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COUGH - A cough is a protective reflex for eliminating foreign substances that block the airways.
There are two types of cough, "wet" and "dry". Wet coughs are "productive", they are bringing something up. Dry coughs are "unproductive" and are liable to be a sign of sinus problems. Coughs go with colds, but the cough can last for weeks after the cold is gone. Other conditions for which coughs can be a symptom include postnasal drip, allergies, viral infection, sinus infection, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease, lung cancer, and the use of ACE inhibitors to treat high blood pressure and heart problems. Coughs with high fever, wheezing, pressure in the head, dizziness, or painful teeth should be checked by a medical professional.
Drug Treatment - The FDA warns that drugs that suppress the protective cough reflex can do more harm than good. Cough suppressants are recommended only for dry coughs. They are not recommended for smokers or for people with asthma, emphysema, and other conditions involving overproduction of secretions, since these coughs, while chronic and annoying, are still "productive." That means most coughs are best left alone.
The FDA recommends that cough remedies, if used at all, be taken as single ingredients rather than in fixed-combination products, which generally increase the risk of side effects without increasing effectiveness. Sometimes the drugs in combination cough and cold products actually cancel each other out. An example are the cough remedies that combine an expectorant, which stimulates the cough reflex, with a suppressant, which deadens it. The most popular single-ingredient expectorants are Robitussin, Terpin Hydrate, and Potassium Iodide Solution (Robitussin PE and Robitussin CF are combination products). Benalyn is another single-ingredient cough remedy, but the ingredient is an antihistamine (benagryl), which works mainly by making you drowsy.
Natural Remedies - Aromatherapy -- the essential oils of plants -- can be effective in alleviating symptoms. Rub essential oil of eucalyptus or myrrh on the chest.
Another way to loosen nasal secretions is by breathing steam from a vaporizer or hot shower.
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