Homeopathic Medicines for Cough

By Dana Ullman MPH, CCH

(Excerpted from Homeopathic Medicine for Children and Infants, Tarcher/Putnam)

NOTE TO READERS:  All homeopathic medicines are listed by their Latin names in order for manufacturers and users to be as precise as possible on the original source of the medicine.  Please note that homeopathic medicines are legally recognized as drugs (usually "over-the-counter drugs," that is, drug that do not require a doctor's prescription due to their widely recognized safety).  Homeopathic medicines are most effective when they are prescribed for the unique syndrome of symptoms the sick person has, not just the name of the disease s/he has.  Because of the need for this degree of precision, the more knowledge the user has on how to select the individually determined medicine, the better the results with homeopathic medicines.  

To determine the best dose and potency, it is best to get a homeopathic guidebook such as the one listed above as the original source of this information.  The most popular homeopathic guidebook is"Everybody's Guide to Homeopathic Medicines" but we sell this and many others here.  We also sell some very practical and highly discounted home homeopathic medicine kits!  Click here to see the choices for medicine kits, or fell free to CALL us to order them (or ask questions). 

To purchase INDIVIDUAL remedies, you will need to call us at 510-649-0294.  We represent several leading American, British, and European homeopathic pharmacies.  Please let us know if you prefer your remedies from Hahnemann Labs, Helios, Boiron, or Standard.  Please let us know which potency or size of bottle you want (we generally recommend 6C or 30C for those people who are relatively new to homeopathy)...and you'll need to let us know whether you want pills/pellets or a "liquid dilution" (please know that only select homeopathic pharmacies sell liquid dilutions).  We can help you make some of these determinations on the phone, though we cannot provide advice on which remedy to get, unless you wish to pay for a short or long consultation with our owner, Dana Ullman, MPH, CCH.  We will do all we can to serve you.

The information provided here is not only applicable to children but to most people with cough.

REMEDIES LISTED IN CAPITAL LETTERS REPRESENT MORE FREQUENTLY INDICATED REMEDIES

Homeopathic medicines are often effective in treating the acute symptoms of coughs, though professional constitutional care is usually necessary to achieve a deeper level of cure of chronic respiratory problems.

ACONITUM: These children wake from sleep with a dry, hoarse, croupy cough, which tends to be worse at night and after midnight. They are apt to develop a cold or cough during dry cold weather. Along with their dry cough, they will have a dry mouth and shortness of breath. They are usually very thirsty. The cough is worse from being cold, drinking cold water, from tobacco smoke, lying on either side, and at night, especially after midnight. This remedy is very commonly given for the initial stages of croup, bronchitis, pleurisy, and pneumonia. These children are often restless and anxious.

Antimonium tart: A loud rattling cough with an inability to expectorate mucus is characteristic of this medicine. Sometimes precipitated after being angered or annoyed, the respiratory difficulties cause these children to feel drowsy, weak, and feeble. Their symptoms are usually worse at 4 a.m. Their difficulty in breathing may cause them to sit up rather than lie down. Concurrent with these breathing difficulties are anxiousness, restlessness, and irritability. They feel chilly but are averse to stuffy warm rooms. They instead desire cool rooms and open windows. This remedy is rarely given at the beginning of an illness.

Belladonna: When cough symptoms appear suddenly and the child has a dry cough with laryngitis, consider this remedy. These children are restless, drowsy, and have wild dreams. Their symptoms are worse at night.

BRYONIA: When a common cold starts with a nasal discharge and then moves down into the chest, Bryonia is often given, especially when the cough is dry and worse by motion or breathing in. It is painful to move and to inspire, so these children tend to hold their chest as they breathe in order to limit the motion of the chest. The cough is also aggravated by warm rooms and during or after eating. These children tend to be sensitive to drafts and are always catching cold. They may feel some tickling in the larynx which irritates the cough. Sometimes nausea and vomiting or a headache accompany the cough.

Drosera: Bouts of continuous, dry, barking coughing are characteristic of children who need this remedy. They may experience a spasmodic tickling cough that is accompanied by choking, cold sweats, and vomiting. Their cough is aggravated by lying down and after midnight, especially at 2 a.m. The cough is irritated by talking, eating, or drinking cold fluids. These children are usually seen holding onto the chest for support during the coughing spells. They become very chilly and tend to perspire profusely, especially at night. They may also develop a deep hoarse voice.

