Top 11 Home Remedies To Cure Dry Cough In No Time

by Riya Roy · November 21, 2016

A cough is termed as dry if it doesn’t produce sputum or mucus. This kind of cough is commonly called dry cough, and develops as a result of viral infection of the nose, or infection of the throat. When you are suffering from dry cough, you will feel as if something irritating is stuck in your throat. Even if you cough continuously you won’t be able to take the dry cough out. No matter what has caused the dry cough, these home remedies for dry cough will help you recover in no time.

Note: In case these home remedies do not indicate any improvement in your condition, consult a doctor. Also, if you are allergic to any of the herbs or cures listed here, avoid the respective remedy.

milk and honey_New_Love_Times

Image source: Google copyright-free images, under Creative Commons License

Causes of dry cough

Some common causes of dry cough are,

Viral infection
Common cold
Flu
Smoking

It can also be a result of more serious health conditions, such as,

Asthma
Tuberculosis
Lung cancer

Symptoms of dry cough

The symptoms of dry cough are,

Itchy throat
Chest pain
Congestion

If you are suffering from dry cough, you need not use quick-relief syrups that only deceive you into believing that you are feeling better. Soon you will see the symptoms arising again, and curing them will get tougher. Instead, try these natural home remedies that you will find in your kitchen right now!

Home remedies for dry cough

1. Honey

honey_New_Love_Times

Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License

Honey is a very old remedy for dry cough, something that most grandma’s will swear by. It is also used, popularly, in several cough syrups. Honey works on dry cough as it has analgesic elements, which help get rid of mucus. It also soothes the throat which might be irritating you because of the constant coughing. The anti-oxidant and anti-microbial qualities of honey make it very effective for sore throat.

Remedies

The best way to consume honey for dry cough is by adding a teaspoon of it to warm milk. The honey in the milk will also give you relief against chest pain that you might feel as a result of incessant coughing.

2. Turmeric

turmeric powder

Image source: Google copyright-free images, under Creative Commons License

The curcumin in turmeric is an active agent that gives turmeric its antiviral and antibacterial properties. This is what makes turmeric ideal for treating the dry cough caused by viral infections such as cough and cold.

Remedies

Take half a tablespoon of turmeric powder.
Mix it with a teaspoon of carom seeds.
Now add the mixture into a vessel of water.
Bring the vessel to boil.
Let the mixture boil until only half of the contents of the vessel remain.
Add half a tablespoon of honey to this, and stir well.
You need to drink this solution thrice a day until you see that the symptoms have begun to reduce.
Alternatively, you can add a tablespoon of turmeric to warm water, and drink every night to get relief from dry cough.

3. Ginger

Ginger, as you must already know, is a fantastic analgesic. It is because of this reason that you will find ginger as an important ingredient in cough syrups. Ginger is also a flavor that is regularly used in lozenges. It soothes itchiness and scratchiness that can be caused by a sore throat. The anti-inflammatory properties of ginger make it an amazing cleanser for our respiratory system.

Remedies

To use ginger as a home remedy for dry cough, cut it into small pieces. You can even grate it.
Now, crush the pieces.
Take a beaker of water, and bring it to boil.
To the beaker, add the crushed ginger.
Once the water boils, remove it from the flame.
Now, let it cool.
Strain the water, and drink it at least three times a day to get relief from dry cough.
Alternatively, you can rub your chest with ginger oil to get some respite.
You can also chew ginger slices to cure dry cough.

4. Garlic

garlic_New_Love_Times

Image source: Pixabay, under Creative Commons License

Garlic is anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-microbial, and so, you can easily understand why it features on the list of home remedies that cure dry cough. Its active agent, allicin, makes it an amazing cure for boosting the immune system of our body. Garlic also fights infections that can cause dry cough.

