Acupressure Points for Cough Relief:
Like the winter, months creep up, and seasons change, many of us start preparing for the cold and flu season. We take prescribed and over-the-counter medicine for flu symptoms, especially coughs, a common problem affecting our body during winter! However, some natural treatments are known as acupressure points for cough relief.
Nevertheless, if you find that when using these pressure points, you have a severe, uncontrolled cough, it is better to consult a doctor. If left unattended, these types of coughs can lead to severe illnesses, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, and influenza.
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However, if your coughs are related to a common cold or the flu, you can try some of the following reflexology points to help relieve cough outbursts. You can use these acupressure therapy techniques with your prescribed medication, and they will work effectively.
Relieve your Cough With Acupressure Points:
By following the mentioned techniques, one can relieve cough. However, one is not required to use all of them simultaneously. One can see which pressure points work the best for you to help reduce your cough.
Acupressure Points for Cough Relief Infographic:
The Elegant Mansion:
The Elegant Mansion pressure point is in the hollow below your collarbone next to the breastbone. To use this acupressure point, one must use two fingers on it with firm pressure for five minutes. This technique can be used independently when one has a free hand and must be done regularly throughout the day. This point helps with breathing, anxiety, asthma, and coughing. Another great benefit of applying pressure to this point is that it allows one to relax and is excellent for neck and shoulder pains.
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The Ding Chuan:
The Ding Chuan point is a superb pressure point to help reduce coughing, and some of its other benefits are relieving:
- Throat problems
- Shoulder & neck pain
- Thyroid imbalance
One finds the Ding Chuan on the vertebra that helps you bend your neck on the top section. Here, one can massage this pressure point with a circular motion for 2 – 3 minutes daily for great results.
The Heavenly Pillar:
One can find the Heavenly Pillar below the base of your skull on the thick muscles 1 ½ inch out from either side of your spine. Applying pressure to both sides helps relieve a sore throat, heaviness in the head, burnout, stress, and overexertion. Here, you will need someone to assist you with applying pressure. They will need to use their middle and index fingers and massage the acupressure point in a circular motion for 8 minutes. This can be done thrice daily until one feels the cough has subsided.
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The Heaven Rushing Out Pressure Point:
The Heaven Rushing Out point is another practical reflexology point one can find right under Adam’s apple in a hollow. One can apply this technique by taking the index finger and applying firm pressure for 2 – 3 minutes. One needs to do this at least three to four times during the day. If you find congestion in your throat, this technique is perfect to help lessen it! Not only does applying pressure to this point help ease coughs, but it has helped with the following:
- Sore throat
- Chest congestion
- Heartburn
- Dry coughs
- Bronchitis
Natural Remedies To Use Acupressure Points for Cough Relief:
Coughs caused by sinus infections, allergies, and colds can be treated with some medicines. However, suppose you prefer not to pump your body with harmful chemicals. In that case, you can try some of the following natural methods in combination with Acupressure Therapy to help relieve your cough.
Honey: People have used honey for centuries to soothe a sore throat, which is also great for relieving coughs. One can create soothing medication by mixing herbal tea, honey, lemon juice, and warm water.
Bromelain found in pineapple: Bromelain is an enzyme found in this delicious tropical fruit that helps loosen mucus in the throat and suppress coughs when used with the acupressure mentioned above. However, when buying Bromelain supplements, one should remember that children or adults taking blood thinners should not take them. If you want to use this medication, it is best to consult your doctor first.
Peppermint: The oil of peppermint leaves is known for its healing properties, as the menthol soothes the throat while breaking down mucus. One can drink peppermint tea or inhale the vapors of a peppermint steam bath. Drop four drops of peppermint oil into the hot water and drape a towel over your head. Take deep breaths directly above the water.
Thyme: Thyme is a well-known herb that helps with respiratory illnesses. To make thyme tea, crush two teaspoons of thyme and add one cup of boiling water. Cover the cup, steep for 10 minutes, strain, and enjoy.
Ginger: Another widely used spice is ginger, and it works great with your acupressure points for cough relief. One can take a small piece and wash it properly. Now peel the outer skin of the ginger and cut out a thin slice. Place this slice of fresh ginger onto the back of your tongue; it helps with sore throats and needs to be kept there for 10 minutes. Repeat with another piece of fresh ginger several times during the day. One can even make ginger tea by taking a ¼-cup of ginger and placing it in two cups of water. Bring the water to boil with the ginger placed in it, making a great tea.
Take care of your health:
Take care of your health this winter by eating healthy foods and preventing drinking impure water. Drinking hot tea helps to soothe the throat, especially when using the above natural ingredients in combination with the provided acupressure points for cough relief. Keep smiling, and as soon as winter has started in the blink of an eye, it is over again!
Everything You Need to Know About a Cough
Everyone has coughed at some point in their lives, from getting a cold to something tickling the throat. Sometimes, coughing can save your life, as it removes any obstruction in the airway. You can also cough to rid the body of pollen, dust, and other lung pollutants.
