Dry Cough Care
January 28, 2010
Dry cough is the initial stage for the more progressive form of cough. But if weeks pass and the dry cough is not healing with OTC anti-tussives then may be it is not just a seasonal cough.Causes of Dry Cough
Due to gastric reflux the gastric acids may enter the esophagus which cause irritation to the throat and thus cause dry cough. This usually occurs at night while asleep. It is therefore advisable to GERD patients to sleep with some elevation.
Lack of enough water in body or low humidity in the surroundings may also be the cause of unexplained dry cough.
Asthma in adults is usually characterized by dry cough. It could also be due to some lung infection. Dry cough may be a symptom of lung cancer, whooping cough or fibrosing alveolitis.
Respiratory tract infection and certain allergic reactions may cause dry cough. But such a response often accompanies sneezing and nasal congestion
The allergic reaction may be due to some medications like the ACE inhibitors used for treatment of blood pressure.
Other cause of dry cough could be post nasal drip, asbestosis, larynx disease, habitual cough or some environmental irritant.
Remedies and Care
Dry cough should not be ignored. Certain home remedies are found to be effective in giving relief to dry cough caused due to different reasons.
Herbal teas of basil leaf, ginger, lemon and ashwagandha should be consumed along with one tbsp of honey thrice every day. Honey helps in clearing the throat and it lubricates the system.
Warm 1 tbsp of ghee and add 2 pinches of black pepper. Consume this mixture at bedtime. Soak 5 almonds overnight. Grind them in morning to prepare a paste with honey. Eat it twice daily.
Warm milk is a natural lubricant. Add honey to it and consume at bed time. Acidity patients should avoid this remedy since the calcium present in the milk may aggravate acidity symptoms.
Prepare dry cough syrup by boiling carom seeds in a glass of water. Add 1 tbsp of turmeric powder to it and wait until the mixture reduces to half. Add 2 tbsp of honey to it and store in a glass bottle. Take 1 tbsp of this syrup every day.
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