Cough symptoms can be a sign of underlying medical conditions and some of them can even be serious. Hence, it is very important to keep an eye out on cough symptoms. If cough lasts longer than 8 weeks, it is persistent cough and this cough indicates various ailments such as asthma, allergies and lung infections. Chronic cough doesn’t improve with over-the-counter medicines. Moreover, early diagnosis can improve the outcome.
Ideally cough removes irritants from your throat that ultimately clears your lungs. It also heals your body by expelling foreign particles. What are the types of coughs? Following are the types of coughs-
· Chronic cough which lasts longer than eight weeks.
· Acute cough lasts for about two-three weeks.
· Sub-acute cough is the one that persists after you have has an infection. The shelf life of this cough is three to eight weeks.
Following are some of the main causes of coughs-
· Smoke.
· Pungent smell.
· Dust.
· Pollen.
· Irritants.
· Mucus.
What is a cough reflex?
Coughing is an immediate and prompt response to something that affects your throat. It is ideally a healthy response because it protects your body. There are multiple reasons as to why people cough. People cough when there is food caught in the airway, when there is mucus or phlegm in the throat etc. There are certain medicines available in the market that send a message to your brain. It tightens your stomach and chest muscles and apparently pushes air out of the lungs. This makes you cough. It can be a chronic cough or just one or two coughs.
What are wet coughs and what are they caused by?
· Viruses- The most common types of coughs are caused by cold and flu. These can potentially last a week.
· Upper airway cough syndrome- The most common symptoms of this type of cough is persistent cough, gurgling speech, sinus and other allergies. When you have a runny nose, phlegm or mucus tends to get stuck in your throat and this excess mucus can lead to a gurgling sensation.
Overview: Cough treatment
Cough has many causes and treating these causes involve a lot of factors. OTC or over the counter cough medicines help in more ways than one! These medications not only helps one get rid of one but also prevents further complications. The cough suppressants lessen your urge to cough. However, it is not recommended to use them as they are strong in nature.
Why choose ayurvedic medicines for cough over over-the-counter allopathic medicines?
There are many factors that can be attributed to the occurrence of cough. Following are the reasons as to why people choose ayurvedic medicines for cough for long-term relief-
1. Root cause healing.
Many modern cough syrups only have compounds that suppresses symptoms. However, Ayurveda works at the forefront to identify and balance the doshas that cause cough.
2. No harsh chemicals.
As Ayurveda consists of plant extracts, herbs and a variety of spices, it refrains from using any kind of synthetic ingredients. This means that it is safe for children and made with natural ingredients.
3. Treats all kinds of cough.
Regardless of it is a dry cough, wet cough or any kind of allergy-triggered ailment, ayurvedic medicines are equipped with the formulations such as Talisadi churna, Yashtimadhu, Kantakari and sitopaladi churna.
Following are some of the most revered ayurvedic medicines for cough-
1. Honitus.
Free from sugar-free formula, Honitus is ayurvedic cough syrup that is equipped with ingredients such as Shunthi, Yastimadhu and Tulsi. The combined effect of these ingredients help support the wear and tear of respiratory health. Apart from these ingredients, Banafsha is another ingredient prevalent in the mixture that acts as an expectorant that relieves cough. The medicine is free from alcohol and only includes natural additives.
One should not exceed the recommended dosage and read the label carefully before consuming the medicine.
2. Flucon ayurvedic tablets.
The medicine has the components that increase the immunity level of the upper respiratory tract. It eventually protects one’s body from runny nose, cough and sore throat. The active compounds present in the medicine control mucus secretions. The tablets also balance the kapha dosha and vata dosha. This medicine is of utmost benefit to the people who are weak in immunity. The medicine helps body fight bacteria and also increases resistance. The ingredients found in the drug are Nagar Motha, Neem, Haldi, Mulethi, Sonth, Daalchini and Bharangi.
3. Sunth.
Blended with black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric, clove and cardamom, sunth soothes sore throats, relieves nausea and also prevents the overall wear and tear of the respiratory tract. This versatile herbal remedy has an array of health benefits. It also alleviates nausea to a huge extent. Also known as dry ginger powder, sunth is widely known for its warming and expectorant properties. It helps loosen and expel mucus from the tract.
How to use sunth?
· Sunth and honey paste.
Mix 1 tablespoon honey with sunth powder.
Make a paste and take this mixture 2-3 times a day.
· Sunth herbal tea.
Boil half to one tablespoon sunth and a few tulsi leaves.
Strain the mixture and drink!
4. Shwaskuthar Ras.
Used to treat respiratory conditions, shwaskuthar ras also cures bronchitis, cough, asthma and breathlessness. The medicine detoxifies lung tissues and also opens air passages. The key ingredients in the medicine are Tankan Bhasma, Trikatu, Shuddha parad, Bharangi and Pushkarmool. The medicine should only be taken under the guidance of an ayurvedic practitioner.
5. Turmeric powder.
If you are suffering from chronic cough, it is advisable to consume turmeric powder mixed with honey. Mix a tablespoon of turmeric powder with milk and add honey for taste. This combination also reduces inflammation and relieves person from chronic cough. It is recommended to consult a doctor if the cough symptoms are persistent. This is one of the most cost-effective remedy to get rid of cough.
6. Koflet cough syrup.
The Koflet cough syrup relieves cough, soothes the respiratory passage and facilitates easy movement of phlegm. The syrup alleviates dry and wet cough. Licorice and holy basil are two of the ingredients that are known for their anti-inflammatory properties.