Coughs can be classified into two categories, dry or chesty. In chesty coughs, the individual expels phlegm and mucus while coughing. Coughing is the reflexive method of the body to keep the throat and airways clear. A cough generally indicates the presence of something in the respiratory passages. In case of chesty coughs, it is mucus or phlegm that irritates the throat and is coughed up.
Coughs are normally described as acute, in the sense that they appear suddenly and normally do not last longer than 2-3 weeks. This is often due to the occurrence of a cold, flu or sinus infection which causes the build-up of phlegm or mucus in the chest. Other common causes of cough are smoking, allergies and asthma. Sometimes the cough can be a symptom of a more serious condition such as a lung infection like pneumonia or acute bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and sinusitis.
A good remedy for soothing the throat is to drink herbal tea with ginger, peppercorn, basil, honey and warm water. Allow the herbs to soak into the tea before drinking it. You will begin to feel better as the tea goes down your throat. Another beverage for soothing a chest cough can be prepared by squeezing fresh lemon juice, pouring it into a saucepan, and bringing this to a boil after adding ¼ cup of honey. After the mixture cools, add a shot of rum. You may mix this with a cup of tea or take a spoonful of it and let it trickle down your throat. In the case of children, avoid the rum. Cough syrup or cough drops can also serve to ease the coughing. You can also get relief from using a vaporizer, using water and a pinch of salt. A hot water bottle may also be used to soothe chest congestion. Placing the bottle between the shoulder blades and resting for half an hour will give you some relief. Another effective remedy is to extract the juice of ginger and mix it with honey. You may have this mixture a few times a day to soothe the congestion and cough. Gargling with a decoction made with henna leaves has also been known to be effective. You can also mix a cup of honey with three spoonfuls of lemon juice and ¼ cup of warm water and drink a bit of it every day. Another good home remedy is to drink water boiled with two garlic cloves, 1tbsp of oregano and 1 tbsp of honey.
answered by G M