Learn about the Ayurvedic Approach of Treatment and Home Remedies for Cough

Ayurveda Science

Ayurveda Approach of Treatment for Dry Cough

As per Ayurveda, Dry cough (Shushka-Kasa) is a very common ailment provoked by prolonged exposure to high pollution-levels, dust, allergy and toxic smoke (like cigarettes, environmental pollution).

As a countermeasure, the body’s natural mechanism forcibly expels air to remove the obstruction.

When this natural process is happening, the Vata (biological air) balance in the body gets impaired and causes “Vataja Kasa”

Ayurvedic Home Remedies for Health and Wellness

How to Treat Common Dry Cough (Vataja Kasa)

These simple Ayurveda treatments can help to treat dry cough:

• Application of oils and/or heat to the prana vaha srota (respiratory system). Eg. Sesame oil massaged into the chest followed by fomentation.
• Ghrita (medicated ghee) administration. Ghee is prepared using warm or moist expectorant herbs: Kantakari, vasaka, licorice and wild cherry bark.
• For the digestive system anuvasana basti (oil enema) or niruha basti (decoction enema) is done.
• Prescription of Sitopaladi Churna. It is a combination of many herbs and spices with chief herb being Vamsa rochana.

Natural Home Remedies for Cough

If you are suffering from Dry cough, try out these effective Ayurvedic home remedies:

Turmeric as a natural remedy

Consume turmeric powder mixed with honey three times a day.

Drink turmeric milk before bedtime as it acts as a natural antibiotic. Check out the Recipe for Golden Milk

Inhaling the vapors of turmeric, apple cider vinegar, or eucalyptus oil added to steaming water helps in running nose. As this helps to loosen the secretions, and enhance the discharge through the nose. 

Honey

Mix lemon and honey in warm water and consume twice a day. The high concentration of vitamin C improves the resistance of the body, lowers the toxic nature of the infection, and reduces the total duration of the cold.

Sooth your infected throat pipe with natural cough syrup made by mixing ginger and honey. Boil a piece of ginger (peeled) in water. Filter and mix 1 tsp of honey and consume. You can even chew small pieces of ginger sprinkled with water for its anti-inflammatory properties.

Drink tea made of Tulsi, ginger and honey. You can chew Tulsi flowers throughout the day for faster recovery.

Learn more about the Ayurveda’s Golden Herb Tulsi!

Licorice (Mulethi)

Licorice lozenges helps to reduce inflammation. You can Buy Licorice throat lozenges from Amazon

Saunf (Aniseeds)

Use the decoction of Saunf (Aniseeds) as the base water to make coffee or tea.

Garlic

Cloves of garlic, boiled in water and consumed as a soup, provide relief from the symptoms of a cold. As the oil in garlic helps to open up the airways, and facilitates in better respiration. 

Cinnamon

Add a pinch of cinnamon powder in warm water or tea for relief from throat irritability.

Follow this simple tip: Add 1 gram of dry Ginger powder, black pepper powder, cardamom powder, clove powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder with 6 grams of powdered sugar. Mix this and take this twice daily with lukewarm water to cure the problem.

Simple Tip

Don’t forget to make some important lifestyle changes like:

• Avoid Cold and frozen foods, yogurt, banana and sour fruits
• Avoid interaction with allergens (pollution, dust, pollen etc.)
• Sit in Sun
• Abstain from junk, dry or spicy food
• Have plenty of rest
• Consume clean, room temperature/warm water
• Do Pranayama for building lung’s health
• Avoid irritants like smoke from mosquito coils, incense etc
• Follow strict food and sleep schedule.
• Install a humidifier in the bedroom
• Consume food rich in Vitamin C to strengthen the immune system
• Feet, head and chest should be properly covered
• The use of humidifiers can be beneficial if you spend most of your time indoors.