typically caused by viral infections in the throat or the nose. They make you feel as if something has got such in your throat and you can do nothing to get rid of it.

Other causes of these dry coughs are exposure to various allergens or dry, dusty environments. Whatever has led to your dry cough, there are plenty of effective home remedies that you can try in order to get rid of it as quickly and conveniently as possible. This article will take a look at some of the remedies that we feel are the most effective.

1) Honey

Honey is an extremely effective remedy for those persistent dry coughs. It is also one of the world’s oldest traditional remedies as well as being a popular ingredient in numerous commercial cough preparations.

The reason that honey works so well on your cough is that it contains natural analgesic compounds which help soothe throat irritation. It also contains valuable antioxidant and antiviral properties which help clear up infection.

There are various effective ways to use your honey. One of the best is to mix a teaspoon or two with a cup or glass of nice warm milk and drink it down. You can also simply take a spoonful and suck on it whenever you feel the need.

2) Turmeric

Turmeric is a spice that keeps cropping up on home remedy lists for a wide variety of ailments and for very good reason. Turmeric contains high amounts of a compound called curcumin which is its main active ingredient. Curcumin has been well studied and is known to possess excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory abilities making it perfect for treating a viral infection such as a dry cough.

There are several ways to take turmeric for your cough. One of the best is to simply mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder into a glass of soothing warm milk and drink it down several times a day. Add a teaspoon of honey for even more impressive results.

3) Garlic

Garlic is a great remedy for a whole bunch of viral ailments. It contains an extremely therapeutic compound called allicin which is also responsible for its distinctive fragrant qualities.

As a lover of garlic, I do not need a great deal of encouragement to eat more of the stuff so it is good to know that it is also doing your body a great deal of good. Garlic has excellent antiviral and antibacterial properties and is one of the very best home treatments for your never ending, dry cough.

To use garlic to treat your cough, simply boil up a cup’s worth of water and add a couple of garlic cloves to the water. You can also add a teaspoon of turmeric or oregano to your mixture for even better relief. Simmer the water for some 10 minutes then allow it to cool.

Add a teaspoon of therapeutic honey to taste and drink it up each morning and evening. Your cough should be gone in no time at all while the ingredients should also help soothe any pain in your throat.

4) Ginger

Like honey, ginger has natural analgesic properties and is also a popular ingredient in many cough preparations. It can help soothe irritation in the throat while its anti-inflammatory ability can have a positive impact on your entire respiratory system.

Take a ginger root and cut it up into very small pieces and crush it up with a pestle and mortar. Boil up a mug’s worth of water then add your ginger and simmer for a while. Allow the water to cool and drink it up at least twice a day.

Honey adds a great flavor to your ginger with the added bonus that it can help treat your cough even more. An alternative option is simply to chew on pieces of ginger throughout the day.

5) Oregano

Oregano works great on coughs of all kinds because of its expectorant properties that basically help break up and expel excess mucus. It also works very well on a dry, persistent cough when added to hot water and mixed with honey.

Boil up a cup or so of water, add a heaped teaspoon of oregano and simmer a while. Add a little honey for taste and drink it up at least twice a day for as long as necessary.

6) Marshmallow

Of course, we are not talking about the sweet, sugary treats that my kids love so much but the therapeutic herb with plenty of valuable medicinal properties. Marshmallow root can help relieve irritation and pain in your throat because of its excellent anti-inflammatory properties.

Simply take 3 grams or so of marshmallow leaves and pop them into a mug of boiled water. Allow them to steep for at least ten minutes and strain. Drink it up at least twice a day and you will find your cough is gone in no time.

7) Licorice Root

Licorice works well on coughs of any kind because of its expectorant properties as well as its demulcent abilities. It effectively works to simultaneously clear up the airways while thinning out any excess phlegm and mucous. its major therapeutic compound is glycyrrhizin, which also gives licorice its extreme sweetness.

Put a licorice root in a cup and add freshly boiled water. Allow it to steep for at least 10 minutes, cool and drink up twice a day for as long as needed.

8) Thyme Tea

Wonderful thyme. An herb that has seen centuries of use that goes back to the black death in the 14th century and probably even longer. Thyme has excellent natural antiviral and antibacterial properties that will help get rid of your annoying dry cough in short order.

Thyme helps relax the muscles in the bronchial passage and open the airways helping you to breathe more comfortably. Drinking up a few cups of thyme tea each day will result in far less coughing and improve your comfort levels.

Take a healthy handful of your fresh thyme and bruise it lightly with your pestle and mortar. (alternatively you can use two tablespoons of the dried herb). Pop it in a mug and cover with freshly boiled water. Let the herb steep for ten minutes or so and drink it up twice a day. You can add honey to taste and add even more of a healthy clout.

9) Salt Water

What could be simpler to do at home than a gargle with salt water? It may be simple but when it comes to a dry cough, it is one of the most effective remedies. It works by a process of osmosis with the salt in your mucous membrane cells flowing outwards to balance the salt levels outside. This helps reduce swelling and can soother the throat and relieve your cough.

10) Steam

Inhaling the vapors from a steaming hot bowl of hot water can help clear up your cough extremely effectively. It can help deal with sore throats and various types of cough by cleaning up the mucus from your respiratory system.

When you add in a few drops of your favorite essential oils, the results are even more impressive. Eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil are two of the most effective essential oils for your cough but there are plenty of others to choose from.