Ferrum phos: Children who will benefit from this remedy do not get symptoms that arise suddenly, nor are the symptoms very intense. These children may, however, be anemic and become ill after being exposed to cold. The cough becomes worse from cold air, in early morning, and after eating. It is a dry hacking cough, and the expectoration may have some blood in it. The children may experience a stitching pain on inspiration and during a cough. They usually have a poor appetite with an aversion to meat and milk and a desire for sour foods. Hoarseness may accompany the cough.

Hepar sulphur: This remedy is good for a barking, croupy cough, especially when it is exacerbated by exposure to cold. The cough may also be excited by dryness or dust in the larynx, eating or drinking cold things, deep inspiration, or a draft. There may be much coughing up of mucus or rattling of the chest without the ability to cough the mucus out. These children sweat during their coughing spells, and they may actually feel better in damp weather. They are very irritable while ill.

Ipecac: When children have a hacking cough with a tendency to retch or vomit, this remedy should be considered. These children have blood-strained mucus, constriction of the chest, and a tickling in the throat, causing a cough. They tend to cough with every breath and experience excessive salivation. The cough is worse in hot, humid weather or in changing weather. They may also have sneezing and hoarseness. This remedy is a common medicine for infants with a cough and vomiting.

Kali bic: Known to frequently cough up stringy, ropy, yellow mucus, these children are worse after eating, drinking, uncovering, cold weather, and at 3 a.m. They experience some relief from expectorating the stringy mucus, warmth, warm weather, and lying down in a warm bed. They have a sensation of a hair in the back of the throat that irritates the cough. They may have a hoarse voice and may feel pain from sticking out the tongue. In some instances they are known to have pain in the mid-sternum extending through to the back. This remedy is not useful at the beginning stages of a cough.

PHOSPHORUS: These children have a dry hard cough, sometimes with a persistent tickle felt behind the sternum. The cough is aggravated by lying down, especially on the left side, and they are wakened at night and need to sit up to cough. They are also aggravated by talking, moving, going from a warm room to cold air, or from strong odors. To decrease pain from coughing, they usually hold their chest. The tightness in their chest is relieved by the warmth of a bed. They crave ice drinks. Their illness exhausts them, and they sometimes have an empty, all-gone feeling or burning in the chest. Their nasal discharge may have some blood streaked in it, and they may become hoarse. This medicine is commonly given in more serious respiratory conditions like pneumonia.

PULSATILLA: This remedy is related to some characteristic cough symptoms, but it is more commonly prescribed based on a child's General Characteristics. The cough symptoms are aggravated in a warm room or warm weather, by lying down to sleep, and at night. Walking in the cool air provides some relief. Also, the child must sit up in bed to breathe better. Typically, she has a dry cough during the day, and a productive cough with yellow or greenish expectoration at night and upon waking. The key General Characteristics of Pulsatilla children are that they are affectionate, moody, weepy, indecisive, and always seek to please others. They crave affection and sympathy and cannot get enough of it. They have fears of being abandoned, so when parents get ready to go out for whatever reason, these children may beg them not to leave.

RUMEX: The most distinctive characteristic of children who need this remedy is that their cough is extremely sensitive to cold air. They may even place a blanket or towel over their head to avoid breathing cold air. They experience a tickling in the throat and an irritation below the larynx that is aggravated by touching or pressing th th the pit of the throat. They have a dry cough and usually become hoarse. They are aggravated in the night and by motion and feel better in warmth.

SPONGIA: This remedy is one of the primary medicines for a dry, barking, croupy cough. The air passages are dry, the sputum is absent, and the voice is hoarse. The coughing can be exacerbated by cold air, warm rooms, tobacco smoke, talking, lying with the head low, drinking cold fluids, or eating sweets. The cough also tends to be worse in the early part of the night. Warm food or drinks, even in small doses, provide some relief, as does sitting up and leaning forward. This remedy is considered a second stage croup remedy, after Aconitum and before Hepar and Kali bic.

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Important "single" homeopathic remedies for coughs

7 important "single" homeopathic remedies for coughs

One thing about homeopathy and single homeopathic remedies - they work best when applied based on an individual's symptoms.  So as cold season bares down on us, in homeopathy it's more important to focus on the "cough" rather than the "cold."  Unless of course, you don't have a cough, then you would look at sinus or other key symptoms.  But usually with colds, it's the cough that is the key indicator.  There are many types of coughs and unique sub-sets of symptoms associated with those coughs.  While this list is not comprehensive, it highlights 7 important single homeopathic remedies.  Each one addresses a unique type of cough and set of symptoms that may accompany that cough.

