How to Stop Coughing Fast: Natural Cough Remedies at Home

How to Stop Coughing: What to Do When You Can’t Stop

Written and medically reviewed by Veronique Claes d’Erckenteel, D.C., chiropractor since 1991 · Last reviewed: 15 October 2026

To stop coughing right now, sit up straight, breathe in slowly through your nose, swallow, and sip something warm or take a spoonful of honey. That calms the urge to cough within a minute or two. To stop the cough coming back, work out which cough you have and treat the cause: my own go-to is propolis drops, eucalyptus oil in the diffuser and extra vitamin C. Most coughs settle within three weeks. If you can’t stop coughing and you struggle to breathe, cough up blood or a baby is coughing, get help straight away.

A cough is your body protecting your lungs. It pushes out mucus, dust and germs, so the goal isn’t to switch it off completely. The goal is to calm the irritation behind it, so your body can finish the job without keeping you up all night. That’s why the best natural remedies work with the cough instead of only suppressing it.

This guide is the starting point for everything we’ve written about coughs. It covers what to do in the moment, how to stop a coughing fit, why some coughs won’t stop, the acupressure points I use, and the routine that has carried my family through every winter. From each section you can go deeper into the guide for your specific cough.

The short version

Right now: sit up, breathe slowly through your nose, swallow, sip warm water or take honey.
In a coughing fit: lean slightly forward, breathe out through pursed lips, then small sips of water.
Press: five acupressure points for one to two minutes each (see the chart below).
My routine: propolis three times a day, eucalyptus in the diffuser at night, liposomal vitamin C.
At night: raise your head, honey before bed, keep the air moist.
Get help for trouble breathing, blood, a high fever, a cough over three weeks, or any cough in a baby under 3 months.

Children and babies: read this first

No honey under 12 months. Honey can cause infant botulism in babies, even in tea or baked goods.
Essential oils by age. From age 3, a diffuser with eucalyptus in a child’s bedroom can be a real relief. Between 2 and 3, use a blend made for small children instead, like Plant Therapy Sniffle Stopper KidSafe, with fir, spruce, cypress, cedarwood and a little spearmint and no eucalyptus or peppermint. Under 2, skip the oils and use a humidifier, a steamy bathroom and saline drops. Never put undiluted oil on or near a child’s face.
No steam bowls for little ones. Sit with your child in a steamy bathroom instead, because hot water burns are common.
Propolis: use an alcohol-free children’s version, follow the label, and skip it if your child is allergic to bee products or has asthma.
See a doctor the same day for any cough in a baby under 3 months, fast or difficult breathing, the skin between the ribs pulling in, a barking cough with noisy breathing, coughing fits with a “whoop”, blue lips, a high fever, or a child who is very sleepy or not drinking.

More in our guide to cough remedies for children.

How Can You Stop Coughing Right Now?

When a cough takes over, these steps calm the urge to cough quickly. None of them need anything special, so you can do them at your desk, in bed or in the middle of a meeting.

Sit or stand up straight. Slumping squeezes your chest and makes the next cough more likely.
Close your mouth and breathe in slowly through your nose. Nose breathing warms and moistens the air, so it irritates your throat less than a sharp breath through the mouth.
Swallow hard, twice. Swallowing interrupts the cough reflex. It’s a simple trick, and it works surprisingly often.
Sip something warm. Warm water, herbal tea or broth relaxes the throat and thins sticky mucus.
Take a spoonful of honey (only over 12 months), or let it melt slowly on your tongue so it coats the back of your throat.
Breathe out through pursed lips, as if blowing out a candle slowly. Long, slow out breaths calm the airways and stop the next cough from building.

If you feel the tickle coming back, repeat the swallow and slow nose breath before you cough. Speech therapists use exactly this kind of “cough control” with people who have a lingering cough, and in a placebo controlled trial it clearly reduced chronic coughing: you learn to notice the urge and answer it with a swallow and a slow breath instead of a cough. The more often you do it, the weaker the urge becomes.

How to Stop a Coughing Fit

A coughing fit, or coughing attack, is when one cough sets off the next and you can’t catch your breath in between. It’s frightening, but there’s a lot you can do.

