It's cold and wet outside, the days are getting shorter. The cold season begins, because the immune system must first adapt to the changed weather conditions. On every corner someone sniffs and sneezes, whether on public transport, in the supermarket or in the office. You will soon notice the first symptoms yourself: a scratchy throat, headaches, sniffles. One side effect is particularly unpleasant: chesty cough.

Chesty cough is a protective reaction of the body that often robs us of sleep. However, home remedies can successfully combat the symptoms. This dry form of coughing, in which no mucus is secreted, can be caused by pollen, dust or smoke particles. But pathogens such as viruses and bacteria can also trigger it. Thus, irritable cough occurs in the early stages of a cold or flu before it becomes the so-called productive cough, in which mucus is formed. 

Coughing is an innate reflex, it is almost impossible to suppress it - even if this would often be desirable with a chesty cough. This reflex is intended to clear the airways of intruders. When coughing, the larynx closes, the breathing muscles contract and air escapes from the lungs at a speed of up to 480 km/h - inexorably so. 

It is recommended to drink a lot to keep the mucous membranes moist. However, if "wait and see and drink tea" takes too long, there are numerous natural remedies available. Honey, for example, has proven its worth, and studies also show that nectar can relieve coughs. This is due to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties. Before going to bed you can let one or two tablespoons of honey melt in your mouth or stir it into the tea. Another alternative is a cough syrup made from honey and onions. 

To moisturize and soothe the mucous membranes, you can inhale with sage, which has an antimicrobial effect due to the essential oils it contains - either with an inhaler or by placing a handful of sage leaves in a bowl of hot water. Ribwort plantain has also proven to be a remedy for chesty coughs. It contains tanning agents that stabilize the irritated mucous membranes and thus relieve coughs. Ribwort plantain can be found in many medicines, but can also be taken as tea or syrup. 

* This text may contain translation errors as the translation was performed by an online translation tool.