Pulsatilla: A wearying night cough that forces the cougher to sit up.  Other symptoms include burning eyes, dry sore throats and thirstless, chilly fevers that cannot stand external heat.  Whenever you read about Pulsatilla, a specific personality shows up, something like ‘soft, gentle, mild, affectionate, as well as clingy, weepy, moody, sometimes childish’. The most important aspects of Pulsatilla are a deep need for security with fear of abandonment, and ever changing moods and symptoms. It helps children who need constant attention, who cannot make decisions and are usually capable of manipulation and irritability to get the reassurance they need. They want to please and be pleased in return. They may cling to parents and teachers.

Nux vomica: A suffocating cough highlights a restlessness cold or flu with extreme chilliness. This extreme chilliness also marks a Nux fever– drafts are unbearable.  The cold may also have burning mucus that blocks the nose at night and a rough sore throat that sends pain toward the ears on trying to swallow the lump in your throat. Ear pain that hurts on swallowing will often find relief in Nux, as well.   On the emotional side, typical adjectives for Nux individuals or states include: competitive, impatient, impulsive, ambitious, aggressive, fastidious, restless.  Stress from excess is an important keynote, whether brought on by too much work, food, fun or spirits.

Kali bich: Stubborn, gagging cough.  Beginning with the sinuses, the thick, ropy, yellow to green, sticky, stringy, stubborn, smelly mucus crusts up in the nose and fills the sinuses causing choking post nasal drip, a stubborn cough to clear the throat, hoarseness and pain especially at the root of the nose. As mucus accumulates overnight, morning becomes a torment of blocked nasal passages with stubborn hacking, hawking, gagging and coughing. Once into your chest, the cough can be very stubborn, painful and croupy. These symptoms often include a sore swollen throat that feels dry and the pain may extend to the ears

Phosphorus: A racking violent cough set off by a tickle in the aching raw throat.  The colds Phosphorus treats best move quickly into the chest. The cough may set the body trembling and cause labored breathing and tightness across the chest. A key trait to its fever is great thirst for cold drinks that are vomited soon after warming in the stomach. Hoarseness usually results from these colds, but it also helps hoarseness from overuse, especially in singers.

Bryonia: A dry, hacking cough with stitching pains. Bryonia relieves ailments that approach slowly, linger too long and may result from being chilled when overheated or from fast weather changes. Its slow moving flu and colds are marked by dryness.  Other symptoms include a bone-aching, chill-ridden fever, great thirst for cold water, dry throat and a “don’t touch me, leave me alone” growl.

Hepar Sulph: A dry or rattling cough.  Chilliness and yellow phlegm also dominate this cold and there may be sinus pressure with splinter-like sore throats.  The individuals needing Hepar sulph most lack internal heat, are easily offended, can get violently angry especially regarding rudeness or causes. They may become quite morose, sad and highly irritable, especially at night. Though not highly active, they may speak, eat and act out quickly and impulsively. In general, if highly sensitive to cold, pain, and touch, you might want to examine Hepar sulph, especially if cold air feels threatening.

Natrum mur: A dry tickling cough.  Dryness underlies many of Nat mur’s applications. Its colds and congestions have a dry rawness along with thickening clear to whitish mucus.  On the emotional plane, the dryness becomes idiomatic as Nat mur applies to poorly circulated stress– suppressed grief, humiliation and heartbreaks. Sadness, irritability, anger, sleeplessness and haunting memories tend to dominate.  Complaints tend to improve with open air, deep breathing and tight clothing, and worsen with consolation, more emotion, hormonal fluctuations and sunlight (especially headaches). A deep crack in the lower lip and a desire for salty foods further indicate a need for Nat mur.

Homoeopathic remedies for cough

The Treatment of Coughs With Homeopathy

by Laura Paris, O.M.D., L.Ac.

Now that the flu season is upon us, it is not uncommon for practitioners to see patients with viral and respiratory infections of all kinds.  Some are return visits where a prescribed antibiotic hasn't eliminated the problem.  If only one pill could cure everyone; but everyone is different and every cough the doctor treats has a different story.

When treating with homeopathy, regardless of the diagnosis (be it croup, pertussis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, or pleurisy), it is the story that leads us to the right remedy and a cure.

