Homemade Cough Remedies – So you can rest better!

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I’m sure we’ve all had an annoying, irritating cough that won’t leave.  How does your family handle that kind of nagging cough?  I know that coughs can have their place in healing and should not always be suppressed however, I’m talking about a dry irritating cough that disturbs rest and needs to be managed.  My family, myself included, all have this up-all-night, headache-inducing, side-splitting cough.  When I haven’t been caring for my family or trying to rest I’ve been researching how to naturally suppress coughs.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m also taking DayQuil, NightQuil, cough drops, etc. but I know my little one can’t take those meds. so I’m trying to find her relief with natural remedies.  Plus, if it works for her I would rather take something natural instead.

I would like to take a moment to give little note of thanks here to all the moms, friends, and nurses I’ve asked for advice.  I appreciate your counsel, patience, time, and for you being around me while I sound like 90 year old chain smoking man. : )  No offense to 90 year old chain smoking men.

My disclosure: Please note that I am not a medical professional and I am not giving medical advice.  I’m just a mom seeking to find age old remedies to care for her family.  Please seek a professional for medical advice.

Here are the Homemade Cough Remedies I’ve found and tried:

• – Soothing honey is said to protect the throat from dryness and irritation.  It’s also said to provide antimicrobial and antioxidant benefits.

A Penn State College of medicine study said that,”Honey did a better job reducing the severity, frequency and bothersome nature of nighttime cough from upper respiratory infection than dextromethorphan (DM) or no treatment. Honey also showed a positive effect on the sleep quality of both the coughing child and the child’s parents. DM was not significantly better at alleviating symptoms than no treatment.  Coughs are exhausting, disrupt sleep and account for about 3% of all out-patient doctor visits.”  “Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on OTC cough and cold medications despite little evidence that these drugs provide significant relief,” says Megan W. Manlove. You should NOT give honey to babies under 12 months because of the rist of infant botulism.

• – Buck Wheat honey is suppose to be the best.  It’s darker and thicker.
• – Some have recommended a honey that was made within an hour or two of your home.
• – Propping a child slightly helps to prevent the infection from settling in the lungs.  Jaime from Crazy Coupon and Freebie Fanatic recommends this foam pillow wedge.  She said that her girls always sleep with one.  I used a blanket under the mattress as a substitute on my little girl’s bed.  At night she usually rolls around too much for it to keep her propped up right but it seems to do the job for naps.
• – Steam.  Our guest bathroom is small so it didn’t take long for the hot shower to fill the room full of steam.  We ran the shower with the curtain open and of course kept the baby away from the hot water.  We breathed in the steam for a few minutes each night before bed.  This has seemed to help!
• – Eucalyptus oil rubbed into the chest or feet is said to help loosen phlegm.  From what I’ve been told this option is for adults only.  LiveTRu.com is a great resource for essential oils.  You may also be able to find it at your local drug store or health food store.  Apply a carrier oil on your skin {including your hands} before applying the Eucalyptus oil to avoid stinging.  Olive oil works great for this and is something you probably already own. Never, ever ingest Eucalyptus oil orally as it is toxic.  Do not put near your nostrils or mouth.
• – Humidifier.  Cold viruses love dryness and you can fight it with humidity.  Keep a humidifier running around the clock but make sure you keep it clean. (Just for fun, I love these cute humidifiers! Hello Kitty humidifier, Train humidifier, & Owl humidifier)  To keep your humidifier clean I highly recommend adding Bacteriostat to keep the bacteria down.  I love this stuff because I hate slimy humidifiers!

• – Drink boiled cinnamon, lemon and honey. Patricia, from My Randomness, said that this is a favorite home remedy of her family.
• –  I hear that Gold Bee has some terrific honey products and one that is great to help with coughing.
• – Boiled milk with ginger.  Bobbie, from Bobbie’s Bargains, swears by this.  Be sure to remove the ginger before drinking.
• – Vick’s Waterless Vaporizer is said to work wonders. It’s also available in a smaller nightlight version.
• – Add Kaz Inhalant to any brand of vaporizer.  This adds menthol vapors to the air which should help you breathe better.

Additional articles on Homemade Cough Remedies:

• – MayoClinic: Honey an Effective Cough Remedy
• – Honey for Childhood Coughs: results of Penn State research
• – University of Maryland: Overview of Eucalyptus
• – MayoClinic: Cold Remedies: What Works, What Doesn’t & What Can’t Hurt

What home remedies have worked for you?