Dr. Ahmed If you have searched for how to stop coughing fast or how to get rid of a cough fast, then you might have been a victim of disturbed sleep, interrupted conversation, and overall discomfort.
It is a reflex that cleans the irritants or mucus from the airways and sometimes it might just not go away. It has several triggers like allergies, stuffy nose, sinus infections, and others.
Each person responds differently to these cough and itchy throat remedies. Nonetheless, these tips can give you some relief.
However, before you try any of these you must know that an uncontrollable cough might indicate a more serious issue.
“If your cough lasts more than a few days or you develop a high-grade fever, thick yellow or greenish phlegm, blood in the sputum (phlegm), chest pain when you breathe, or you get short of breath easily, do not try any home remedies, go straight to the hospital”
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First, know why you are coughing:
A cough is a symptom, it’s not a disease. Whenever your throat or airways get irritated, you start coughing.
For simplicity, you can have a cough either from a respiratory condition or from a non-respiratory cause.
Non-respiratory causes of coughing:
The most common non-respiratory cause of cough is GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease).
Your cough is caused by GERD, if you have:
- Cough at night
- Hoarse voice
- Cough is associated with heartburn, food regurgitation, and difficulty swallowing,
- Relieved by taking antacids and motility-enhancing drugs (prokinetics)
In addition, patients with GERD usually have dental carries, bad breath, and sleep problems.
Respiratory causes of Coughing:
The respiratory causes of coughing can be further divided into:
- Upper respiratory conditions, and
- Lower respiratory conditions
Upper respiratory causes include diseases of the nose, throat, pharynx, and upper airways (above the vocal cords).
These include:
Pharyngitis:
Individuals with pharyngitis usually have a low-grade fever, throat pain or discomfort, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness of voice, fatigue, listlessness, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck.
Sinusitis:
Patients with sinusitis usually have blocked noses, thick and yellowish secretions in the nose that are difficult to clear, frontal headache or facial pain, fever, post-nasal drip, and bad breath.
Cough is usually tolerable but blocked nose and headaches can be severe. Most patients have headaches on bending or leaning forward.
Flu and Rhinitis:
People who have seasonal flu, including influenza, have sneezing, nasal discharge, stuffy nose, cough, and low-grade fever.
The cough is not serious compared to nasal discharge, and sneezing.
Post nasal drip:
Post-nasal drip is common in people who have allergies. Most individuals with allergic rhinitis have post-nasal drip.
Such patients complain of a sudden bout of cough as if there is a foreign body in the throat.
Patients cough out phlegm, especially when they get up early in the morning.
The cough is non-responsive to conventional cough syrups. However, long-term anti-allergics can help.
Cough caused by the lower respiratory tract include:
Most individuals who have a cough caused by a lower respiratory condition need to consult a healthcare provider.
Some examples include:
Bronchitis:
Bronchitis is caused by inflammation or infection of the airways. Patients with bronchitis can have cough as one of their main symptoms.
In addition, sputum or phlegm is frequently coughed out. Patients may notice wheezing or whistling sounds when they are breathing.
There may be associated chest pain, fever, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.
Pneumonia:
Pneumonia is inflammation of the lung parenchyma. It is caused commonly by bacterial infections but viral, fungal, and mycobacterial infections can also cause pneumonia.
Individuals with pneumonia are very sick and toxic-looking. They have a high-grade fever, chest pain, cough, phlegm production, and shortness of breath.
Asthma:
Asthmatic cough is usually associated with wheezing and there is a diurnal variation with cough more marked at night and in the early morning.
Shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing (whistling sounds) during breathing are common.
Phlegm is commonly white, mucoid, and scanty in amount.
Lung cancer:
Lung cancer patients have a chronic cough associated with weight loss. They appear very sick, do not feel like eating, and may cough out blood in bouts.
Other causes of cough include medications such as ACE inhibitors which are commonly used to lower blood pressure in hypertensive patients.
In addition, patients with heart failure may present only with a cough. These patients usually develop coughs when they lie down or during midnight.
Cough in such patients is associated with shortness of breath and orthopnea (shortness of breath on lying down).
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How to get rid of a cough in 5 minutes
Once you have excluded all the serious medical conditions, you can try these home remedies to relieve your cough.
Hydration is key:
Coughing can be immediately stopped by simply drinking fluids. A drink can help clear any thin mucus from the airways and reduce irritation. In particular, warm ones can be better for a scratchy throat. You can try these options:
Broth:
Go for a chicken or vegetable broth and drink it hot. A well-cooked broth contains hydration and electrolytes which can be lost while you cough.
Herbal teas:
While you mention a hot beverage, teas always come first. Herbal teas provide a range of benefits so try peppermint or ginger tea.
They can calm and ease the side effects of coughing as they contain anti-inflammatory properties.
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Breathe easy with steam therapy:
The most common at-home therapy for cough relief is inhaling steam. It can loosen the stuck mucus and get rid of congestion in the chest area and sinuses.
