Health Steward Q&A Alternative & Holistic Health Traditional Chinese Medicine

What should I do if my cough persists? Folk remedies can help.

Asked by:Geyser

Asked on:Apr 09, 2026 12:21 AM

Answers:1 Views:577
  • Bertram Bertram

    Apr 09, 2026

      What to do if your cough doesn’t heal for a long time? Folk remedies are here to help. In winter, many people will cough non-stop, which makes them uncomfortable. In addition to colds, the most frequent disease is cough and asthma. Coughing is not necessarily a problem with the lungs. As the "Huangdi Neijing" says: "All the internal organs make people cough, not just the lungs. ”So sometimes, if you want to cure a cough, you have to find other methods, such as some folk remedies.

      Among coughs, the most difficult to cure is dry cough (that is, frequent coughing with no sputum). Folks can use 30 grams of maltose, 500 grams of radish juice, add honey, steam it, and take it orally. These flavors look very inconspicuous, and they are also used as food and medicine. This reflects the concept of using medicine as a weapon. You don’t have to use medicine like Han Xin! Some people may think that this folk prescription is unstructured and there is no way to follow the classics and current prescriptions. In fact, whether it is a classic prescription, a timely prescription, a proven prescription, or a single prescription, as long as it can cure the disease, it is a good prescription. Doctors should practice their methods in a comprehensive way and should not pretend to be self-deprecating!

      Speaking of dry cough, I also thought that when I was young, I was often troubled by coughs, which often made me feel sick and nauseated. My father prescribed Lily Gujin Decoction to me. Who knew that I was allergic to lilies and spit out the medicine as soon as I swallowed it. Later, my father changed the method and used 100 grams of Polygonatum sibiricum and 100 grams of rock sugar. First, boil the polygonatum with strong fire, then add rock sugar and take it orally, 2 times a day, 7 days as a course of treatment. Not only did it cure my dry cough, but it also had a good health effect on the spleen and stomach.

      Now let’s talk about the chronic cough. Are there any good remedies? Among the folk remedies, there are two. One is to use 30 grams of Fritillaria, fine powder, honey pills, and longan in appropriate amounts to decoct the soup. Second, use an appropriate amount of coltsfoot flowers, mix them into powder, and mix in the honey. Both of these recipes are relatively simple and easy to operate.

      So, how to prescribe the right medicine for a cough that is accompanied by asthma? There is such a prescription: 15 grams of platycodon, 15 grams of perilla seeds, 8 grams of honey, 15 grams of white root, 20 grams of gypsum, 15 grams of mulberry bark, 15 grams of almonds, 15 grams of poria, 10 grams of licorice, 15 grams of tangerine peel, 15 grams, Schisandra chinensis 15 grams, Pinellia ternata 12 grams, Scutellaria baicalensis 15 grams, Fritillaria fritillaris 15 grams. Decoction in water and take. This prescription has the effect of relieving lungs and relieving asthma, relieving cough and eliminating phlegm. It can cure ordinary cough and asthma. In addition, there is a side: 12 grams of asparagus, 12 grams of Ophiopogon japonicus, 10 grams of almond cream, 10 grams of perilla seeds, 10 grams of mulberry bark, 10 grams of loquat leaves, 10 grams of ginkgo, and 12 grams of schisandra chinensis. Decoction in water and take. This prescription is equally effective in relieving cough and asthma.

      Cough caused by qi deficiency must be careful not to clear away heat, otherwise it may become more serious. If you have a long-term cough, you must choose some prescriptions to replenish lung qi.