A cough is a mechanism used by the body to clear our airways, but it also usually appears when we suffer from a cold, asthma, lung infection, allergies or sinusitis. Coughs also affect active and passive smokers. If the cough is not treated, it can become constant, affecting our throat and chest and preventing us from carrying out our daily activities. When accompanied by phlegm it can even be embarrassing, so now we will show how to cure a phlegmy cough using homemade remedies.
One of the most effective remedies is water vapour or steam: Simply boil water and breathe the vapour. You can add salt to the water or even special herbs to help respiration, these are available at the herbalists, which will help you get rid of phlegm and feel much better.
To do this, put the water in a pot and boil it. Once the water is hot, add herbs such as eucalyptus and put your head above the pot to inhale the vapours of the mix. Cover your head with a towel so the vapour won't spread all over the room and you'll be able to breathe them.
Another effective combination thanks to its expectorant power is honey with white pepper. Prepare a tea of your choice and add a tablespoon of honey and a pinch of white pepper. You can repeat the process three times a day to help you cough up the phlegm faster. Have a look at our article how to use honey to treat a cough for more details.
Onions are known for their antibiotic properties which help to disinfect and reduce inflammation. You can use them in various ways. One way is breathing their odour directly for a few minutes a day, repeating this process at least three times. You can cut an onion in half and leave it on your night stand. Breathing the odours of the onion during the night will ease your cough and you'll definitely feel better in the morning.
If you don't want to breathe onion, you can make tea with water, boiled onions, tea, honey and a little ginger. You will soon notice its effects. You can also choose to make an onion and honey syrup that will surely help to combat cough.
Garlic is also known as a powerful antibiotic and is a popular ingredient in homemade remedies and one of the most recommended to cure a cough. You can inhale its odour for several minutes a few times a day or consume directly to cure a cough. Or, find out how to take raw garlic to see the different ways you can ingest it.
Thyme is one of the best medicinal herbs to treat phlegmy cough. Thyme is very easy to obtain, given its use for cooking. It can be used the same way as eucalyptus, adding some to a pot with boiling water. Leave it on the water for 5 minutes and turn the fire off afterwards. Inhale the steam from the mixture and you'll see how your airways clear and the phlegmy cough slowly disappears. You can repeat this three times a day.
Gargling with warm salt water is another great way to treat phlegm. Warm water (not boiling) helps soothe the irritated throat, while the salt helps destroy the bacteria that cause the infection. To do this:
- Mix one-forth teaspoon of salt in a glass of water
- Gargle with the mixture
- Repeat as many times a day as you feel like
Lemon juice with honey is very simple to prepare and highly effective to treat phlegmy cough. Lemon juice is a great natural expectorant that also provides vitamin C, while honey is an excellent natural antibiotic. Mix in a cup with warm water the juice of one lemon and a teaspoon of honey, drink three times a day and you'll see how your cough gets better.
Ginger is a natural decongestant that has antiviral, antibacterial and expectorant properties, thus it's perfect to treat phlegmy cough. You can either prepare a ginger infusion or chew raw ginger slices or add it to your dishes. To prepare the infusion:
- Add fresh ginger slices to a cup of boiling water
- Steep for a few minutes
- Add a teaspoon of honey
- Drink this ginger tea several times throughout the day
Chicken soup will also help release the phlegm in your airways. Hot chicken soup moisturizes the airways and thins the consistency of the phlegm. It is always better to drink homemade soup rather than canned soup, because this last has preservatives.
Carrots are very effective in treating phlegm and other conditions typical of colds and flus. Carrots have vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps the immune system and fights off infections. The consumption of carrots won't only help reduce phlegm but also combat the other symptoms of your cold. You can either consume raw or cooked carrots or make juice with them:
- Make juice from 4 or 5 fresh carrots
- Add a little water to dilute the juice
- Add a couple of teaspoons of honey and stir well
- Drink this juice throughout the day
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to How To Cure A Phlegmy Cough, we recommend you visit our Family health category.
- If after using these homemade remedies or taking medication your cough does not improve immediately go to the doctor
- If you bleed when you cough or find that you cough in greater frequency, see your doctor
- Avoid smoking and being exposed to smoke and dust while you are suffering from a cough
- Protect your neck from the old with a scarf and keep it warm so to not worsen the cough
- Avoid drinking cold drinks, choose hot teas instead