Troublesome, irritating and laden with germs which will be expelled in the air unless one remembers to cover the mouth with a tissue or handkerchief.
A cough is a reflex action controlled by the brain. It is meant to protect the airway from the entry of foreign matters.
Some persons suffer from this most of the time especially Asthmatics and those with Chronic Bronchitis.
Irritation of the larynx may be caused by fluid or food particles, smoke, fog, and chemical fumes such as ammonia.
The cough may be dry or productive. The sputum produced may be clear with mucous, frothy, green, yellow or blood-stained.
How to get rid of the cough
- One good method is using a steam inhalation.
- Stove
- Kettle
- Water
- Large bath towel
- Chair
- Table
- Basin
- Vapour rub or Eucalyptus oil
- Tissue
TOOLS AND MATERIALS REQUIRED
METHOD
- Put kettle to boil on stove
- Place a chair at a table that reaches your chest
- Place basin on the table
- Place box with tissue on table
- When the water is boiling, turn off the stove
- Pour boiling water into basin
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN YOURSELF
- Add ½ tsp. vapour rub or 3 drops of eucalyptus oil to the water in the basin
- Sit on chair
- Bend head over the basin
- Cover head and basin with large towel
- Inhale the steam
- Continue inhaling until there is no steam left
- Try not to spill the contents of the basin
- Close your eyes to prevent stinging sensation.
- Conduct this procedure last thing at night, before going to bed.
- Use tissue to spit in, for disposal later.
- Repeat this nightly until coughing ceases
TIPS AND WARNINGS
There are other ways to stop a cough such as:
- Sucking on a eucalyptus sweet
- Purchasing an over-the- counter antihistamine to take, for example Claritin, Benadryl / DPH or Histatussin. Instructions should be followed as these medications can cause drowsiness. The coughing may be caused by an allergic response
- Asthmatics should use their pumps and take their prescription medications.
- Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water daily
- Drink fruit and vegetable juices daily. Fresh orange juice, lemonade and sorrel are loaded with Vitamin C and other antioxidants.
- Take a multivitamin/multimineral tablet daily.
- Increase antioxidant intake by taking daily Vitamin E, Selenium, Echinacea, and CQ10 enzyme, Beta-carotene or Pycnogenol.
- Herbal teas may be used. 1 oz. Bugle Weed, found in Eastern USA, may be boiled in 1 pint of water .Cool and drink frequently in glassful doses.
- Cut out smoking cigarettes
- Seek your Doctor’s advice if the cough does not go away, if there is blood in the sputum, wheezing, pain on coughing, breathlessness, exhaustion or there is weight-loss.
Jenny Richards is a free lancer writer and content builder of http://www.persistentcough.org