Treatment advice for DRY COUGH
- Peppermint ( Mentha x piperita ). Peppermint is widely used to treat cold symptoms. Its main active agent, menthol, is a good decongestant. Menthol also thins mucus and works as an expectorant, meaning that it helps loosen and break up mucus. It is soothing and calming for sore throats and dry coughs as well. DO NOT use peppermint or menthol with infants. DO NOT take peppermint oil by mouth.
- Eucalyptus ( Eucalyptus globulus ). Like peppermint, eucalyptus is used in many remedies to treat cold symptoms, particularly cough. It can be found in many lozenges, cough syrups, and vapor baths throughout the United States and Europe. You may also apply ointments containing eucalyptus leaves to the nose and chest to relieve congestion and loosen phlegm. You should not take eucalyptus oil by mouth because it can be poisonous.
- Marshmallow ( Althea officinalis ). Although there is no scientific evidence that it works, marshmallow has been used traditionally to treat sore throat and cough. It contains mucilage, which helps coat the throat and act as a cough suppressant.
- Slippery elm ( Ulmus fulva ). Slippery elm may help ease sore throat and cough, and has been used traditionally for this purpose, although scientific evidence is lacking. Like marshmallow, it contains mucilage. Slippery elm may affect how your body absorbs some medications. So wait at least 1 hour after taking any other medications before taking slippery elm. Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid slippery elm, as there is some concern it may be linked to miscarriage.
- Licorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra ). Licorice root is a traditional treatment for sore throat and cough, although scientific evidence is lacking. Licorice interacts with a number of medications. So ask your doctor before taking it. People with high blood pressure, kidney disease, liver disease, or heart disease, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those who take blood thinners, such as aspirin or warfarin (Coumadin) should not take licorice. Speak to your doctor if you have a history of hormone-related illness, including cancer, before taking licorice. DO NOT take licorice for an extended period of time, unless directed to do so by your doctor. DO NOT give licorice root to children.
- Lobelia ( Lobelia inflata ). Also called Indian tobacco, lobelia has a long history of use as an herbal remedy for respiratory problems including cough. It is an expectorant, meaning that it helps clear mucus from your lungs. However, since it can be toxic, you should only use lobelia under a doctor’s supervision.
- Mullein ( Verbascum densiflorum ). Mullein is an expectorant, meaning it helps clear your lungs of mucus. Traditionally, it has been used to treat respiratory illnesses and coughs with lung congestion. However, there are no scientific studies to say whether it works.
- Sundew ( Drosera spp. ). Sundew has traditionally been used as a cough suppressant, although there are no scientific studies to say whether it works. It is often used in Europe to treat dry coughs. Sundew is often used in homeopathic cough preparations.
- Stinging nettle ( Urtica dioica ). Stinging nettle has been used traditionally for treating a variety of conditions, including allergies (hay fever). But studies so far are lacking. Only one small study suggested that stinging nettle might help relieve symptoms of hay fever, including cough. Pregnant women and young children should not take stinging nettle. Talk to your doctor before taking stinging nettle if you take blood pressure medication, blood thinners, diuretics (water pills), or have diabetes.
- Thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ). Thyme has traditionally been used to treat respiratory illnesses, such as bronchitis, and to treat cough. Two preliminary studies suggest that thyme may help treat acute bronchitis and relieve cough. The German Commission E has approved thyme to treat those conditions. Thyme oil is considered toxic and should not be taken by mouth. Thyme may increase the risk of bleeding, especially if you also take blood thinners, such as aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), or warfarin (Coumadin). Thyme may act in ways similar to estrogen in the body. If you have a hormone-related condition or take hormone medications, talk to your doctor before using thyme.
- Drink plenty of liquids to help thin the mucus in your throat
- If you smoke, stop stay away from second-hand cigarette smoke and airborne irritants in your home or workplace
- If medications are causing your cough, your doctor may change your prescription
- If you have allergies, you can take steps to avoid the allergic trigger, called an allergen
- Sucking on cough lozenges or hard candy can help dry, tickling coughs never give these to a child under 3 years old because of the risk of choking
- Using a vaporizer or taking a hot shower can create moisture in the air and help soothe a dry throat.
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Advice for DRY COUGH
Coughs can be dry or “productive,” which means that you are bringing up sputum or phlegm when you cough. An acute cough typically lasts no longer than 2 to 3 weeks. A chronic cough lasts longer than 4 weeks.
Many illnesses can cause cough. Acute coughs usually begin suddenly and are often due to a cold, flu, or sinus infection. Coughs from a lung infection, such as bronchitis can start out suddenly and then linger. Other common causes of chronic. or ongoing coughs, include asthma, allergies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from emphysema or chronic bronchitis, sinusitis with drainage into the throat, smoking cigarettes or exposure to secondhand smoke, pollutants, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Some medications, such as ACE inhibitors taken to lower blood pressure, can cause chronic coughs in some people.
If your cough lasts more than 2 weeks, see your doctor to determine the cause.
The symptoms that accompany your cough depend on what is causing it, and may include:
- A runny nose or nasal congestion, headache, or postnasal drip from chronic sinusitis (sinus inflammation), cold, or flu
- Wheezing from asthma
- Heartburn from GERD
- Fever, chills, night sweats from bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, or other lung infection
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, or swelling of your legs from fluid retention (called edema) due to congestive heart failure
- In rare cases, coughing up blood, which can be a sign of a serious illness, such as lung cancer
Your doctor will take a detailed medical history, gathering information about the quality of the cough, how long you have had it, symptoms associated with the cough, etc. Your doctor will also do a thorough physical examination, paying particular attention to your nasal passages, throat, lungs, heart, and legs.
Your doctor may order tests, such as:
- A sputum culture, if you have a productive cough that may be bacterial
- An electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Lung function tests
- X-rays of your chest or sinuses
