Home Remedies for an Allergy Cough

An allergy cough is considered an acute illness that can recur and last three days to three weeks. When you are exposed to allergens like pollen, mold, dust mites and pet dander, a cough can be your body's way of trying to get rid of them. Still, the cough can linger, interrupting your daily activities and even keeping you awake at night. Home remedies may complement conventional treatments your doctor recommends for an allergy cough.

Cough relief may be lurking in your spice cabinet. (Image: Ryan McVay/Photodisc/Getty Images)

Honey Soothes Coughs

Plain honey is a natural cough suppressant. It also works as a throat lubricant, which may be helpful if persistent coughing makes you sore. You can take honey by the teaspoon as often as needed for cough relief. If you don't care for the taste of plain honey, mix it in a cup of tea or lemon juice.

Sage: More Than a Spice

Allergy cough relief may be as close as your spice cabinet. It is folk remedy that is used to reduce inflammation, particularly in the throat and mouth regions. Sage may help suppress an allergy cough while reducing swelling in the airways. Aside from the dried and fresh leaf versions, sage is also available in liquid form as a supplement. There is no scientific data to support sage as a sole source of allergy cough relief. Furthermore, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine cautions against the use of supplemental forms as these can worsen allergy symptoms and related inflammation. Eating too many sage leaves can also cause vomiting, kidney damage and increased heart rate (Reference 2).

Approach Your Cough “Ginger”ly

Ginger is a common cooking tool used in a variety of dishes. It is also common in Eastern medicine. Primarily used to relieve viral infections, fresh ginger root may also possess decongestant-like qualities to relieve mucus that leads to coughs. Ginger may also act as an antihistamine, which could potentially stop allergy symptoms that lead to subsequent coughs. When used for such purposes, ginger works best in tea form.

Find Relief in Thyme

Thyme is another household seasoning that can also work as a home remedy. The small leaves have anti-inflammatory properties that also relax muscles in the airways, thereby reducing the urge to cough. Use crushed thyme leaves to make a soothing tea (Reference 3, See # 2).