Home remedies for wet cough

home remedies for wet cough:

When an irritant enters your throat or airways the nerves send a signal to the brain that something is irritating the airway and a need for home remedies for wet cough. The brain then sends instructions to the muscles of the abdomen and chest to cough and push out the air and along with it the irritant (1).

Cough is not a disease but is usually a symptom and can be cured home remedies for wet cough. Most of the time we cough to get rid of an irritant such as a foreign body or mucus from the body.

 Types of cough 

There are different types of coughs such as dry cough and a wet cough.

home remedies for wet cough:

A wet cough is also called a productive cough because it produces phlegm. Phlegm is the sputum or mucus from the lungs. Wet cough is most often caused by an infection either bacterial or viral (2). Wet cough may be accompanied by wheezing or rattling sound and tightness in the chest and can be cured by home remedies for wet cough.

A dry cough is a non-productive cough and does not produce any phlegm or mucus. It is usually a reaction of the airways to an irritant or it may be because of certain medicines or it may also be caused by asthma.

A wet cough may be a chronic cough that is it troubles for a long time, that can’t just be cured by home remedies for wet cough. This may be because of an underlying problem such as postnasal drip or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or bronchiectasis or nontuberculous mycobacteria infection.

Here are some home remedies for wet cough  (1, 3)

Most of the time cough is just a symptom to be managed. If it is a bacterial infection doctor may give antibiotics but if it is viral it will get resolved to be itself.

Drink plenty of fluids

Body needs to be kept hydrated. One of the best home remedies for wet cough is taking fluids can help thin the mucus in the throat. Take ginger tea, juices, soups and broth. But do not make it hot or spicy that will irritate the throat.

Humidifier

Make sure that the room air is not dry especially in the night while sleeping. Use a humidifier.

Inhaling steam

It may help thin mucus if you inhale the steam. For children, an adult can sit with the child in the room filled with steam.

Honey

Another of home remedies for wet cough- pasteurised honey can be used to give relief from cough but not for children below one year. Honey may contain dormant endospores of Clostridium botulinum which may cause harm. It is, therefore, better to use pasteurized honey, but do not give for children below one year (1).

Half a tsp of pasteurized honey in a single dose before bed for children above one year can be given (4). An adult can take one tsp of honey to loosen cough (1). It is the best of home remedies for wet cough.

Steamy shower

Take a steamy shower which helps manage the cough.

Lemon and honey

Have lemon tea or tea with honey or lemon juice with honey it will soothe your throat and ease a cough. Vitamin C will help increase immunity and is one the best home remedies for wet cough

Gargling with salt water

Add a pinch of salt to warm water and gargle, it soothes the irritated throat and gives comfort. Children may not be able to gargle.

Warm water

Sipping warm water is another of the many effective home remedies for wet cough helps soothe the irritated throat.

Avoid smoking

Do not smoke or be around anyone who is smoking.

Healthy food

It is important to take a healthy balanced diet to get over the infection if that is what is causing you to have a cough.

Final word

Cough is a very common ailment and it is usually resolved in a few days or a couple of weeks. The home remedies for wet cough can help you manage the cough. But if there are any other symptoms or it is persisting then you will need medical attention. A chronic or long-term wet cough may be a symptom of some underlying disorder get it checked even after home remedies for wet cough.

References

1. Mayo Clinic (2019). Cough.
   https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/cough/basics/definition/sym-20050846

2. Harvard Health (2018) Cracking the cough code
   https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/cracking-the-cough-code

3. Cleveland Clinic (2019). Cough & Dry Coughs.
   https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16901-cough–dry-coughs

4. Goldman R. D. (2014) Honey for treatment of cough in children, Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien. Vol. 60(12).
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4264806/