Tips to Get Rid of a Cough in Five Minutes at Home

No matter how long you've had a cough, the discomfort may have you thinking about how to stop a cough in five minutes and looking online for answers. Few things in life are as unpleasant as an annoying cough that just won't go away. A cough can simply be a tickle in the throat or it can persist long after a cold has passed.

When something irritates your throat or airways, your body responds by coughing. An irritant stimulates the nerves in your body that communicate with your brain. The brain then commands the muscles in your chest and abdomen to force air out of your lungs to drive out the irritant.

The most common method of clearing your throat is to cough. A cough is a reflex action that you use to try and cleanse your airways of mucus or foreign objects like smoke or dust.

The best ways to stop coughing quickly at home, according to doctor are discussed below:

Use salt water to gargle

Salt water is an easy way to get rid of a cough. According to a 2019 study, it might shorten the length of a cough. This solution is efficient at killing bacteria, thinning mucus, and reducing pain—even though it may sting a little at first. Make one at home by combining eight ounces of warm water with half a teaspoon of table salt.

Add honey to your drinks

It has been discovered that honey, either on its own or in a cup of tea, can aid to relieve cough. According to Penn Medicine, it can also reduce discomfort and aid in the defense against viral infections. To get these advantages, simply mix two tablespoons of honey into a mug of hot tea or water.

Hydrate

While staying hydrated is vital every day, having a cough might make it even more important. Drinking enough water will help thin mucus in the throat, which can help to get rid of a cough.

Drink ginger tea

Ginger is renowned for its capacity to calm an upset stomach. It turns out that it is also effective to get rid of a cough quickly. Ginger lozenges are frequently used for this reason because it has been shown that ginger can help with coughing and sore throat relief.

The root also possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities that are helpful in the treatment of a variety of diseases. Use a teabag or fresh slices of ginger to steep in hot water to make ginger tea.

Take a hot shower or bath

A hot bath helps with cold symptoms such as congestion, coughing, and sinus pressure in addition to relieving stress after a long day. This is a result of the steam's humidity, which helps to open your sinuses and thin out mucus.

The use of a humidifier is an alternative that achieves the same result by adding moisture to the air around you.

Use heartburn pills

Acid reflux can be treated with Pepcid, Prilosec, or other antacids, which can also stop any related coughing. If you find that it's a regular issue, you can benefit from adjusting your diet. For example, you should stay away from meals high in fat, sugar, onions, and tomatoes while increasing your intake of high-fiber foods like brown rice, celery, lettuce, melon, oats, and root vegetables (think: potatoes).

If reflux is the cause of your coughs, you might also want to drink a lot of water and eat little pieces of food each time you eat.

Use a neti pot

The doctor advises using a neti pot, which can clear out any dirt or mucus from your nasal passages, to control cough brought on by postnasal drip. Mucus removal from the nasal passages can assist to improve cough by lowering postnasal outflow. People with allergies and sinus infections can get comfortable with this irrigation device.

Get cough medicines

Of course, you should also try OTC drugs, especially if you've already exhausted all other options to get rid of a cough immediately. Antitussives suppress the cough reflex and are cough suppressants. Then there are expectorants, which thin mucus and might aid in your ability to cough it out of your airway.

Always remember to check the expiration dates and get advice from your pharmacist or physician if you are unsure.

Try a nasal spray

The doctor advises trying Flonase or Nasonex together with a daily allergy medication like Allegra, Claritin, or Zyrtec if your cough is caused by allergies. Postnasal drip and associated cough are frequently resolved by treating allergy symptoms. This is particularly true if a cough is most noticeable while lying flat or in the morning.

Probiotics

Probiotics have been shown to have little effect in preventing the common cold and reducing coughing in addition to helping to maintain excellent gut health. Yogurt and fermented foods like miso and kimchi are excellent sources of probiotics.

Grab a lozenge

A lozenge or hard candy is another quick and simple at-home solution to get rid of a cough in its tracks. Sucking on one can enhance saliva production, which raises oral secretions and can, in turn, reduce coughing.

Stop smoking

Quitting smoking can reduce inflammation by reducing exposure to irritants and substances that are bad for the lungs. Depending on how often a person smokes and for how long, a cough brought on by smoking may progress.

Coughing is not always a terrible thing. Coughing is a reaction that shields our lungs and airways from irritants including dust, bacteria, and mucus. The American Lung Association also states that the occasional cough is totally natural.

But sometimes it is so much annoying and painful, that's why you can follow the above doctor-suggested ways to easily get rid of a cough in five minutes at home.