Cough is defined as a condition in which certain minute particles enter into the respiratory pathway and irritates the airways. This blockage hampers the normal flow of air from lung to nose and vice versa. This disease can attack person of any age group. Person suffering from cough finds trouble in breathing, speaking, and finds difficulty in sleeping. If cough persists for more than 15 days, patient should immediately be taken for medical checkup as it may result in other severe diseases. This article explains symptoms, causes and useful and effective home remedies for treating cough. In ayurveda it is known as kaas and it is categorized in to five types. These are vataj. Kaphaj, pitaj, sannipataj (mixture of all the three i.e. vata, pitt and kapha) and kshyaj (due to weakness)
The major causes of cough are: Cough, heart disease, lung cancer, asthma, viral, flu, and sinus.
Person suffering from cough feel uneasiness, chest congestion, sore throat, body pain. The major symptoms of cough are: pain in body parts, poor throat, fever and pain in head, cold, trouble in sleeping, problem in breathing system and uneasiness.
Baadam (Almond) seeds:
If a patient is suffering from dry cough, give him almond paste mixed with honey. Take 8-9 almond seeds and soak them in water, keep it overnight. Make almond paste after peeling off the upper skin of the almond seeds. Add honey and a half tablespoon of butter to it. Give this paste 2-3 times a day to the patient. The patient will feel improvement within 2-3 days.
Haldi (Turmeric) powder
Turmeric powder is not only a perfect remedy for Cough and cough, science has proved that turmeric powder is helpful for the cancer patients as well. Take a tablespoon of carom seeds or ajwain to a glass of water and add one tablespoon of turmeric powder to it. When the water reduces to half of its quantity, add honey to it. Take this syrup 2-3 times a day. This loosens the chest congestion and improves breathing. Take 2 teaspoon full of turmeric powder and add it to warm milk. This has a magical effect in loosening the cough and clearing the mucus membrane. This is one of the best home remedies for cough.
Onion plays important role in the treatment of cough. The juice extracted from finely chopped onion helps in loosening the cough, and clears chest-congestion. cough syrup prepared by mixing onion juice with honey is highly recommended. Take 1-2 teaspoon of onion juice, add 1-2 teaspoon of honey into it. Keep this mixture aside for 5-6 hours, and then give a teaspoon of it to the patient at east two times in a day. Another cough syrup made from onion juice contains lemon juice mixed in water along with honey. Take 1-2 teaspoon of onion juice, add 1-2 teaspoon of lemon juice into it. Pour little amount of water and allow it to boil, later add 1-2 teaspoon of honey into it. Keep this cough syrup aside for 5-6 hours and give a teaspoon of it to the patient at least two times in a day.
Adrak (Ginger) syrup:
Ginger is one of the most used and effective home remedy. It is used for the cure of several diseases including cough. Prepare cough syrup by mixing a half tablespoon of ginger paste, and a half tablespoon of pepper powder. Further add equal amount (one tablespoon) of vinegar and honey into it. Mix with 2-3 tablespoon of water and keep it aside. Take this cough syrup 2-3 times a day. This is one of the widely accepted home remedy for the treatment of cough. This is one of the important home remedies for cough.
Ginger, garlic tea:
Like ginger, garlic too is a very old home remedy. Doctors all over the world have admitted the usefulness of these two natural doctors of mankind. Ginger, garlic tea not only sooths the throat, it also loosen the mucus membrane, and clears chest congestion. Prepare a tea by adding small piece of ginger cut in small slices, 1-2 garlic seeds, and small amount of lemon juice into the boiling water. Boil it around 15-20 minutes. Strain the liquid and keep it aside. Add a little amount of honey into it and give it to the patient. The lemon juice added to it loosens the cough and makes breath easy.
Aniseed ( Pimpinella anisum ) tea is an effective home remedy for patient suffering from severe cough (especially dry cough). This tea loosens mucous and melts cough accumulation in the chest. It also improves breathing system and chest congestion. This is one of the useful home remedies for cough.
Kali marich (Black pepper):
Home remedy for cough is incomplete without black pepper. It looses the mucous membrane, opens chest congestion. Patient may take 2-3 black pepper seeds and chew it, or fry it little in oil. If patient finds difficult in chewing it because of its strong bitter taste, add 2-3 pepper seeds in a glass of milk. Another way of taking black pepper is with cumin seeds. Take both black pepper and cumin seeds in small amount and add 1/2 spoon of salt to it. Chew it slowly.
Take 2-3 cloves and fry in little oil. Chew those cloves; patient may also take little water after chewing it.
Grapes juice combined with honey is recommended as fast relief home remedy. Grapes play important role in loosening cough and mucus and clean it out, it makes the lungs strong. Freshly prepared grapes juice taken 2-3 tablespoon with 1 tablespoon of honey should be given to the patient. It shows fast result in curing the cough. This is one of the important home remedies for cough. This is also helpful in dry cough
Patient suffering from severe cough should be given freshly prepared orange juice. Orange is one of the most effective fruit for the treatment of cough. If cough is severe then patient can be given only orange juice 3-4 times a day with warm water. This can be continued for few days till the patient start feeling better. Later on patient can also be given fruits like grapes, apples, peaches, water melons, pineapples. Plain water, freshly prepared lemon juice is the preferred fluid. Intake of balanced diet with green leafy vegetables, grams, cereals, fruits, etc., is one of the main remedy for any type of disease. Patient suffering from cough should take balanced diet, taken 2-3 times a day in lesser quantity. However, do not take fruit juice during night. The patient suffering from cough should take proper balanced diet and strictly avoid mutton, caffeine, any type of oily and spicy food, sugar, chocolates, etc. Any type of cold drink, ice cream should also be avoided.