"Doctor, it came on so suddenly after skiing one day."  (Aconite)

"Doctor, I'm so thirsty and irritable, my cough is dry and my chest hurts when I move" (Bryonia)

"Doctor, my throat hurts and I can hardly speak.  Do you have some ice-cold water?" (Phosphorus)

"Doctor, the baby starts to cry before the cough and it's a violent, dry cough."  Fever? Red face?" (Belladonna)

"Doctor, there's a lot of thick, sticky phlegm, I have a hacking cough and it hurts behind the sternum."  (Kali bichromicum)

"Doctor, the baby starts coughing at night as soon as her head hits the pillow." (Drosera)

"Doctor, my whole chest is sensitive, and I'm coughing up little hard lumps of phlegm.  The cough wakes me up at 3 am." (Kali carb)

"Doctor, she's as sweet as can be, but she has so much yellow mucus!" (Pulsatilla)

Obviously, there are hundreds of remedies for hundreds of stories.  The more commonly used homeopathic medicines for coughs are listed in Table 1 in this Technical Bulletin and Table 2 in the The Treatment of Coughs With Homeopathy - Part II.  If no single remedy is clear to new users of homeopathy, some of the low potency combination remedies for coughs often prove effective.  As always, the best way to find the best remedy is using the repertory, the cough section can be very enlightening.

Dry Coughs are covered in Table I.  Productive Coughs are covered in Table II. 

Table I - Dry Coughs

Homeopathic Remedy	Nature of Cough	Other Facts
Aconite	Constant Short, dry cough.  Hoarse, loud cough.  Dryness of chest.  Feels like suffocating with each inspiration	Anxiety, restless, worse at night.  After exposure to cold wind.
Belladonna	Cough with dryness of larynx.  Red throat with scraping in larynx.  Tickling and burning spasmodic, barking, short cough.  Great whooping cough remedy with spasms in larynx causing whoop and difficult breathing.	Red Face, dilated pupils.  Child cries before cough comes on.  Cough ends with sneezing
Bryonia	Hard, dry, spasmodic cough.  Pain in chest, must press hand to sternum.  Cough shakes whole body, must spring up in bed.  Hurts to breath deeply.	Irritable, worse with movement, worse after food or drink.  Thirsty.
Phosphorus	Dry, tickling, tight cough that is exhausting.   Violent, shaking cough.  Must hold chest and abdomen while coughing.  Trembles with cough.  Cough worse laughing, talking or eating.	Chilly with thirst for ice cold drinks.  Anxious, nervous.  Worse in open air or going from cold to warm room.
Causticum	Dry, raw, hoarse cough.  Aphonia.  Chest seems full of mucus and "if I cough a little deeper I could get the mucus out".	Better with ice-cold water.  Inability to expectorate.  Escape of urine with cough.
Spongia	Hoarseness.  Dry, barking, croupy cough.  Worse during inspiration and before midnight.  Irrepressible cough from spot deep in chest.  Feels like plug in throat.	Better after eating or drinking warm drinks.  Worse lying with head low.

Table II - Productive Coughs

Homeopathic Remedy	Nature of Cough	Other Facts
Drosera	Spasmodic Cough dep in the chest.  Violent tickling in the larynx brings on cough.  Cough impulses so violent cannot catch breath.  Cough as soon as head hits pillow.  Principal remedy for whooping cough.	Pain in the hypochondrium must hold while coughing.  Worse at night.  Cough can be dry and irritative.
Hepar Sulph	Croup.  Loose, rattling cough worse in the morning. Suffocating, choking cough.  Hoarseness with loss of voice.	Better breathing warm air.  Worse when any part of the body gets uncovered or cold.  Better sitting up and bending head backwards
Kali Bich.	Voice hoarse with hacking cough.  Profuse white or yellow expectoration, sticky and stringy.  Cough as a brassy sound.	Worse in the evening.  Pain in the sternum that extends to the shoulders.
Stannum	During the day, loose cough with heavy, green mucus.  Dry cough at night.  Weakness of chest or chest feels empty.	Worse using voice, laughing or singing.  Worse with warm drinks.
Antimonium tart.	Great rattling of mucus, but very little is expectorated.  Burning sensation in chest.  Bronchial tubes are overloaded with mucus	Cough worse with eating palpitation and hot feeling in chest.  Better sitting up.

