5 Ways to Relieve a Lingering Cough

The fever and achy muscles are gone, you’re feeling much better, but that hacking cough is still hanging in there. While a cough that won’t go away can be caused by something other than a cold (e.g., bronchitis, sinusitis, allergies, pneumonia), for many, a nagging cough can linger around for up to three weeks after the other symptoms of a cold have passed. What can you do to get some relief? Here are a few non-over-the-counter suggestions:

1. Use a humidifier: Running a humidifier moisturizes the air, which helps sooth inflamed respiratory track tissues. There are different kinds of humidifiers on the market. A cool mist humidifier, which tends to be the least expensive, works fine. It provides the moisture, uses less energy than a warm mist humidifier, and prevents the risk of anyone getting burned.

2. Lay off the dairy: Dairy products are known to increase the build-up of mucus, which is the last thing we need to do while trying to rid our bodies of phlegm.

3. Water: Staying well-hydrated is always a good thing, optimizing our bodies’ functioning, including our immune systems. While both warm and cool water can sooth raw throats, cool water has the added benefit of slightly reducing swelling.

4. Eat honey: Quality raw honey (in contrast to highly processed honey) is anti-viral and anti-bacterial, and can be eaten by itself, in tea, or used in a number of home remedies for coughs and colds (see below.) A Penn State College of Medicine study tested the impact of nightly doses of buckwheat honey on children (ages 2-18) suffering from night time coughing and a respiratory track infection for 7 days or less. The study showed that night time coughing was reduced in children who took the honey, encouraging news in light of the FDA’s recommendation that children not be given over the counter cold medicines due to potentially harmful effects.

5. Try these natural remedies:

Ginger and garlic are both touted as having powerful medicinal properties, including the ability to help relieve coughs. If you’ve got the wherewithal to do so, you can chew on either one of these raw. A milder solution is boiling either freshly sliced ginger or a few cloves of garlic in water to make a tea. Drink this 2-3 times daily.
Over a low flame, heat chopped onion mixed with a generous dose of honey. When warm, take a spoonful of mixture, or just honey and hold it in the back of your throat. Do not drink anything for one-half hour.
Eat a spoonful of raw honey with some chopped garlic (a little will do ya.)
Eat a spoonful of raw honey mixed with a pinch of ground white or black pepper several times a day.

To be sure that your prolonged coughing isn’t a symptom of a more serious condition, visit a trusted doctor.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Fred H.

8:43AM PDT on Apr 21, 2013

Thank you Teri, for Sharing this!

April 21
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Angie V.

2:08PM PDT on Mar 11, 2013

thanks.... i want to get rid of this cough

March 11
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Karen R.

1:44PM PST on Jan 7, 2013

thanks, still coughing going on in my home

January 7
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Elisabeth T.

5:58AM PST on Dec 19, 2012

Will definitely try a few of these....thank you

December 19
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Roger M.

9:16AM PST on Nov 30, 2012

Good advice. Very welcome.

November 30
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Rosann T.

5:15PM PST on Nov 17, 2012

I use a humidifier for my asthmatic cat Thomas that has coughing attacks! When I use the humidifier it also relieves his stuffy nose.

November 17
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Michele W.

2:18AM PDT on Oct 17, 2012

Thank you

October 17
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Teresa C.

2:52AM PDT on Oct 10, 2012

Thank you for the excellent information--I had a feeling honey would be one ingredient!

October 10
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Studying C.

12:24AM PDT on Sep 2, 2012

Thank you for the advice. I will try honey.

September 2
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Angela B.

8:09AM PDT on Jul 9, 2012

I swear by the juice of a lemon and freshly grated ginger in a mug of boiling water, sweetened to taste with honey. Also, to make a fever break quicker, boil up a cup of lemonade (any kind) and drink it as hot as you can. It always works and fevers break within the hour usually.