Remedies

Bring a glass of water to boil.
Add some garlic cloves to the water.
While the water boils, add half a tablespoon of oregano to it.
Let the solution cool down to normal room temperature.
Now add a tablespoon of honey to it. Mix well.
Consume this solution twice a day, or until you feel relieved from dry cough.
This solution of garlic, honey and oregano also cures a sore throat.

5. Gargle with salt water

woman drinking water_New_Love_Times

Image source: Shutterstock

Saline water is a great treatment for dry cough and it cures sore throat through osmosis. When we gargle using saline water, the salt in the cells of our mucus membranes flows out in order to balance the salt present outside our cells. This helps reduce swelling if any.

Remedies

Add half a tablespoon of salt to about 8 ounces of water, and bring the solution to boil.
Take a sip from the solution. Gargle for at least 15 seconds. Repeat this treatment 5 times.
Once you are done gargling, make sure you wash your mouth with plain water.

6. Steam

Steam helps loosen mucus and cough, which in turn, helps improve your condition. You can also try adding essential oils to the water to take advantage of their anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial qualities.

Remedies

For this treatment, you need a bowl of water, eucalyptus and tree tea oil, and a clean towel.
Begin by boiling a bowl of water.
To this add a few drops of the eucalyptus and tea tree oils.
Now, carefully lean over the bowl, while covering your head with the towel.
Inhale the steam for 15 minutes, three times a day.

Infants should not be given this treatment. You can try a hot shower or bath, instead.

7. Marshmallow root

Marshmallow root is extremely effective in curing dry cough, owing to its anti-inflammatory properties. The root also protects our mucous membrane tissues from further damage.

Remedies

Bring a vessel of water to boil.
Once it boils, remove it from the flame and add 3 grams of dried marshmallow leaves to it. Let it steep.
Strain out the leaves.
Drink this solution at least thrice a day to get the desired results.

8. Warm milk

Warm milk and honey can be an effective remedy for dry cough. The combination makes the mucus rise from our chest and our respiratory tract, making it easier for us to cough it out.

Remedies

Before you hit the sack, drink a glass of hot milk with a tablespoon of honey in it. This not only helps you sleep better, but also melts the dry cough. The next morning, you will notice that you will be able to easily cough out the mucus.
Repeat it for at least a week, for the desired results.

Pro tip: Make this a regular ritual. It helps keep your respiratory and digestive tract on track!

9. Oregano

home-remedies-for-dry-cough-1_New_Love_Times

Image source: Google copyright-free images, under Creative Commons License

Oregano is effective because it works as an expectorant that helps you get rid of dry cough. A special type of oregano is recommended for this treatment. It belongs to the potential herb, and is called Marjoram.

Remedies

In a cup of water add marjoram and bring it to boil.
Strain the solution.
Drink it on a daily basis to get respite from dry cough.

10. Onion

This is undoubtedly the simplest of all home remedies that we have listed here. Breathing in onion can help you get some relief from dry cough.

Remedies

You can add onion to boiling water. Strain the water, and take vapors.
Alternatively, you can also make a cough syrup for yourself. All you need is some baked onion juice, honey and comfrey tea.
Drink a tablespoon of this syrup daily to get rid of the dry cough in your respiratory tract.
Another thing you can do is mix half a teaspoon of onion juice with a tablespoon of honey. Consume this solution two times a day to get positive results.

11. Cayenne

Cayenne gives instant relief from chest pain that is sure to arise because of continuous coughing. Cayenne warms up the respiratory tract and also stimulates it, making it easier to cough the mucus out.

Remedies

You can make a cough syrup using a fourth of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, one eighth a tablespoon of ground ginger and two teaspoons of honey. Also, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to the mixture, with 4 teaspoons of water.
Take this syrup at least thrice a day to get some relief from dry cough.

That is all we have on home remedies for dry cough. Did you find this guide helpful? Did we miss out a home remedy that you would want to share with us? Let us know in the comment section below.

For more articles on home remedies, sign up for our daily newsletter today! Remember, your health is in your hands.