Managing a Cold Cough: Home Remedies & When to See a Doctor

The common cold can cause a cough, which usually can be treated at home. If you have a common cold cough, avoid infecting others for the first two or three days. Usually the common cold stops being contagious a week after infection, if not sooner. Call a doctor if your cough lasts longer than 10 to 14 days or if you cough up blood or thick, smelly phlegm. A cough may signal a more serious condition if you have a history of heart disease or have been exposed to tuberculosis.

Things You'll Need

• Fluids
• Lozenges
• Room humidifier
• Over-the-counter expectorant
• Over-the-counter decongestant

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Instructions

• 1

  Drink plenty of fluids. Drinking water, tea, juice and sports drinks thins mucus secretions and alleviates discomfort. Chicken noodle soup may help you feel better and speed your recovery.

• 2

  Suck lozenges or hard candy as needed. Lozenges soothe the throat tickle that triggers a cough. Do not give lozenges, cough drops or hard candy to children under 3.

• 3

  Add moisture to the room while sleeping with a room humidifier or vaporizer. If nasal drainage worsens your cough at night, prop yourself up rather than lying horizontally.

• 4

  Take an over-the-counter expectorant containing guaifenesin according to package instructions or as directed by your doctor. Guaifenesin breaks up mucus, allowing the body to expel it more easily.

• 5

  Take over-the-counter decongestants containing pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine as directed on the package or instructed by your doctor. Decongestants thin mucus. Do not use them longer than recommended.