Most people reach for an OTC cough suppressant when they struggle to deal with a persistent cough. What causes a cough is important to determine, but you may feel better by using apple cider vinegar. The best thing about apple cider vinegar (ACV) is that it helps relieve cough without leaving you with a cloudy-headed feeling. Cough syrups and suppressants contain a compound called dextromethorphan that can make your head swing. Let's find out when and how to take apple cider vinegar to treat your cough.

How Does Apple Cider Vinegar Help Cough?

The combination of apple cider vinegar and honey works amazingly well to treat your cough, unless there is a serious underlying medical condition. Nevertheless, it is worth trying ACV to treat your cough, especially when you have dry cough.

It works mainly because vinegar has astringent properties and keeps the infection from spreading. Therefore, it is especially beneficial against dry cough associated with a bacterial infection. Moreover, vinegar creates a soothing effect on your throat and reduces inflammation at the same time.

How to Use Apple Cider Vinegar for Cough

While ACV is beneficial in cough management, it is important to understand how to use it properly. You can use it raw or mix it with honey or other things to make it more effective. Here is more about how you can use it for cough.

1. Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

You can take a small dose of raw apple cider vinegar on a regular basis to resolve a dry cough. If you are going for raw vinegar, be sure to take 2-3 teaspoons thrice a day for better effects. You can take more considering the severity of your condition. Some people find it easy to consume ACV after mixing the referenced dosage in 8oz glass of water. This helps dilute its markedly tart taste and pungent aroma.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey

In terms of applying apple cider vinegar for cough, you can make your own cough syrup by mixing apple cider vinegar with honey. It helps clear congestion and resolves a dry cough at the same time. To make this syrup, you will need ¼ tsp. of cayenne pepper and ¼ tsp. of ground ginger along with a tbsp. of honey, a tbsp. of apple cider vinegar, and 2 tbsp. of water. Mix all these ingredients and take a teaspoon every few hours to relieve the cough.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar Pillow

Many people believe that dabbing your pillowcase with ACV before bed works amazingly well to control nighttime coughing. It seems effective mainly because its pungent aroma can soothe your throat and keep you from coughing throughout the night.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar, Sugar, and Butter

You are likely to develop a sore throat if you have had a dry cough for a couple of days. You can use ACV to treat your cough and soothe your irritated throat as well. Take three teaspoons of ACV and mix it with equal amounts of butter and sugar. Take it thrice a day to address a sore throat.

Other Remedies for Cough

Apple cider vinegar for cough is an effective remedy, but you can find many other natural remedies to treat your sore throat and persistent cough. Here are some recommendations:

1. Grapes

You can treat your annoying lung conditions by eating grapes. They help expel sticky phlegm because they have expectorant properties. Instead of eating, you can make grape juice and drink it after mixing with some honey. This makes it much more effective for your throat and respiratory problems.

2. Garlic

Known for its antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, garlic proves extremely effective against a dry cough caused by a bacterial infection. It is equally beneficial when you have a viral infection. The best way to use garlic for cough management is to boil its cloves and drink it like tea. It will make breathing easier and relieve itchiness in the throat that usually is the reason behind the cough. Eating a few cloves of raw garlic may also help.

3. Hot Milk with Honey

Besides apple cider vinegar for cough, combining milk and honey serves as a great natural remedy to treat chest pain and persistent cough. You need to combine both and consume before you go to sleep. This will make breathing easier and relieve itching that wakes you up in the middle of the night. While the combination of milk and honey proves effective, some people may not like it because the use of dairy encourages more mucus. So, try other remedies before you opt for this one.

4. Ginger

Ginger has strong antibacterial and antiviral properties. It is an effective cancer fighter and is equally beneficial in the treatment of a dry cough. You need to take some ginger, slice it partially, and boil it. You can also consider crushing it before boiling to get more of its active ingredients in the form of tea. Drink it regularly to ease your sore throat, congestion, and persistent coughing.

5. Mullein Tea

You can start drinking mullein tea to get rid of an annoying cough. It works as an expectorant and draws out mucous. It also works great to soothe your sore throat. To make the tea, get mullein herb in dried form. Put it in a strainer and steep it in a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes and then drink it slowly. You can add some raw honey to boost its taste a bit.