[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/05\/how-to-stop-a-cough\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/05\/how-to-stop-a-cough\/","headline":"How to Stop a Cough","name":"How to Stop a Cough","description":"

Stop a cough with these five strategies and learn which over-the-counter medicines work best for which type of cough.<\/p>","datePublished":"2025-05-14","dateModified":"2025-07-09","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-1715472524-e1746821968943.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-1715472524-e1746821968943.jpg","height":866,"width":2000},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/05\/how-to-stop-a-cough\/","about":["Cold and Flu","Family Health","Living and Wellness"],"wordCount":1040,"articleBody":"You\u2019ve finally settled down, and you feel the tickle in your throat. Before you know it, you\u2019re hacking uncontrollably. But how to stop a cough?Coughing can feel painful and exhausting. It\u2019s your body\u2019s way of clearing your airways. And it\u2019s forceful.In fact, coughs can push air out at a speed of almost 100 miles an hour. (Consider that baseball pitchers tend to pitch around 90 miles an hour.)For a\u00a0cough\u00a0to occur, an irritant must enter the throat. That irritant can take the form of dust, water, mucus, smoke, or allergens like pollen.Coughs can feel wet or dry. Exercise can trigger coughing. So can lying down.As for how to stop coughing, we have some suggestions you can try.Identify Your Type of CoughDo you have a dry cough? A wet cough? A cough related to allergies? Is it chronic or acute?Here\u2019s how to tell:Wet coughs \u2014 This is a cough that often involves mucus. You can usually feel it in your throat. It often accompanies cold symptoms, like a runny nose.Dry coughs \u2014 There\u2019s no mucus with a dry cough. It can feel like a tickling sensation in your throat, leading to exhausting coughing fits. Sometimes, a dry cough happens toward the end of an illness.Acute cough \u2014 This is a type of short-term cough. It often accompanies colds and flu or a bout of bronchitis.Chronic coughs \u2014 These coughs last longer than two to three weeks and are often related to\u00a0asthma, chronic bronchitis, allergies, or\u00a0COPD.When you know your type of cough, you can figure out which of the following strategies for easing a cough might work best.1. Cough MedicineMany types of cold and cough medicine are available over the counter.Cough suppressants \u2014 Designed to quiet (suppress) your cough. Cough suppressants can help stop a cough quickly.Expectorants \u2014 Helps loosen and thin the mucus in your lungs. This type of medicine is good for wet coughs. It doesn\u2019t stop the cough, but it does help it become more productive.Nasal decongestants \u2014 Helps unclog your stuffy nose. These can help with coughs related to postnasal drip. Postnasal drip, or a mucus drip down the back of the throat, often causes coughing.Antihistamines \u2014 Helps with sneezing, itching, and runny noses. Antihistamines can help with coughs related to allergies but not other coughs.Remember that kids under 4 shouldn\u2019t take over-the-counter cough and cold medicine. You can take these medicines from ages 4 to 6 if your doctor says it\u2019s OK. After age 6, they’re generally safe as long as you give them the correct dose.2. Try Drinks That SootheJust staying hydrated is one way to fight a cough. But for fits of coughing, you might try:Hot tea (especially calming teas, like ginger or chamomile).Hot coffee (with the caveat that caffeine can dehydrate you, which can make a cough worse).Hot water with lemon.A tablespoon of honey by itself or stirred into a hot drink or hot water. (Don\u2019t give honey to children under 1 year old.)Chicken broth or chicken soup.Gargling with hot salt water can also help stop a cough. Mix about \u00bc teaspoon of salt into an 8-ounce glass of water to make the solution.Take a mouthful, tilt your head back, and gargle for a few seconds. Then, spit it out.3. Bring on the SteamUsing a humidifier to moisten the air can help soothe your throat, especially if the air in your house is dry. This problem is more common in the summer (with air conditioning) and winter (with heat).Humidity can help loosen any mucus that’s causing a problem. If you don\u2019t have a humidifier, you can run a hot shower and shut the bathroom door. Wait a few minutes and then enter the bathroom, breathing in the steam.This solution works well for babies and young children with croup, an intense, wheezing cough that often occurs at night. The steamy bathroom is one of the best ways to stop a cough at night.4. Use Products Known to Open AirwaysMenthol, eucalyptus, and peppermint can help stop your cough. It\u2019s why they’re common ingredients in lozenges and cough drops.Have you ever had a coughing fit after a bout of exercise when you\u2019re just getting over a cold? This usually happens because your airways have suddenly constricted. A cough drop can help this a lot.(If you frequently cough with exercise, you might have a more chronic problem and need an inhaler.)Even if you don\u2019t have cough drops, sucking on a hard candy can help. This increases your saliva, which can help calm a cough.You can also use menthol rubs. This is especially helpful for children who are too young for cough drops. Rub a thick layer over their chest, neck, and throat.5. Change Your EnvironmentDo you know what\u2019s causing your cough? If it\u2019s allergies, what can you change about your environment?For example, if your space is dusty, it can exacerbate a cough. You may need a humidifier if the air is particularly dry (see above).If your cough worsens at night, look at your sleeping situation. Lying down can cause mucus to pool and drip down your throat. It might help to elevate your head with another pillow.Also, investigate any new beauty products or detergents that might irritate your nasal passages and throat.When to Call the Doctor About a CoughHome remedies can help alleviate or ease many types of coughs. Call your doctor if:You\u2019re coughing up blood.You have a high fever or a fever that lasts four days or more.You\u2019re having breathing problems, like wheezing or gasping.You have a persistent cough that lasts for several weeks.You have a fever or cough that goes away but comes back within a few days or weeks.At UPMC, our primary care doctors can treat coughs. We can also see you at UPMC Urgent Care.SourcesMedline Plus. Coughing. LinkMedline Plus. Cold and Cough Medicines. LinkAmerican Academy of Pediatrics. Coughs and Colds: Medicines or Home Remedies? LinkMajor League Baseball. 9 pitchers finding success without lighting up the radar gun. Link"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2025","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"05","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/\/05\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to Stop a Cough","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2025\/05\/how-to-stop-a-cough\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]