Cough © David L. Hoffmann B.Sc. (Hons), M.N.I.M.H. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Should one soothe coughs, stimulate coughs or suppress coughs? It is always preferable to focus on the underlying cause of the cough as removing the cause will, obviously, alleviate the cough. In the sections that follow, a number of different `cough remedies' are discussed. Always select the appropriate approach for the individuals unique case. The key is getting the balance right between the various stimulating, demulcent, anti-microbial or anti-tussive herbs available. Treat the person and their experience not the cough. Acute inflammatory conditions of the respiratory system are primarily treated with mucilage rich demulcents, acting as they do to soothe the inflamed tissue It would be inappropriate to use the stimulating, saponin containing expectorants in all cases, as they are best for sub-acute or chronic bronchitis where an active expectoration is required. Any increased irritation in chronic bronchitis will indicate the need for increased demulcancy. This facilitates differentiated stages of cough therapy that can rapidly ameliorate the symptoms & shorten duration of respiratory illness. Coughing is a reflex response to anything blocking the airways. Usually this is mucus secreted by membranes lining the respiratory tract. Such mucus secretions help to protect the respiratory tract from any kind of irritant, trapping and flushing out smoke particles, bacteria and viruses. Any cough that lasts more than a few days, does not respond to treatment, or produces blood, should be investigated further, as it may be a sign of serious organic disease. A simple cough remedy may be made by slicing a large onion into rings and putting them into a deep bowl. Cover the onion slices with organic honey and let it stand overnight. In the morning, strain off the mixture of honey and onion juice which makes a simple cough elixir. Honey itself, which is often included in cough mixtures has antimicrobial properties and is also expectorant. Take a dessert spoon of this mixture four or five times a day. A basic herbal cough tea is as follows: One possible prescription Tussilago farfara --- --- --- 2 parts Althaea officinalis --- --- --- 2 parts Hyssopus officinalis --- --- --- 2 parts Glycyrrhiza glabra --- --- --- 1 part Pimpinella anisum --- --- --- 1 part -- -- -- infuse and drink often until symptoms subside © David L. Hoffmann B.Sc. (Hons), M.N.I.M.H.