11 Natural Cough Suppressants You Might Already Have at Home

It’s safe to say that your great-grandparents probably gargled with salt water to relieve coughs and sore throats. It’s one of the quickest, easiest and most effective natural cough suppressants. “Gargling with salt water several times daily can reduce the duration of an upper respiratory infection and cough specifically by about 2.5 days,” Dr. King says. “When combined with salt water nasal irrigation, this can also reduce transmission of viruses within a household by about 35%.”

“Simply mix one teaspoon of salt into a cup of warm water before gargling thoroughly several times per day until symptoms subside,” Dr. Bailey says. “The salt helps kill bacteria in your throat by drawing out moisture, while simultaneously reducing swelling and inflammation in the surrounding tissue.”

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