SPASMODIC CROUP

There is a celebrated group of homeopathic remedies for Spasmodic Croup, sold for years as Boeninghausen's Croup Powders.  The remedies are:

Aconite, Hepar Sulph., and Spongia

Give in that order as required at two to four hour intervals, according to the urgency of the case.

Laura Paris, O.M.D., L.Ac. is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Licensed Acupuncturist with a private practice in Santa Monica.  She is a graduate, of the IFH Post Graduate for Professionals and has studied classical homeopathy for many years.

Persistent and dry cough - try these remedies

7 Natural Cough Remedies for Persistent & Dry Coughs

It’s never a fun situation when you have a persistent cough. You don’t want to be that person in a quiet room during a lecture that can’t stop breaking the silence with your hacking, or that person at the restaurant that makes people fling themselves over their plates to protect their food while you cough away. Or that person on the plane that everyone throws disgusted looks at. Coughs are just terribly uncomfortable all around, both physically and otherwise.

There are two primary types of coughs, dry and productive. A productive cough is one in which you are coughing up phlegm or mucous-this is not a cough that should be suppressed, as your body needs to rid itself of the gunk that’s in your chest/lungs. While it shouldn’t be suppressed, some of these remedies will address a productive cough by including an expectorant, or something that loosens mucous and makes it easier for the body to get rid of.

A dry, hacking, cough is another story. This is one we do want to stop. It can be caused by allergies, dry air, a random tickle at the back of your throat that won’t go away, the aftermath of a cold, being in a dusty environment, etc. etc. For these we turn to demulcents, ingredients that soothe irritated mucous membranes and remove the irritant triggering the cough. Studies conducted in 2004 found that the main ingredients in cough syrup (dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine) have the same effectiveness in treating coughs as a placebo ingredient. Instead of turning to chemical solutions for every minor ailment, try some home remedies instead. They are not only better for you, but they taste a whole lot better than most cough syrup too!

1. A Spoonful of Honey

Studies, such as one conducted at Penn State College of Medicine, have found that honey can work more efficiently to calm a cough than over-the-counter drugs. It is a rich demulcent, with a high viscosity and stickiness that does an incredible job of coating and soothing those irritated mucous membranes. Thanks to an enzyme added by bees when they harvest honey, it also hasantibacterial properties as well, which may help shorten how long you have the cough if it is due to bacterial illness.

Note: This is an excellent alternative remedy for both kids and adults, but should never be given to children under the age of 2 years due to the risk of botulism.

You will need…

-1 tablespoon of organic, raw, honey

Directions

Take 1 tablespoon of honey 1-3 times daily as needed to control coughing. Take immediately before bed if cough is disrupting your sleep. For children, you can adjust the dosing to 1 teaspoon up to one tablespoon.

2. Licorice Root Tea

Licorice root is both an expectorant and demulcent, simultaneously soothing your airways while loosening and thinning mucous, easing congestion. It can also ease any inflammation that may be irritating your throat. Its main constituent, glycyrrhizin, is responsible for most of its effects. 30-50 times sweeter than sucrose (table sugar), it inhibits an enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (how would like you to write that on a name tag?) This enzyme regulates access of glucocorticoid (a steroid hormone) to steroid receptors, ultimately slowing the conversion of cortisol to cortisone. This increases the effect of cortisol and reducing inflammation. If you are on steroids, or have any problems with your kidneys, it is best to steer clear of licorice root.

You will need…

-2 tablespoons of dried licorice root
-8 ounces of fresh water

Directions

Bring water to a boil and place the licorice root in a mug. Cover with water and steep for 10-15 minutes. Drink the entire cup up to 2 times daily.

3. Gargle Salt Water

Also a popular remedy for sore throats, salt water can ease the discomfort caused by a cough the same way it helps a sore throat-through osmosis. When the concentration of salt is higher outside of the cells in your mucous membranes, water flows out of the cells to balance everything out. When water leaves the cells, swelling goes down, and discomfort is decreased. If you have a cough that happens to come along with inflamed tissue, this is a good route to take. It can also help dislodge any phlegm that’s hanging out and allow you to expel it easily.

You will need…

-1 teaspoon of salt
-8 ounces of warm water

Directions

Stir salt into water until it is thoroughly dissolved. Gargle for 15 seconds, spit, and repeat with the remaining water. Rinse with plain water afterwards.