This way mucus is broken and detached from the walls, making it easy to cough out. Here are a few ways you can enjoy steam therapy.
Hot showers:
Bathing in hot waters can do the job. You just need to let the bathroom fill up with steam and breathe it for 10-15 minutes. The moist air will instantly clear the throat. Then cough the mucus out.
Steam bowl:
A traditional method is to fill a bowl with hot water and add a few drops of essential oils like eucalyptus.
Choose an oil that is okay for inhalation. Now cover your head and the bowl with a towel like creating a tent. Breathe until your sinuses clear up and you can feel that relaxing sensation.
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Gargle with salt water for relief:
A saltwater gargle is a simple and effective way to soothe a scratchy throat and reduce inflammation. Here’s how to make a saltwater solution:
Another effective way to gargle with saline. This is a mixture of salt and water which can calm a cough episode and reduce inflammation. Here is how you can make it.
- Take ½ tbsp of salt and mix it in a glass of warm water.
- Gargle for a few seconds and spit it out.
- Repeat the process until the glass is empty.
- Do not swallow the saltwater.
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How to stop coughing at night
A few effects of uncontrollable coughing at night can be itchy eyes, runny nose, or sneezing. This could indicate an allergy. This is what you need to do in that case.
Identify the culprit:
The first step is to figure out what’s causing your allergies. Common triggers include:
Allergies:
It can be pollen from the trees, weeds, or grass, particularly during the spring season. It is majorly known to irritate a person’s airways.
Dust:
Another culprit is dust, which has microscopic mites which after being inhaled rule the airways and stuff them with mucus.
Pets:
Are you a pet lover? Sadly the tiny flakes of skin shed by your pet can cause allergy in some individuals.
After you have identified the culprit you can take steps to minimize your exposure. For instance, keeping windows closed using allergy-proof bedding or bathing your pets often.
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Natural antihistamines for cough relief:
You can find antihistamine properties in particular foods and remedies. These can easily reduce symptoms so use the following options:
Ginger tea:
Like peppermint tea, ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that can calm the throat and may also contain antihistamine effects. So, it is a win-win in any case for
However, if you have severe allergies, then consult the doctor instead of taking natural remedies.
Natural remedies for sinus infections
A never-ending cough can be caused by a sinus infection. Here we have listed some natural approaches for relief.
Breathe easier with a humidifier:
Dry air can irritate your sinuses and worsen congestion. Using a cool-mist humidifier adds moisture to the air, loosening mucus and making it easier to clear. This can significantly reduce coughing caused by sinus congestion.
Ever heard of a humidifier? Living in a dry area can be a nightmare for your sinuses. The rough air will only irritate the passages so try a mist humidifier that can add some moisture to the air.
Peppermint power:
Here we talk about peppermint again because why not? It can clear up and decongest the airways and it comes in many forms for people suffering from frequent cough episodes.
- Drink a peppermint tea while it’s steaming and it can soothe the airways like you were never coughing.
- Try sugar-free lozenges and suck them in your mouth. It can provide a numbing effect that relieves the scratchy feeling and offers a mild decongestant effect.
These remedies are only to relieve the congestion. They won’t ever cure a sinus infection and if the inflammation is severe then consult a doctor first.
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Try these OTC Medications for rapid cough relief:
The throat spray is useful to temporarily numb your throat if you have irritation in your throat, a sore throat, or a dry, irritating cough.
Mucinex cough syrup contains Guaifenesin. Guaifenesin is a powerful expectorant. It liquifies phlegm and makes it easy to cough out releasing chest congestion and the gurgling sounds in your chest.
Nyquil contains 4 important ingredients: Acetaminophen, Dextromethorphan, a Decongestant, and an Antihistamine.
- Acetaminophen relieves pain and fever associated with the common cold.
- Dextromethorphan is a powerful cough suppressant. It is one of the main components of honey as well.
- Decongestant relieves stuffy nose. Phenylephrine is the decongestant present in Vicks Nyquil syrup.
- Doxylamine is an antihistamine. It relieves congestion, flu, runny nose, and sneezing, and reduces the production of nasal secretions.
Because of the presence of Doxylamine, an antihistamine that can make you sleepy, it is recommended to take Vicks Nyquil syrup at night.
This is basically the same as Nuquil except that it does not contain phenylephrine.
Because of the absence of phenylephrine, it is more suitable than Nyquil in patients with underlying heart diseases, angina, or hypertension.
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In conclusion:
Cough can be just a nuisance or it may occur as a result of a serious underlying lung disease.
No one medicine is effective for all individuals, however, trying these simple home remedies may help in relieving some of your symptoms.
In addition, asthmatics and those with bronchitis usually require a bronchodilator in the form of an inhaler or nebulizer.
Some individuals may also need to take antibiotics along with cough syrups and bronchodilators.
It is better to consult a health care provider if your cough is not settling, you have a fever, or you cough out lots of phlegm, especially blood.
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