Herbal remedies for coughing can be useful alternatives to over-the-counter medications. "Herbal Remedies: A Quick and Easy Guide to Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies" says that certain herbs have the power to promote productive coughs and soothe the most painful aspects of this symptom. However, herbal remedies aren't for everyone. If you have a cough that lasts longer than a week, is painful or is accompanied by discolored mucus, you should see a doctor.
Mustard
Mustard soothes coughing by warming up your chest and loosening tight muscles and phlegm. According to "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies," a mustard plaster is a fairly common herbal treatment for deep, painful coughs. To make this remedy, mix 1/2 cup of ground mustard seeds with 1 cup of flour. Add just enough water to make a thick paste and spread the plaster on one side of a clean kitchen towel.
Lay the towel, paste-side-up, on your chest. Make sure that none of the mustard plaster makes contact with your skin because it can burn and irritate it. Wrap yourself in a blanket and let the plaster rest on your chest until it becomes too hot for comfort. Then, flip over and do the same on your back.
Horehound
Horehound is a powerful expectorant that really targets the mucus buildup in your chest that may be causing the cough. A simple horehound tea, consumed two or three times daily, can thin that phlegm and help you recover more quickly. To make horehound tea, combine 1/4 cup of dried horehound with 1 quart of water in a medium saucepan. Simmer the mixture for about 20 minutes, then strain the tea. Add about 2 tbsp. of honey and the juice from one lemon to offset the herb's bitterness. Store the tea in the refrigerator and drink it in 8 oz. servings. Warm the drink before consuming.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is an expectorant that is mainly used to clear nasal passages and clogged chest cavities. The University of Maryland Medical Center advises patients to make a eucalyptus infusion by place 1/2 teaspoon of dried eucalyptus in the bottom of a mug and then adding 8 oz. of water. Steep the leaves for 10 to 15 minutes, then sip it while it's still hot. Repeat the treatment three times daily.
Hyssop
"Herbal Remedies" names hyssop as the best herbal remedy for chronic coughs related to bronchitis because it expels troublesome mucus. To make a hyssop tea that you can sip two to three times a day, measure 1 tsp. of dried hyssop into a mug and pour 8 oz. of boiling water over it. Allow the tea to steep for 3 to 5 minutes, then sip it while it's still warm.
References
- "The People's Pharmacy Guide to Home and Herbal Remedies;" Joe Graedon and Teresa Graedon; 2002
- "Herbal Remedies: A Quick and Easy Guide to Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies;" Asa Hershoff and Andrea Rotelli; 2001
- Old-Fashioned Living: Grow Your Own Horehound
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Eucalyptus
- Glenbrook Farms: All About Hyssop
