If you don’t like tea, you can also simply eat the honey on its own to get the same soothing effect. Taking honey (either on its own or in a drink) before bed can be especially helpful in reducing your cough and getting a good night’s sleep. Never give honey to a child under 1-year-old due to the risk of infant botulism.
You can gargle 2 to 4 times each day as needed to relieve your symptoms. It’s especially important to drink lots of water between gargling, so the salt doesn’t dry you out too much.
If you don’t like ginger, any herbal tea will help. You could even drink hot water with lemon juice for quick cough relief.
Lozenges specifically designed for a cough or sore throat may also contain menthol, which relieves discomfort and produces a cooling sensation. However, any hard candy will help get rid of your cough in a pinch!
Even when you’re not doing exercises, try to breathe through your nose as much as possible and swallow instead of coughing. This can be especially helpful if you’re out in public or class and want to stop coughing quickly. Many breathing exercises target chronic conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but anyone with a cough can use them!
A cough caused by allergies can be seasonal or year-round. You might even be able to predict when you’ll get one and catch it early.
When in doubt, check with your doctor before choosing a cough medicine, even when it’s over-the-counter. Follow all instructions and dosage guidelines on the package. Don’t give any cough medicine to children younger than 4 years old. For children aged 4 to 6, only use cough medicine recommended by their doctor.
If your acid reflux becomes chronic, it might also help to change your diet. Cut back on acidic foods like chocolate, citrus fruits, onions, tomatoes, and foods that are high in fat. Eat more high-fiber foods like brown rice, oatmeal, root vegetables (like potatoes), lettuce, and celery.
You can either use a store-bought saline solution for this or make your own saline solution by combining salt with boiled and cooled water. When your cough is caused by postnasal drip (which results from a cold, allergy, sinus infection, or airborne irritants), the trick to getting rid of the cough is treating your sinus issues.
If you don’t want to take a bath or shower, just run the hot water and sit in your bathroom for about 15 minutes, breathing in steam. Not only will steam relieve your cough but it’ll also clear congestion and sinus pressure if you’re sick (or have allergies).
If your throat is sore, avoid acidic drinks that might irritate it further, including orange juice, coffee, and alcohol. Avoid dairy products like milk if you have a wet cough and lots of phlegm, as milk can make your throat feel worse. However, cold dairy products can be soothing for a dry throat.
Even if you have a wet cough caused by mucus, a humidifier will help hydrate your sinuses enough to thin out the mucus—making it easier to cough up.
This is also helpful if you have a nighttime cough caused by acid reflux, as sleeping with your head elevated alleviates the symptoms.
If fermented food isn’t your thing, you can also use probiotic supplements to get all the good bacteria you need.
If avoiding certain areas isn’t enough, use an air purifier to remove allergens and irritants from the air in your home.
