Raucherhusten
Raucherhusten
Causes, symptoms and home remedies for relief
A smoker's cough is a familiar problem for many people who smoke or have smoked regularly. A persistent cough often occurs in the morning after getting up, accompanied by thick mucus.
But why does smoker's cough develop in the first place, how dangerous is it and what can you do to alleviate it or even get rid of it completely? In this article, you will find out everything you need to know about this topic and which home remedies can help.
Home remedies that really work
What helps against smoker's cough?
Many people want to get rid of their smoker's cough without resorting directly to medication. Fortunately, there are a number of home remedies that can soothe the airways and loosen the mucus. These are particularly helpful:
- Inhalations with chamomile or salt: the warm steam moistens the mucous membranes and helps to loosen stuck mucus. If you don't have a special inhalation aid, you can simply fill a bowl with hot water, add a spoonful of salt or chamomile flowers and breathe in the steam under a towel.
- Honey with warm tea: Honey has an anti-inflammatory effect and soothes an irritated throat. Herbal teas with thyme, sage or fennel are particularly recommended.
- Onion juice: This old household remedy has an antibacterial effect and can loosen mucus. Simply chop an onion, sprinkle with sugar and take the resulting juice by the spoonful throughout the day.
Adequate fluid intake is also important to keep the airways moist and make it easier to cough up.
Tried and tested tips for relief
Grandma's home remedy for coughs
Even our grandmothers knew tried and tested home remedies for coughs that are still effective today. Warm compresses and teas are particularly helpful:
- A chest compress with boiled potatoes retains heat for a long time and helps to relax the bronchial tubes. Simply boil a few potatoes, mash them, wrap them in a cloth and place them on the chest.
- A homemade cough syrup made from radish and honey can help to loosen the mucus by hollowing out a black radish, filling it with honey and drinking the resulting juice after a few hours.
- Thyme or ribwort tea can also help with a persistent smoker's cough, as both plants have an expectorant effect and relieve inflammation.
Smoker's cough and brown sputum: what does it mean?
If the cough is accompanied by brown or discoloured sputum, this is often a sign that the lungs are expelling harmful substances from the body. Long-time smokers in particular often notice that their sputum takes on a darker colour. There can be many reasons for this:
- Deposits of tar and other pollutants that have accumulated in the lungs over the years
- Chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes, which is favoured by smoking
- Increased mucus production as the body tries to cleanse itself of harmful substances
If the sputum remains brown or even reddish in colour for a long time, it is advisable to consult a doctor to rule out serious illnesses.
Which slime colour says what?
The colour of the cough sputum can reveal a lot about the health of the respiratory tract:
- Clear or white mucus often occurs with mild irritation or colds.
- Yellowish or green mucus indicates the presence of an infection.
- Brown or black mucus is usually a sign of deposits caused by smoking or air pollution.
- Reddish mucus may indicate the presence of blood and should be checked by a doctor.
Anyone who regularly notices discoloured sputum should consider reducing or quitting smoking to relieve the lungs.
Does smoker's cough go away when you stop smoking?
Many smokers wonder if the persistent cough will go away when they put the cigarette down for good. The good news is that yes, the body will start to recover as soon as you stop smoking. However, it can take some time for the lungs to fully recover.
- In the first few weeks after quitting smoking, the cough may initially get worse as the lungs begin to cleanse themselves.
- After about three months, lung function improves significantly and mucus production decreases.
- After a year, breathing capacity has improved considerably and many former smokers report that their cough has almost or completely disappeared.
What to do about smoker's cough?
If you want to alleviate your smoker's cough or get rid of it completely, there are a number of things you can do to support the healing process:
- Drink plenty of fluids to liquefy the mucus and make it easier to cough up
- Regular exercise in the fresh air to strengthen the lungs
- Inhalations with salt water or essential oils to calm the airways
- Warm chest compresses or steam baths to stimulate blood circulation
- If possible, reduce or stop smoking completely to relieve the lungs in the long term
A smoker's cough is not only unpleasant, but can also be a sign that the lungs are already damaged. If you want to get rid of it, you should not only rely on home remedies, but also think about a healthier lifestyle in the long term.