Typically, after a bad bout with cold, the sniffles transition to persistent coughing. This is a huge hassle to deal with, especially when hacking coughs occur at night when you just want to rest.
The quickest way to treat a cough is by taking 24-hour cough medicine. In less than an hour, you will find yourself coughing less, and nights are more restful so you can recover more quickly. But, if you are looking for remedies to complement the effects of taking doctor-prescribed medicine, seven of them are provided below.
1. Stay hydrated
Drinking water frequently will not only help clear your air passages and ease the urge to cough, but it can also boost your immune system. Water is a cheap and highly accessible detoxifying agent. It can wash away unhealthy elements from your body.
It’s important to mention, too, that drinking water often when you have a fever accompanying your cough can help regulate body temperature. On top of that, it can ease other discomforts such as muscle pains and headaches.
2. Get a massage
Treat yourself to some strategic kneading, especially if you have phlegmy cough. The massage will induce relaxation and improve blood circulation.
Plus, there are certain massage techniques that can help dislodge sticky phlegm, making it so much easier to expel afterward. It’s worth noting, too, that getting a massage treatment from a spa means inhaling essential oil-infused air. Peppermint and eucalyptus are beneficial to the respiratory system.
3. Use warmth
There’s this therapy that originated in Japan called waon. It means soothing warmth. It’s one of the innovative treatments for people with serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and chronic fatigue syndrome.
However, it’s proving to also help in the treatment of common illnesses such as coughs and colds. Basically, to get this soothing warmth to make you feel better, you go to a dry sauna, which is set at a fixed temperature.
But there’s an easier and more accessible way of going about it. Focus on your feet. Wear thin socks and then cover your toes with aluminum foil, and then wear another pair of socks. This will warm the body up and boost the immune system to expedite the body’s natural healing process.
4. Clean your house — or get someone to do it for you.
You cannot overlook the wellness benefits of a clean house. Make sure to get rid of particulates that may aggravate your cough. Allergens such as dust, pollen, and animal dander in the air can trigger long coughing fits. You can prevent this from happening by tidying up your living space.
Another essential chore to take care of is the change of bedding. If a virus caused your cough, you do not want to reinfect yourself through repeat exposure. If possible, change your sheets daily or at least every two days when you are sick with a cough and cold.
For sure, the frequent coughing, sneezing, and talking while you’re nursing yourself in bed has contaminated your sleeping space. And, when you change the sheets, spray your bed with a disinfectant to kill disease-carrying germs and bacteria.
5. Apply vapor rub
This may seem like nothing but an old wives’ cure, but applying vapor rub can help decongest your nose and throat. It can also soothe your throat and reduce the inclination to cough.
Vapor rub is typically made of healing oils and other substances, so apply it generously. Old folks advise covering all the areas you have applied vapor rub to. For the feet, soft socks should be worn; for the back and chest, place a sheet of cloth; for the neck, you can wear a scarf.
The cover will trap heat in and prolong the soothing effect of the vaporub. Many find themselves sleeping more soundly after doing this, as well as feeling so much better the following morning.
6. Drink chamomile tea
Chamomile tea aids digestion, soothes the throat and helps induce sleep. When you have a cough, you want to get as much rest as you possibly can. However, you can only do so if you do not cough much.
You can help suppress cough by drinking chamomile tea. Not only will your cough be suppressed, but the relaxation chamomile creates can make sure that you get the quality rest you need to recover faster from your illness. There are also a few studies suggesting chamomile as being helpful when taking measures that are preventative against cough and cold.
7. Exercise
If your head isn’t heavy and you do not have a fever, try sweating it out by performing light exercises. The heat your body generates while working out can help with decongestion. Additionally, you detoxify your body when you sweat.
So, get on a treadmill or exercycle, and exercise your cough and cold away.
You will find that all these remedies are nothing exceptional or special, but they are all smart practices that can help make you feel better. You can expect them to contribute significantly to your speedy recovery from a bad cough.
