Just cannot shake this cough

This is just a thought, Octaviel. I rarely take medications of any kind; but once in awhile, if I have a stubborn cough, I will take an OTC cough suppressant just to give my coughing a little break. For three reasons: 1) Sometimes a little break from mad coughing is enough to interrupt the cycle and start me on the road to recovery; 2) I'm around people all day (co-workers, service providers and my elderly mom) and just can't be coughing my brains out in their faces all day; and 3) my prolapses need a break too! Of course, if your doctor says that the coughing you're doing now is productive, and helping to break up whatever is causing it, I would say that suppressing it isn't the answer.

Hello Octaviel
I've been wondering about posting on the same subject as I have had a horrible cough for the last two weeks and I know exactly how you feel. Such a nuisance, I've been worried that all these months of WW work will be undone. To try to avoid this, I've been trying to bend into firebreathing position or getting down on my hands and knees whenever possible before coughing, and then trying a bit of firebreathing afterwards - though it often makes me cough more . The only thing I've found that helps is ginger tea, made with fresh root ginger, which is very warming and soothing. I've read up on it and ginger is very good for all sorts of things apart from helping with coughs and colds - and actually I think it must help with constipation too as I'm now much improved in that department. Hooray!
Hope you feel better soon
Tintagel

Was just going to post on this topic myself. feels like Im going to blow a bladder out my vagina. Not, impressed!!!

I've used Sambucol to deter the cough. It works pretty well, especially if you start taking it at the first sign of cold, flu, etc. You can make your own cough syrup using elderberries - there are recipes online, just google it.

I don't usually imbibe spirits; however, a year ago, I was down for almost 3 months with whatever it was, the coughing was unbearable. My son suggested I buy a whiskey with honey in it called "American Honey". I only sipped on about a half ounce just before going to bed. It calmed the coughing enough to let me sleep peacefully and rest during the night. I think it was the Wild Turkey brand if I remember correctly. Guess that is why I called it "turkey juice".

Also, I had to sleep on my side as sleeping on my back made the drainage worse.

Grandma Joy

It is most likely that inflammation from an auto-immune response is responsible for a lingering cough, long after the offending organism is gone. Therefore, anti-inflammatory measures are needed. If you lived in the American southwest, you could try a chaparral (Larrea tridentata) steam bath, which has the power to stop a cough cold in its tracks. I use it with my granddaughter every time she starts coughing and the results are amazing. Barring that possibility, I would suggest taking a couple of aspirin, an often overlooked yet very effective anti-inflammatory remedy.

... is a steam inhalation and paracetamol chewed slowly and swallowed, before bedtime, then again at first sign of a coughing fit during the night. I find chewed paracetamol to be more effective than gargling. A humidifier can also be helpful if the air is dry and cold.

Yes, do anything to stop the cough from further inflaming the throat and causing more coughing.

1. Ricola natural herb cough drops (from Wallgreens) and
2, Throat Comfort Yogi tea (from Whole Foods). It leaves a soothing coating on the throat.
Both of these work great for early stages. Sometimes I also use steam inhalations and salt water rinses.

Hope you get well soon!

I came to see what I mind find for support(ing) oneself while dealing with a terrible cough. Haven't had one since I've been dealing with pop that I recall. I think I would remember. Needless to say, I hold on. My precious body is going thru a shakeup. At least the first part of my cold is over. No more aches.

Most of the time, I bend at the waist when I cough or sneeze. Seems I read that here once. I drink various teas, water, chicken broth with pepper. Ricola drops help. I'm getting ready to gargle with seasalt and water. Also, I use a Lung formula from Dr. Richard Schultz (online). It's herbal.

I'm hoping I can master this asap, as I know you are. We can do it!

Dreamer Teamer (:

Hi Dreamer

A cough is a sudden breath out. It creates a sudden and brief buildup and decrease in intraabdominal pressure. The best way to deal with any increase in intraabdominal pressure is with Wholewoman posture, ie maintaining the lumbar curve in the spine, which creates a bend in the torso, and literally moves the vagina our of the way of this intraabdominal pressure as it travels downwards. Intraabdominal pressure can only bounce off your spine and your abdominal walls, and being absorbed by these.

Bending from the waist straightens the lumbar curve and directs intraabdominal pressure straight down your vagina. Bending from the hips with your lumbar curve in place and relaxed lower belly directs intraabdominal pressure onto your lower abdominal wall , which simply distends a little more to absorb it.

So bend from your hip joints, not your waist! Hope this makes sense.

Louise

Thanks Louise. I have probably been doing it this way. Just not thinking hips. I know I just bend over quickly as I can when a sneeze or cough is coming. Again, I am so grateful for the support here. (:

I knew I'd be able to find something here. Finally succumbed to my childrens' colds and like so many others afraid I was undoing my posture work or making things worse since I'm very new to all this. So, have been trying to maintain sitting/standing posture during coughing spells but just used firebreathing posture and it felt so much better.
Thanks everyone.

Hi everyone, just wanted to share something that has worked for me with dealing with the kind of irresistable dry cough that brings tears to your eyes when you try not to cough. It's not a cure but more to help when you are in an uncomfortable situation you can't avoid like on public transport or in an air-conditioned office. I have found chewing minty or mentholated chewing gum really helps to stop the cough developing into a full-on coughing fit. Somehow the combination of salivating and the mintiness works better than a drink of water or tea to stop the cough escalating.

Of course it's better to cure the source of the cough, and next time I get a cough I will be trying out the aspirin/paracetamol. My partner reckons including tea tree or eucalyptus essential oils with steam inhalation helps clear phlegm and soothe the airways. I have had success suppressing chesty night coughs with a mug of hot elderberry wine in the past but I feel that should be more of a (delicious) last resort!

I think these are about inflammation and irritation. Chewing something will increase saliva flow, so it keeps your throat moist and lubricated. Keeping your mouth shut when not talking or shoving something in it will keep irritating cold or irritant laden air out of your throat. Your nose is designed to filter out particles and germs, and warm the air before it gets to your throat and lungs. Always breathe through your nose.

Yeah, paracetemol is my cough friend too. I also find inhalations useful.

I also discovered with the last scratchy throat (which normally means that I have a cold/wog brewing) that sucking on a lemon half periodically during the next day day made my wog go away. Maybe it was the slow feed vitamin C? Maybe it was the extra saliva? Maybe it was something else, or a combination?

Less irritation = Less coughing = less irritation = less coughing, until you aren't coughing any more.

Louise