Dealing With Dry Cough? Here's How You Can Cure It With Simple Tips

Do you know that taking care of your personal health and the environment is crucial while treating a dry cough, particularly in the winter? It's important to stay hydrated because dry, cold air can make throat irritation worse. Warm drinks, such as soups or herbal teas, can help to ease sore throats and pain.

Also, adding moisture to the air using a humidifier indoors helps stop discomfort from getting worse. Another way to feel better is to gargle with saltwater. Also, maintaining excellent respiratory hygiene, such as covering the mouth and nose when coughing, can reduce the spread of diseases.

Dr. Nikhil Modi, who is a senior consultant in respiratory and critical care medicine at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals in Delhi, exclusively told Jagran English about the simple and easy ways to soothe your dry cough fast.

Dealing With Dry Cough Here's How You Can Cure It With Simple Tips (Image Credit: Canva)

According to Dr. Nikhil, "a dry cough is the result of irritation or inflammation in the throat or airways rather than excessive phlegm or mucus production as seen in wet coughs. This inflammation activates the cough receptors, triggering an unproductive cough as the body tries to expel the irritant. The resulting cough can continue the cycle by worsening inflammation, especially at night."

There are a few simple things that can be tried at home to help soothe the throat and quiet the cough.

Warm herbal tea with honey The moisture, warmth, and thick syrupy honey act as an instant balm, while herbs like chamomile and mint contain anti-inflammatory compounds to actually accelerate healing.

Hot Soup Broth: Similarly to tea, a broth's moisture, warmth, and salt balance work to temporarily coat and calm irritated throat tissues. Focus on clear broths to avoid dairy-thickened mucus production.

Cough Drops Containing Honey Or Menthol: Allowing soothing ingredients like these to slowly dissolve over the throat suppresses the cough reflex. Some data suggests honey outperforms common OTC options.

Cool Mist Humidifier: dry, cracked throat tissues worsen coughs. Keeping bedroom humidity between 40–50% overnight prevents this, letting the body focus healing resources on the inflammation instead.

Hard Lemon Or Honey Candy: Much like cough drops, letting small amounts of syrupy liquid continuously coat the throat in a dissolving candy soothes irritation and suppresses cough triggers.

Dealing With Dry Cough Here's How You Can Cure It With Simple Tips (Image Credit: Canva)

Honey Or Lemon Water: Both honey and lemon work as antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory salves when slowly sipped, with the advantage of hydration and warmth as well. I suggest a teaspoon of honey and/or fresh squeezed lemon to taste.

Ginger-Honey Mixture: Ginger contains compounds called gingerols that suppress coughs and reduce inflammation. When combined with antimicrobial honey, it can effectively and naturally quiet coughing. Simply stir together a teaspoon of powdered ginger with honey and slowly sip. Let the syrup coat the throat for fast cough relief and healing.

At last, Dr. Nikhil said, "While these simple home remedies can temporarily ease dry cough discomfort, chronic or worsening coughs lasting over a week may require medical treatment to resolve the root cause of inflammation-sustaining irritation."