Home remedies that help

Cough: How to soothe irritated airways

To get rid of a cough, home remedies can help in the beginning.

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Many Austrians are now suffering from coughs again. Simple household remedies help to get rid of it as quickly as possible. You often don't even have to leave your home for the ingredients. Even honey and certain teas work well.

Coughing is a natural reflex of the body to clear the airways. It occurs, for example, when dust, pollen or mucus irritate the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. During a cold, for example, the body produces more mucus, which it wants to get rid of.

Constant "barking" makes you physically tired, as it strains the respiratory muscles, especially the diaphragm and chest muscles, which often leads to exhaustion or sore muscles.

Frequent coughing also makes it difficult to speak, strains the vocal cords and can sometimes lead to hoarseness or loss of voice. It also disturbs sleep at night, causing tiredness during the day and a general feeling of discomfort.

"Embarrassing" cough
Incidentally, the cough itself can lead to even more coughing, as the mucous membranes in the throat and respiratory tract become irritated, causing a sore throat, which in turn promotes the urge to cough. Some people even avoid social or sporting activities because they have the impression that their "barking" is disturbing or unpleasant for those around them. These diverse effects show that - apart from the physical discomfort - it can have a massive impact on daily life, social interactions and rest periods. Reason enough to take quick action to get the cough under control.

Try home remedies first
Most of us like to turn to home remedies to alleviate annoying symptoms. Here are some natural helpers:

• Honey: A teaspoon of this before going to bed soothes the urge to cough. Another option is to stir it into warm tea. The "yellow bee gold" itself has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect. It is also ideal if a sore throat accompanies a cough. Honey is even more effective when combined with lemon or ginger, as the healing properties of these ingredients reinforce each other.

Honey has an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect.

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• Menthol is a substance that is found in plants such as peppermint and relieves cold symptoms, e.g. as a tea: It has a cooling and soothing effect on the mucous membranes, dilates the airways and makes breathing easier.

• Marshmallow contains 20% mucilage. These soothe irritations by protecting the mucous membranes. The medicinal plant is therefore a good choice for dry, irritating coughs. Dried and chopped leaves and roots can be used to prepare a tea: pour 150 milliliters of cold water over 1-2 teaspoons of the root extract or 1 tablespoon of the leaf extract. Leave to stand for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally, so that the cold water dissolves the mucilage. Then heat, allow to cool and pour through a tea strainer. Drink one cup three times a day.

• Ribwort plantain (as a juice, for example) has an antispasmodic effect on the bronchial tubes and promotes expectoration. It also soothes the urge to cough and is considered anti-inflammatory.

• Thyme: Its tea soothes the mucous membranes and stimulates the release of mucus. The essential thyme oil extracted from the medicinal plant has an antispasmodic effect on the bronchial tubes and promotes expectoration in the case of catarrh of the upper airways. It increases secretion as well as the transport function of the cilia movement (cilia on the mucous membrane) in the bronchi.

  The antibacterial and antiseptic effect of thymol (the main ingredient of the oil), which is effective on inflamed bronchial mucous membranes, is also beneficial. This antibacterial effect makes it more difficult for bacteria to multiply. Thyme also cleanses the bronchial tubes and relieves the cramp-like contraction of the muscles that surround the bronchial tubes.

• Iceland moss (a lichen in botanical terms) soothes irritated mucous membranes, for example in the form of tea, and thus alleviates dry, irritating coughs. Many herbal cough syrups, lozenges etc. contain a combination of these and other active ingredients and can be used for both dry and productive coughs as required.

Icelandic moss soothes dry irritating coughs.

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Inhalation, gargling and onion syrup
If you are looking for a few more measures and don't want to go shopping, the following is a good choice:

Inhaling moistens the airways and makes it easier to cough up phlegm.

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• Inhale: Hold your head over a bowl of hot water and place a towel over it. If you like, add a few chamomile flowers or salt. This moistens your airways and makes it easier to cough up phlegm.
• Salt water gargle: Dissolve half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle with it. This helps to disinfect the throat and soothe coughs.
• Onion syrup: Slice an onion and cover it with honey. Leave the mixture to infuse overnight and take the resulting syrup by the spoonful.

When is a visit to the doctor necessary?
Although coughs often seem harmless, there are situations in which a visit to the doctor is advisable: if the cough lasts longer than three weeks, if the cough is severe and accompanied by shortness of breath, chest pain or fever, if the phlegm is greenish or bloody and if it is a dry, barking cough that could indicate whooping cough or another serious illness.