4. Steam, Steam, Steam!

I can’t say how underrated steam is when it comes to anything dealing with a cough, cold, or congestion. Not only does the steam quite literally loosen mucous and phlegm, almost immediately, but you can add numerous essential oils that will impart wonderful healing benefits. These benefits (anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory etc.) do become airborne, so you inhale them while you breathe in the steam. For this particular blend I’ve included both tea tree oil and eucalyptus oil, which can help soothe and open your airways as well as help fight off bacteria or a virus.

You will need…

-3 drops of tea tree oil
-1-2 drops of eucalyptus oil
-A bowl of water
-A soft, clean, towel

Directions

Bring enough water to a boil to halfway fill a medium size-heat proof bowl. Pour the water into it, let it cool slightly for 30-60 seconds, and add the essential oils, giving it a quick stir to release the vapors. Lean over the bowl and get as close as you can while still being comfortable. Remember that steam can seriously burn! Use the towel to cover your head like a tent, trapping the steam, and breathe deeply. Ideally, do this for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times a day.

5. Tea Thyme

Thyme has been used for centuries, and was even used during one of the most devastating pandemics to take place in human history. The Black Death was a plague that peaked in Europe from 1346-1353. During that time, and in other incidents of the plague thereafter, townspeople would gather to burn large bundles of thyme to ward off the disease, or carry pockets of thyme on them. Indeed, thyme does have anti-microbial properties, but we’re not warding off any plague here-just your cough. Thyme relaxes the muscles of the trachea and bronchi, and also opens up airways. The result is less coughing, and increased comfort.

You will need…

-a handful of fresh thyme sprigs OR 2 tablespoons dried thyme
-8 ounces of fresh water
-Honey or lemon (optional)

Directions

Lightly bruise the thyme, e.g. with a mortar and pestle, and then place in a mug. Cover with 8 ounces of boiling water, cover, and let it steep for 10-15 minutes. Add some lemon or honey to taste, and drink the whole thing. Repeat 2-3 times daily as needed. It’s absolutely delightful just before bedtime (unless you aren’t a fan of thyme. But drink some anyways.)

6. Pepper & Honey

Black pepper is the world’s most traded spice, but most of its use is limited to the culinary world. What people don’t know is that it can make a great remedy for coughs that are accompanied by a lot of mucous or chest congestion. If you’ve accidently leaned too close to black pepper while it’s being grinded, you know it can make you cough or tickle your nose. This may not be fun on a regular basis, but it’s a plus if you need to expel all the nasty stuff that’s gunking up your lungs. The honey adds its antibacterial properties, and it makes it so the pepper isn’t too irritating. You can make black pepper “syrup” with honey, or a tea, as below. If possible, use freshly ground black pepper, as the pre-ground pepper simply seems to lose some of its punch.

You will need…

-1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
-1 tablespoon of honey
-8 ounces of fresh water

Directions

Place the pepper and honey in a mug and then cover with boiling water. Give it stir to disperse the pepper flakes and melt in the honey. Steep for 10 minutes, stir once more, and drink in its entirety. Repeat 1-2 times a day as needed to loosen mucous.

7. Ginger Peppermint Syrup

Here you get the soothing qualities of warming ginger, all wrapped up in a delicious easy to swallow cough syrup. Spicy ginger works as an expectorant, helping loosen and expel mucous from the lungs. It can also stop the painful tickle at the back of throat that can trigger a cough if the first place, if you are experiencing a dry cough. The peppermint will also help relieve the irritating tickle of a cough.

You will need…

-3 tablespoons of chopped ginger
-1 tablespoon of dried peppermint
-4 cups of water
-1 cup of honey

Directions

Chop the ginger and add it along with the peppermint to 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat so that the liquid simmer. Simmer until the liquid has been reduced by half, than strain. Let it cool slightly, and then stir in 1 cup of honey until it has been dissolved completely. Bottle and take 1 tablespoon every few hours as needed to ease your cough. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.

Tips:

-I cannot stress the importance of covering your tea while it steeps. Not only does it keep it piping hot, it traps all the steam and any of the volatile oils in the steam (and their benefits) in the cup for you to inhale when you uncover it.

You may also like our natural expectorant and decongestant

P.S. Take a look at the Everyday Roots Book. It's a Book that we created to help you replace the toxic products and medications in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives. It contains 215+ effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to protect your family and save money every month.

Home remedies for cough

Cough - try these home remedies:

Coughing is one of the most common health problems. When there is a blockage or irritant in your throat or upper air passages, your brain thinks a foreign element is present and tells your body to cough to remove that element. Coughing can also be due to a viral infection, common cold, flu, and smoking or health problems such as asthma, tuberculosis, and lung cancer.

