Whooping cough is also known as pertussis. This is a highly contagious bacterial infection that ends with a high-pitched whoop sound while you try to breathe in air. Also, you can experience vomiting. Also, it is a known fact that children younger than six months are at the greatest risk of contracting whooping cough. Also, adults who have weak immune systems are at having increased risk of getting this infection.
This condition is dangerous in babies, especially those who are less than six months old. These babies may need hospital care. The pertussis vaccine is the best way to prevent contracting whooping cough. This vaccination begins during infancy, and also adults can opt for it. If you suffer from this condition, in addition to the treatment which is prescribed by your doctor, you can try some of the below-mentioned home remedies, which can ease your symptoms and also they will shorten the duration of this infection.
If you have an infant who is suffering from breathing difficulties and excessive vomiting, then you should seek medical help for your baby.
8 Home remedies for whooping cough
Contents
Lemon
This is an effective home remedy for whooping cough. It has citric acid that can reduce the thickness of the mucus. Also, it has antiviral and antibacterial properties, which can help you to fight against this infection. Also, it has Vitamin C, which can boost the immune system [1].
In a glass of warm water, you should add one tablespoon of freshly extracted lemon juice, and you should add a small amount of honey to it. You should drink this home remedy several times per day over a period of a few days.
Also, there is another option that you can use as your natural treatment for whooping cough. You should take ½ lemon and sprinkle pepper and salt over it. You should slowly lick the lemon to soothe your irritated throat.
Licorice root
This is also a very effective home remedy for whooping cough. Licorice acts as a demulcent which means it coats the throat with a thin film of mucilage to protect your delicate tissues from persistent coughing [2].
Also, it can help you to clear congestion from the bronchial tubes and lungs. In 2 cups of water, you should add put one teaspoon of dried licorice root, and you should boil it for five minutes. You should remove it from heat, and then you should steep it for another ten minutes. You should strain and drink this home remedy two times per day for a period of a few days.
Also, you can mix a small amount of honey with ½ teaspoon of licorice powder, and you should take this home remedy three times per day for a period of a few days.
Oregano
This is also a very effective home remedy for respiratory infections such as whooping cough. It has expectorant, antibacterial and antispasmodic properties, which can help clear mucus from the lungs and also ease dry coughing [3].
You should add five or six drops of pure oregano oil to water and boil it in a pan. You should cover your head with a towel and should inhale the steam. You should use this home remedy two or three times per day over a period of a few days to ease the coughing.
Also, there is another option, and that is to mix ten to fifteen drops of oregano oil in two tablespoons of jojoba oil or olive oil. You should use a natural mixture as a chest rub before you go to bed, and this will ease the cough while you are sleeping.
Also, you can drink oregano herbal tea two or three times per day because this has an effect.
Honey
Raw honey is also a very effective home remedy for whooping cough. It has healing, antibacterial and antiseptic properties, which can kill the bacteria that are causing the infection and also it is easing the symptoms [4].
In a glass of warm water, you should add one tablespoon of raw honey, and you should drink it slowly. You should repeat this natural treatment a few times per day. This natural cure will have a soothing effect on your throat. You should eat ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder mixed with one teaspoon of raw honey before you go to bed. This will help you to have a better sleep.
Also, there is a third option that you can make from the honey. You should mix one teaspoon of freshly extracted radish juice with one teaspoon of honey. You should add some rock salt to it and take this home remedy 3 times per day.
Garlic
This natural antibiotic can help you to fight whooping cough. It has antiviral and antibacterial properties, which can make it an effective natural treatment for clearing pertussis infection [5].
You should take one teaspoon of fresh garlic juice two or three times per day for a period of one week. Also, you can add one tablespoon of chopped garlic to a pot of boiling water. You should cover your head with a towel, and then you should inhale the vapor. This natural remedy is not suitable for very small children.
