Home treatment for dry cough

A cough can be annoying. Yet, for the body, cough is an essential tool. With it, the respiratory system has a powerful weapon against many hardships that befall the lungs, or throat.

Be it mucus, irritants, microbes, or any other foreign particles, the cough does its best to get them out of areas where they can prove threatening to a person's well being. The thing is, however, that a cough can sometimes cause more harm than good.

Sometimes people can have prolonged dry coughs that seem like they will never go away. Such a condition can be very irritating, causing lung spasms, shortness of breath, fatigue, and a lack of sleep. It can be quite a nuisance, so what should one do about it? There is a practical dry cough treatment that can remedy the problem.

First, it is important to ask one's self, what the cause of this condition appears to be. Well, there can be many, but those can be easily grouped for the purpose of treatment. Some of the most frequent reasons for a prolonged dry cough are dehydration, smoking or any other regular fume-intake, or exposure to large amounts of dust and similar pollutants.

The key is in eliminating all these harmful substances and habits from the environment, at least for the duration of the condition itself. That might not be enough though, depending on what else is wrong with the person. Relevant to the nature of the ailment, a person may need to simply suppress the cough, or to agitate it so it can do its job and leave after finishing its necessary jobs.

This is done with the help of suppressants and expectorants, respectively.

There are different ways to address different coughs, so one should not presume that each one can be dealt with in the same way.

Expectorants help thin mucus in the lungs and respiratory tract and make it easier to cough mucus up when the person has a productive cough.

It is also a good idea to use a humidifier to add moisture to the air, though using a hot vaporizer should be avoided entirely.

Also, a parent with a child suffering from a similar condition can use different methods to help stop the cough. It is vital to make sure what kind of cough medicines children are allowed to use, because regular medicine that is made for adults is far too strong for most children and can have negative effects on their condition.

The same thing goes for the elderly. If the person has other related health issues, such as asthma, or chronic bronchitis for example, another set of rules apply as well.

That is why it is best to know the basics of home treatment for a dry cough, so that one can combat the most common symptoms without having to consult a physician. Of course, asking for a professional opinion, be it your doctor, or a pharmacist, is of undisputed value, and is encouraged in all cases.