Sometimes, fluid or food sets a coughing fit, while a regular intermittent cough can be a nervous tic or boredom. You can get it from cold; other times, it can be more severe. However, how does a cough form in the chest, and why do you cough more at night?
If you currently have an annoying cough, we want to help you answer the questions and get rid of it.
How Is A Cough Formed in The Chest?
Do you have a chesty cough? The chance is that you have an excessive amount of mucus present in the chest. The mucus cough is productive as it brings it out from the chest. Other non-productive coughs are dry and tickly as they irritate the back of the throat.
It is usually associated with a viral infection such as the flu or cold. Nevertheless, why do we produce mucus? The lungs bring oxygen through the bloodstream. In the tubes connecting the lungs, mucous membranes produce mucus and trap unwanted particles.
When you have the flu or cold, it enters your respiratory system and produces more mucus to wash the bugs away. The mucus gathers in your respiratory system, and coughing it out is part of removing the excess phlegm. There are some helpful remedies you can try at home to help relieve a chest cough:
- Drink enough water as it keeps the throat hydrated and fights infection
- Drink good quality honey with hot water to soothe the area, and add a slice of lemon to pump your body full of vitamin C
- You can gurgle salt water as it stops the infection
- Inhales steam from hot water as it loosens the mucus to expel it from the body
Another question many people ask is why their cough worsens at night. You are lying flat, and the mucus pools in the back of your throat. This causes coughing, and it is best to sleep with your head elevated to help ease postnasal drip.
Is Coughing A Sign of Cancer?
Coughing does not mean you have cancer, but it could be a sign of it. When you catch lung cancer in the early stages, it is treatable. The problem is that there is no way to know if your cough is due to disease. So when is a cough severe? Here are some symptoms that tell you it is time to visit the doctor:
- Chronic coughs that last for up to eight weeks and can be dry, with mucus and occur any time of the day
- You cough up blood
- There is shortness of breath when climbing stairs
- Lung or chest pain could be due to the pressure of a tumor or soreness in the ribs
- Change in your voice as it sounds hoarse from the coughing
- You are losing weight. You cannot explain
- You get repeated respiratory infections such as bronchitis
- You spontaneously quit smoking to relieve a cough without having trouble
If you have a cough that does not want to go away even when not smoking, the symptoms above provide you with enough to make an appointment with the doctor. Another notable thing is if you are coughing up yellow or thick green phlegm and wheezing, do not hesitate to see your general practitioner.
Frequently Asked Questions About Coughing
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Why does coughing hurt your throat?
When coughing, you put a lot of strain on the throat, and it becomes dry, leading to a sore throat. Coughing can also be a sign that you are getting a bacterial infection or virus, such as a cold. If you are coughing, try to drink fluids to keep the throat hydrated. Alternatively, you can gurgle some salt water.
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Why does the stomach hurt when you cough?
When you cough, you use muscles in your ribs and stomach that you usually do not use. These muscles become sore, like other muscles you work out, when not used for a long time.
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Does cough drops help with a sore throat
The answer is yes and no, depending on the brand you use. Using a cough drop like Halls helps to soothe a sore throat as it has a lot of menthols. The ingredient gives a soothing effect on the body.
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Can a cough be the cause of allergies?
Yes, it can help even people without asthma become irritated by pollen, dust, and other airborne irritants and trigger an allergic reaction. Other symptoms accompanied by an allergy cough are a stuffy nose.
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Can a cough cause a headache?
Yes, it can and is caused by sneezing, coughing, and blowing your nose.
Is There Gluten Free Cough Drops
Yes, there are cough drops that are gluten-free. If you have gluten sensitivity, you can buy some reputable brands:
Fisherman’s Friend
You can buy them in a regular menthol eucalyptus, which is sugar-free. Other flavors are also available. The product is also allergen-free and suitable for vegans, halal, and kosher people.
Jakemans
A cough drop from England has been around for a long time. It comes in different flavors, all containing menthol as an active ingredient. The product is gluten-free and meets European Union and US standards.
Luden’s Lozenges
The cough drops are considered gluten-free, and the only tablets containing menthol are the Original Menthol and Honey Licorice. The others in the range contain pectin, a natural fruit-based thickening agent.
Pine Brothers
The cough drops are soft and have an oblong-shaped drop with four flavors. All of them are labeled gluten-free, but if you have a nut allergy, it is best to avoid them.
Smith Bros
You can get different tablets in the collection, all of which are gluten-free.
Wedderspoon Organic
A cough drop made of Manuka honey in seven flavors: dairy, nut, GMO, and gluten-free.
Final Thoughts
We hope the article helps you find a solution to ease your cough. We also hope you understand how your cough is formed and how you can take care of it. If your cough persists, do not ignore it; have a doctor check it. Take care of your health, follow a healthy diet, and exercise to keep your mind and body fit. Coughing is important as it clears the airways.