Also, there is another option that you can use from the garlic. You can take one tablespoon of garlic syrup every day. If your children have whooping cough, then you should give them one teaspoon of garlic syrup. To make this syrup, you should grind or mince one pound of garlic and add two cups of apple cider vinegar and two cups of distilled water. You should transfer this natural mixture to a glass container and let it sit there for at least four hours.
You should strain this natural cure through a cheesecloth or sieve. Finally, you should add one to 1½ cups of local or raw honey to it.
Turmeric
This natural cure has antiviral and antibacterial properties, which can help you to treat this condition. Also, it has a therapeutic effect on coughs, particularly dry coughs, which is one of the main symptoms of whooping cough [6].
Also, it has an immune-boosting property that will help your body to fight against this infection. You should mix ¼ to ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder with one tablespoon of raw honey. You should take this home remedy twice daily to ease the symptoms.
Also, you can take turmeric supplements which are available in capsule form. You should always talk with your doctor about the proper dosage.
Almonds
Almond nuts and almond oil are very effective home remedies for whooping cough. They are rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants, which can help you to ease the symptoms of whooping cough. Also, they have immune-boosting properties [7].
You should mix ten drops of ginger juice, ten drops of white onion juice, and five drops of almond oil. You should take this natural cure three times per day for at least a couple of weeks. Also, there is another option that you can use as your natural treatment for whooping cough. You should soak five to seven almonds in water overnight. You should remove the skins of the almonds. Grind these almonds into a fine paste. You should add one teaspoon of butter to this paste. You should eat it 3 times per day until your symptoms subside.
Also, you can prepare a chest rub with one tablespoon of almond oil and four to five drops of any essential oil, such as camphor, rosemary, or eucalyptus oil. You should gently rub this oil on your chest for a period of a few minutes. You should use as you much as you need it.
Also, you can drink one to two glasses of grape juice daily to aid the recovery process. You should take plenty of rest for faster recovery.
Ginger root
This is an excellent expectorant that can help you to treat whooping cough. It has antibacterial properties, which can help you destroy the bacteria that cause this problem. Also, it has immune-boosting properties that can help you fight against this infection and promote quick recovery [8].
You should mix one tablespoon of raw honey with one tablespoon of freshly extracted ginger juice. You should take this home remedy two times per day for a period of a few days. The second option which you can make from ginger is to mix equal amounts of onion juice, lemon juice, and ginger juice. You should take one tablespoon of this mixture two or three times per day.
There is a third option that you can use as your natural treatment for whooping cough. In two cups of water, you should add two teaspoons of fenugreek seeds and boil this mixture until the quantity is reduced by half. Then, you should add a small amount of honey and one teaspoon of freshly extracted ginger juice to one cup of the prepared fenugreek decoction. You should drink this whooping cough home remedy once per day for a period of a few days.
References
[1] Douglas RM, Chalker EB, Treacy B. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2000;2:CD000980.
[2] Wang L, Yang R, Yuan B, et al. The antiviral and antimicrobial activities of licorice, a widely-used Chinese herb. Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B. 2015;5(4):310-315.
[3] Gilling DH, Kitajima M, Torrey JR, Bright KR. Antiviral efficacy and mechanisms of action of oregano essential oil and its primary component carvacrol against murine norovirus. Journal of Applied Microbiology. 2014;116(5):1149-63.
[4] Ahmed N, Sutcliffe A, Tipper C. Feasibility study: Honey for treatment of cough in children. Pediatric Reports. 2013;5(2):31-34.
[5] Bayan L, Koulivand PH, Gorji A. Garlic: a review of potential therapeutic effects. Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine. 2014;4(1):1-14.
[6] Prasad S, Aggarwal BB. Chapter 13: Turmeric, the golden spice. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects (2nd ed.). Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S (Ed.). 2011.
[7] Cheng CS, Wang CJ, Liang J, et al. A new approach for identification of medicinal almonds by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and systematic clustering of characteristic peaks. Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines. 2017;15(9):703-709.
[8] Mashhadi NS, Ghiasvand R, Askari G, et al. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: Review of current evidence. International Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2014;4(Suppl1):S36-S42.
