With cold season upon us, more than likely you will experience a cold at some point. One of the annoying, and sometimes painful, symptoms of a cold is the cough. Although these symptoms usually dissipate within 10 days or so, you may want to take cough medicine, either to help you sleep or to help you get through the work day.
The thing to be aware of is that not all cough medicine is designed the same. There are different types of coughs, and they all require different types of remedies. Before you reach for a generic cough medicine, take into account the type of cough you are experiencing so you can get effective relief.
Different Types of Coughs
The two most common types of coughs are wet and dry. When comparing a wet vs dry cough, they are both your body’s way of dispelling irritants and harmful substances, such as allergens, mucus, and smoke, from the body. A wet cough is also known as a chest or productive cough. It is referred to as wet because it pushes mucus out of the nose, lungs, airways, and throat. It may also be accompanied by a runny nose and fatigue. The cold and flu can produce a wet cough, as can pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.
A dry cough, on the other hand, does not produce mucus. It may feel like there is a tickle at the back of the throat, and it often feels and sounds like you are hacking. Dry coughs happen due to irritation and inflammation of the respiratory tract. Common causes are the cold and flu, although other causes include sore throat, laryngitis, sinusitis, allergies, air pollution, and tonsillitis.
Another type of cough is croup, which is a viral infection affecting young children. Paroxysmal is a type of cough that consists of episodes of violent coughing that results in exhaustion. One cause of this is whooping cough.
How to Relieve Them
There are numerous ways to relieve a cough. There are homeopathic wet cough tablets that work with the body to relieve congestion, coughing, and sore throats. These are good for both wet and dry coughs, and they are safe with no side effects. One at-home remedy for a wet cough is honey, which can be added to tea or taken by itself. A natural remedy for a dry cough is a humidifier or steam sauna. If symptoms do not clear up after a few weeks, antibiotics or other medication may be necessary.
Home remedies are often enough to relieve croup cough. Remedies may include a cool-mist humidifier, steam, fresh cool air, fluids, and rest. A paroxysmal cough may need medical intervention, depending on the cause. Antibiotics is usually recommended for whooping cough.
When it comes to relieving a cough or other cold symptoms, it is usually better for the body to take more natural products that do not have side effects. Homeopathic and at-home remedies often do the trick, and they are safe for the body.