Some of the symptoms of a cough are itchy throat, chest pain, and congestion. Instead of using over-the-counter cough syrups, you can try some natural cough treatments using readily available ingredients in your kitchen.

Here are the top 10 home remedies for a cough.

(Out of the 10, we have covered 3 highly effective home remedies in this video as well.)

1. Turmeric

The herb turmeric has a therapeutic effect on coughs, particularly a dry cough.

• Heat half a cup of water in a boiling pot. Add one teaspoon turmeric powder, and one teaspoon black pepper. You may also add cinnamon sticks. Boil this for about two to three minutes. Add one tablespoon of honey. Drink this daily until the condition improves.
• Alternatively, make an herbal tea by adding one teaspoon of turmeric powder and one teaspoon of carom seeds to a cup of water, and boil it until water reduces to one-half cup. Add some honey and drink this herbal solution two to three times a day.
• Another way to use turmeric is to roast turmeric root and grind it into a smooth powder. Mix it with water and honey, and drink it twice a day.

2. Ginger

Ginger is one of the most popular natural cures for a cough.

• Cut fresh ginger into small slices and crush them slightly. Put them in a cup of water and bring to a boil. Drink this herbal solution three to four times a day for relief from sore throat, non-stop coughing and even congestion. You can also some lemon juice and honey to it.
• Another option is to chew fresh raw ginger on and off throughout the day to reduce your cough.

3. Lemon

Lemons can be used in a variety of ways for curing coughs. Lemons have properties that reduce inflammation and also provide a dose of infection-fighting vitamin C.

• A simple cough syrup can be made by combining two tablespoons of lemon juice and one tablespoon of honey. Drink this healthy syrup several times a day.
• Another way to use lemons is to blend lemon juice with a little honey and a pinch of cayenne pepper and then drink it.

4. Garlic

Garlic has both antibacterial and antimicrobial components that help treat coughs.

• Boil two to three cloves of garlic in a cup of water and add a teaspoon of oregano. Allow it to cool to room temperature, add some honey and drink it. This will help your breathing and alleviate other cough symptoms.
• Eat a clove of crushed garlic mixed with a few drops of clove oil and some honey for sore throat relief. You can also use garlic in your cooking.

5. Onion

One of the simplest home remedies for a cough is to cut onions. Breathing in the strong vapors can help stop coughing.

• You can also make a cough syrup from baked onion juice, comfrey tea and honey. Drink it daily to get relief from a dry cough.
• Another option is to combine one-half teaspoon of onion juice with one teaspoon of pure honey. Swallow this solution at least twice a day to alleviate a cough and soothe your throat.

6. Hot Milk with Honey

Hot milk with honey can relieve a dry cough and reduce chest pain you may be experiencing from continuous coughing. For best results, drink it before going to sleep. For added benefits from the analgesic properties of honey, swallow a teaspoon of plain honey on empty stomach. This will help clear the mucus and soothe your throat.

7. Cayenne

Cayenne helps reduce chest pain due to continuous coughing. It is also warming and stimulating.

1. Make a healthy cough syrup by mixing one-fourth teaspoon cayenne pepper, one-fourth teaspoon ground ginger, one tablespoon honey, one tablespoon apple cider vinegar and two tablespoons of water.
2. Drink the syrup two to three times a day.

8. Carrot Juice

Carrots have many vitamins and nutrients that can help relieve various symptoms of a cough.

1. Make fresh juice from four to five carrots and add some water to dilute it. For taste and added benefits, add one teaspoon of honey.
2. Drink the juice three to four times a day until your symptoms improve.

9. Grapes

Grapes have properties that act as an expectorant, releasing the mucus from the affected parts of your respiratory system. The faster you get rid of the mucus, the faster your coughing will end. You can simply eat grapes or make some fresh grape juice. Grape juice with a spoonful of honey will be soothing as well as effective.

10. Almonds

Almonds have nutritional properties that play a proactive role in healing cough symptoms.

1. Soak five to six almonds in water for 8 to 10 hours.
2. Make a smooth paste out of the soaked almonds and add one teaspoon of butter.
3. Eat it three to four times a day until your symptoms go away.

These home remedies can give you relief from the various symptoms of a cough without the side effects that come with pills and cough syrups. But if you have continuous coughing for more than two weeks, consult your doctor.