A reflex which occurs to clear the chest airways of mucus, phlegm or irritant. Coughing is often a symptom of a common cold. It may also be a sign of whopping cough, asthma or croup. Coughs which persist for more than a month may be bronchitis. Any unusual cough, with or without phlegm, persisting for longer than 7-10 days should be checked out by the doctor.

Treatment - Aromatherapy

Massage essential oil of eucalyptus and sandalwood or frankincense into the chest and back. If there is alot of mucus, massage essential oil of myrrh on to chest and back, and drop a little on the pillow at night. If there are breathing difficulties: essential oil of frankincense: place a little on a tissue or handkerchief and inhale regularly.

Homeopathy

For early symptoms, once hourly for up to 5 doses; for persistent symptoms, twice daily for 4 days:

Cough with hoareness, much rattling in the chest, difficulty breathing: Antimonium tartaricum 6c. Painful dry bouts of coughing, which are worse with slightest movement, patient thirsty: Bryonia 6c. Tickling in throat, paroxysmal bouts of coughing as soon as one lies down: Drosera 6c. Hollow crowing cough like a saw going through wood: Spongia 6c. Machine-gun cough culminating in vomiting of mucus: Corallium rubrum 6c. Barking cough with fever after getting chilled: Aconite 6c. Tickling cough set off by the least draught of cold air: Rumex crispus 6c.

Acupressure

During a fit of coughing the muscles in the upper back can go into spasm. To relieve coughing, apply pressure to the point between the shoulder blade and the spine at the level of the heart.

Orthodox

Antihistamine cough remedies may be prescribed if the patient has trouble sleeping, since one of their side effects is drowsiness. Cough suppressants are not recommended, for they prevent the body from expelling mucus or phlegm.