Why do we cough, anyway?

2 mins to read

Naturopath Danielle Steedman explains the science behind the cough and how natural medicine can help you to make it through this cough season.

Cold, flu & immunity

As I sit at my desk there seems to be a cacophony of coughing around me. An orchestra of hawking, spluttering, muttering and throat clearing. Listening to this concerto got me thinking: just what is all this coughing about?

So why do we cough?
A cough is your body’s attempt to protect the lungs. It is a natural reflex that is activated when the nerve fibres in the airways become irritated through exposure to foreign substances, mucous, infection, environmental substances, medical conditions and some medications.

As we cough, air is forced out of the lungs under high pressure. It’s something we can decide to do or it may be involuntary.

What causes a cough?
Infectious agents are often a cause of a cough, such as those causing common colds, bronchitis, pneumonia and whooping cough. Coughs of this nature are often associated with symptoms such as fever, chills, body aches, sore throat, nausea, sinus pressure, runny nose and postnasal drip.

Some coughs can be caused by non infectious agents, such as environmental irritants including smoke (a classic example), dust, pollen, pet dander, industrial pollutions/chemicals and low environmental humidity. Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma and allergies can also cause coughing, often chronically.

Acute vs chronic coughs
A cough that lasts less than 3 weeks is classed as acute, while a cough that lasts more than 3 weeks is classified as chronic. There are some nasty causes of a chronic cough which warrant discussion with your healthcare professional. Symptoms such as coughing up blood, severe shortness of breath or interference with daily living or sleeping need urgent medical attention.

Herbal help for your cough
Herbal medicine has a long tradition for treating the respiratory system, particularly coughs. Traditionally, the Eclectics recommended respiratory herbal medicines be smoked, or the fumes of the burning herb inhaled, in an attempt to stimulate respiratory function and ‘clear bad spirits’ or congestion. Although this seems strange to our modern understanding, the aim of the treatment was to rid the body of excess mucous, fight the infection and support respiratory function.

Many respiratory herbs are still popular and effective today. Herbs can function as expectorants, to encourage the loosening of mucous and its removal from the lungs.

Herbs can function as relaxants, to help relieve over activity and dry mucous membranes. They can help to soothe and soften irritated or inflamed mucous membranes and they can also help to the suppress the cough reflex.

Herbal medicines that you may like to consider this cough season include ivy leaf, andrographis and holy basil.

Ivy Leaf
Ivy leaf, Hederae helix, may be useful for catarrhal conditions, aiding expectoration particularly of sticky thick mucous. Ivy is thought to help thin and loosen mucous so it is easier to cough it up.

Andrographis
Andrographis, Andrographis paniculata, has a long history of use in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine. It has been used to reduce symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection such as the common cold.

Holy basil
Holy basil, Ocimum tenuiflorum, is another traditional Indian herbal medicine. Holy basil may help to clear dampness and mucous congestion from the lungs.

Nutritional support for your cough
Nutritional intake is vital for healthy lung function, to provide nutritional fuel for the lungs to do their job effectively.

Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium are involved in respiratory muscle function at a cellular level. Healthy immune defence in the lungs replies on good nutrition. A highly nutritious diet consisting of brightly coloured vegetables and fruits, whole grains and adequate protein is vital to support lung and immune health before or when you have a cough.

Coughing really is quite a remarkable physiological reflex to protect our most precious organs: the lungs. Coughing can reflect the presence of an infection or act as an indication of serious illness. Coughing can even act as a warning that substances in our environment are dangerous before we are consciously aware of them.

References available on request