Cough
A cough is a general reflex action that clears off mucus or foreign irritants from the throat. On an average, a cough that lasts for less than 21 days is acute (mild) in nature while the one that continues for longer can be chronic or a sign of an impending… ...Show more
A cough is a general reflex action that clears off mucus or foreign irritants from the throat. On an average, a cough that lasts for less than 21 days is acute (mild) in nature while the one that continues for longer can be chronic or a sign of an impending illness.
Coughing to free the throat from mucus is generally an infrequent action, although certain medical conditions can trigger a frequent occurrence.
Causes
A cough is caused by different conditions, both severe and mild.
Some of the causes of coughs are:
To clear the throat: The standard way of clearing the throat is through coughing. Any time your airways are clogged with dust, mucus, and other unwanted particle, a cough is a reflex process of clearing the particles and making air flow freely for better breathing.
Bacteria and viruses: The highest cause of a cough is through respiratory tract infections like colds and flu. Most infections of the Respiratory tract are usually caused by a virus.
Smoking: A very common cause of a cough. Most of the coughs caused by smoking are often chronic in nature. It's also known as a "smoker's cough"
Treating A Cough
A cough can be treated in different ways, depending on the type. For adults, self- treatments can be done at home.
Self-treatment
A viral-induced cough cannot be treated with antibiotics. However, below are some lifestyle changes you can implement:
- Drink more water to stay hydrated.
- When sleeping, keep an extra pillow on your head for elevation.
- Use cough drugs to clear your throat.
- Always gargle with hot salt water, to which turmeric has been added, to clear off mucus and foreign irritants.
- Regularly add ginger or honey to hot tea to reduce your cough and clear your throat.
- Honey and ginger juice decoction
- Pineapple
- Chicken soup
- Liquorice root tea
- Tea made of tulsi leaves and crushed peppercorns
