What Are Simple Home Remedies for Cough and Cold Relief?
Adult · Cough
Simple home care measures, including drinking fluids, gargling with salt water and selected remedies such as honey, may help relieve some cold and cough symptoms.
What Home Remedies Can Help Relieve Cough and Cold Symptoms?
Home care for a cough or cold may include drinking fluids, salt-water gargling and symptom-focused remedies such as honey. These measures can help provide relief while you recover.
Home Care for Cold and Cough
Fluid Intake
Drinking plenty of fluids can help you stay hydrated and loosen mucus during a cough or cold.
Steam Inhalation
Inhaling warm steam may help loosen mucus and relieve a stuffy nose during a cold.
Ginger
Ginger may help relieve some symptoms of a cold, flu or cough.
Turmeric
Turmeric is discussed as a traditional herbal treatment that may help with cough symptoms.
Gargling
Gargling with salt water may help soothe a sore throat and relieve some cold symptoms.
Peppermint
Peppermint may help ease some symptoms of a cough or cold.
Honey
Honey may help relieve a cough and improve sleep. Honey must not be given to infants younger than 12 months.
Liquorice
Liquorice may help soothe a sore throat and relieve cough or chest congestion.
Herbal Therapies
Some herbal remedies, including fennel, cinnamon and eucalyptus, have been discussed for cough and cold symptom relief.
Support your recovery with simple and effective home care measures for cold and cough.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this blog is to help you understand about cough, cold, and allergy a little better — it's not a substitute for seeing a doctor. Every person is different, so please check with a healthcare professional for advice specific to you or your child, especially before starting any medication or if symptoms last more than a few days. If you're ever worried, don't wait — reach out to your doctor.References:
- Thielmann A, et al. Self-Care for Common Colds by Primary Care Patients: A European Multicenter Survey on the Prevalence and Patterns of Practices-The COCO Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2016;2016:6949202.
- Goldman RD; Canadian Paediatric Society, Drug Therapy and Hazardous Substances Committee. Treating cough and cold: Guidance for caregivers of children and youth. Paediatr Child Health. 2011 Nov;16(9):564-9.
- Nanda MS. Efficacy of steam inhalation with inhalant capsules in patients with common cold in a rural set up. IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences. 2015 Jan;14(1):37-41.
- Wardani RS, et al. Treatment of the common cold with herbs used in Ayurveda and Jamu: monograph review and the science of ginger, liquorice, turmeric and peppermint. Drugs Context. 2023 Jun 14;12:2023-2-12.
- Tiong V, et al. The effectiveness of various gargle formulations and salt water against SARS-CoV-2. Scientific Reports. 2021 Oct 15;11(1):20502.
- Mammari N, et al. Natural Products for the Prevention and Treatment of Common Cold and Viral Respiratory Infections. Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023 Apr 28;16(5):662.