There is nothing more annoying than a dry or irritating cough. Discover how to soothe coughing fits and irritation with these natural tips that are easy to do at home.
Basically we could define a cough as the violent, sudden and noisy expulsion of the air contained in the lungs. This cough tends to be caused by irritation of our respiratory tract, or with the aim of keeping the air in the lungs clean in the presence of foreign substances. It basically becomes a very important and useful way to keep our throat and airways clear.
However, when we have too much cough it can be an indication that we are suffering from some type of respiratory disease or condition, which will depend in turn on the type of cough we have.
For example, productive cough is one in which mucus (or phlegm) is expelled, while dry cough is characterized as a type of cough in which expectoration or sputum is not produced, and generally tends to be irrigative.
What is dry cough and why does it appear?
Dry cough is also known as irrigative cough, mainly because it is a non-productive cough, which is why from a medical point of view it is also known by the name of non-productive cough.
And why is it known medically and popularly as dry cough? Fundamentally because it is a strong cough that does not produce expectoration, not secreting phlegm (when this does occur it is known as a productive cough). Hence, it is also called unproductive cough.
Unlike a productive cough or one that does secrete phlegm or mucus, a dry cough tends to cause real – and annoying – coughing fits. In fact, those who have already suffered from it are quite likely to have noticed a clear difference from a productive cough.
And it is that while it tends to calm down by coughing and eliminating the phlegm present in the throat or by swallowing, dry cough is not relieved in such a simple and simple way. That is, no matter what you cough or swallow with the aim of relieving it, it won’t really help much.
Dry cough appears when the respiratory tract becomes irritated, as a result of inflammation of the bronchial mucosa or the larynx, or simply due to the penetration of foreign bodies into these tracts. Also an allergic reaction can cause its appearance.
Depending on the cause that causes the appearance of the dry cough, different related discomforts may or may not also arise. For example, when the cause is due to inflammation, it is also common for other symptoms to appear, such as a sore throat, hoarseness, and constant sneezing.
How to calm dry cough attacks naturally:
First of all, we must bear in mind that, in reality, coughing is a defense mechanism that our body uses in order to clean the respiratory tract. For this reason, many doctors believe that cough should not be compulsorily suppressed by the administration of medications or drugs.
Of course, as long as the cough is not very intense or frequent, since otherwise the mucosa could be damaged. In this sense, antitussives (cough-inhibiting drugs) are quite useful, especially helping at night when a dry cough prevents a restful sleep.
On the other hand, from a natural point of view, there are some natural tips that can be of great help, especially when attacks of dry cough occur and we cannot find a way to relieve them. The most useful are the following.
Homemade syrup of anise, cloves and chamomile
At home we can make different homemade syrups that are especially useful when we have a cold or flu. And we can also prepare one that is especially suitable against dry cough.
For this particular case we can make an anise syrup, cloves and chamomile. For this we will use a handful of cloves, a handful of chamomile, a handful of green anise, honey and lemon juice.
To make it, first of all we are going to make an infusion with the 3 indicated plants and herbs: put the equivalent of two cups of water in a saucepan and boil the cloves, chamomile and anise for 5 minutes. After this type, turn off the heat, cover and let stand another 5 minutes.
Then strain the drink and mix with plenty of honey and freshly squeezed lemon juice, until it acquires the consistency of sticky syrup. Reserve in a glass jar and take two tablespoons of this syrup three times a day, especially at times when a dry cough makes an appearance.
Warm milk with honey
Who does not know a home remedy as old as it is popular, consisting of drinking a glass of warm milk sweetened with honey? In the past, our grandmothers used it a lot, mainly because it became an excellent natural treatment when it came to relieving and calming coughs.
Of course, it is a useful option only when there is a dry cough without phlegm, since milk is contraindicated in cases of productive cough because it will tend to increase mucus causing even more problems.
To prepare this natural remedy you just have to put milk in a glass and heat it a little until it is lukewarm. Then sweeten it with a little honey and drink it little by little. It will also help soothe a sore throat caused by irritation.
A tablespoon of honey
This is probably one of the simplest and easiest dry cough remedies, mainly because you only need a single natural ingredient: pure bee honey, especially if it is dark honey (which according to different scientific studies is much more effective and healthier than clear honey).
You just have to take a tablespoon of pure dark honey 3 times a day, until the dry cough improves.
