Easy Home Remedies for Cough

Every now and then, we all catch a common cold which results in a terrible cough. But to me, the itch, the pain and the "damn it, I almost coughed up a lung" feelings are all too familiar. I catch colds far more than the average person; therefore I've developed and researched several home remedies that keep the painful coughs at bay. I'll be honest with you, these home remedies are not the tastiest but they sure do get the job done.

Milk and Honey

I bet you've been told countless times that honey cures a cough. But, I'll let you in on a secret: the people who've told you this are wrong. Well, partially anyways. A spoonful of honey will please your taste buds... and that's about it. It won't do much at all to get rid of your cough. The trick to making this old wives tale work is to mix the honey with warm milk. Just mix a spoonful of honey (measurements aren't required, just eyeball it) with a cup of warm milk. Personally, I bring the milk to a rolling boil and incorporate the honey so it is well blended with the milk. This home remedy takes just about half a day to get rid of my cough.

Vick's Menthol Rub

Each time I developed an uncontrollable cough when I was little, my grandmother would rub Vick's Menthol Rub on my chest and nose; and let me tell you, it worked wonders. This home remedy is surely effective, but it's not my go-to home remedy to cure a cough because you need a full night's sleep to reap the rewards. This is fairly simple, but a little stinky. Smear a bit of menthol rub on your chest and cover with a face or hand towel. If you've got a stuffy nose as well, apply the menthol rub to your outer nostrils, the bridge of your nose and close to the opening of your nostrils. When you wake up in the morning you will feel refreshed and healthy.

Thyme Tea

Personally, the slightly overpowering lemony/peppery taste of thyme makes my skin crawl. But, the fact of the matter is that thyme is a quick fix to a stubborn cough. Apparently thyme is a natural cough suppressant and chest decongestant. Go to your local health food store and pick up a package of thyme tea. I advise that you make a trip to a health food store because I've never seen thyme tea stocked in general supermarkets. Depending on your brand and your locality, a package of thyme tea will cost anywhere from $6 to $12. Brew yourself several cups of tea throughout the day and you should feel better before sundown. I find that after two cups, my cough subsides substantially. But of course, every body will have a different response time.