Lean slightly forward with your hands on your knees or a table. This gives your lungs more room.
Don’t fight for a big breath. Take small sips of air through your nose, then breathe out slowly through pursed lips.
Small sips of water as soon as you can, followed by a swallow.
Move away from the trigger: cold air, smoke, perfume or dust. Step into a steamy bathroom if you’re at home.
After the fit, sit quietly for a few minutes, then take honey or a warm drink to settle the throat.

Fits that end in a “whoop” when you breathe in, or in vomiting, especially in children, can be whooping cough. Read about whooping cough in children and see a doctor first.

Why Can’t I Stop Coughing?

If you can’t stop coughing, something keeps irritating your airways. The most common reasons:

The tail end of a cold. The infection has gone, but the airways stay sensitive for weeks. Every breath of cold air sets off a tickle. See dry cough remedies.
Mucus in the chest. Your body is trying to clear it, and it keeps coughing until it can. See how to get rid of phlegm and chest congestion remedies.
Post nasal drip. Mucus running down the back of your throat, often worse lying down. See post nasal drip remedies.
Acid reflux. Stomach acid reaching the throat, often after meals or at night. See GERD cough remedies and acid reflux home remedies.
Dry air, smoke and allergies. Heating, cigarette smoke, dust and pollen keep the airways irritated.
A sore throat. A raw throat triggers a cough with every breath. Soothe it with tea for a sore throat.
The cough itself. Coughing irritates the throat, which makes you cough again. Breaking that loop with the steps above is half the work.

Find your cough in the table below to see what helps most.

Which Cough Do You Have?

Listen to your cough for a day. Is it dry or does it bring something up? Is it worse at night, after meals or when you lie down? Did it start with a cold? The answers point you to the right remedies.

Your cough	What it usually means	What helps most	Read next
Dry, tickly, nothing comes up	Irritated throat or airways, often after a cold	Honey, marshmallow root, ivy leaf, humid air	Dry cough remedies
Wet, chesty, brings up phlegm	Mucus in the chest from an infection	Steam, warm fluids, thyme, eucalyptus	How to get rid of phlegm
Mostly at night or lying down	Mucus dripping down the throat, reflux, dry air	Raise your head, honey before bed, diffuser	How to stop a cough at night
With a blocked or runny nose	Post nasal drip, a cold or sinus trouble	Saline rinses, steam, rest	Post nasal drip remedies
After meals, with heartburn or a sour taste	Acid reflux irritating the throat	Smaller meals, no food before bed	GERD cough remedies
Coughing fits ending in a “whoop”	Possible whooping cough	See a doctor first	Whooping cough in children
Still there after three weeks	Lingering cough, bronchitis or something else	A check-up	When a cough needs a doctor

How I Stop Coughing: My Go-To Routine

This is truly my one and only go-to when someone in my family starts coughing. I’ve used it with my own family for years, and it’s what I’d tell a friend to do tonight. It doesn’t switch the cough off in five minutes, nothing natural does, but it calms the airways and supports the body so the cough clears faster.

1. Propolis drops, three times a day

Propolis is the resin bees use to seal and protect their hive. I use propolis drops in alcohol three times a day: for adults, 10 drops straight onto the back of the throat; for older children, 10 drops in a little water. For younger children there are alcohol-free propolis drops and syrups that are more appropriate, and the label tells you the dose for their age.

The research is encouraging, though still early. In a trial of 122 adults with a mild cold or throat infection, people using a standardized propolis spray got rid of their symptoms about two days sooner than those using a placebo. Propolis doesn’t treat a lung infection, but in my experience it makes a real difference to how quickly a cough and sore throat settle.

Skip propolis if you’re allergic to bees, honey or pollen, or if you have asthma, and stop if your mouth or skin reacts. Not for babies under 12 months.

2. Eucalyptus oil: diffuser at night or steam

Eucalyptus is the essential oil I reach for first. I put eucalyptus oil in the diffuser and let it run all night. If you don’t have a diffuser, sit over a bowl of steaming water with 5 drops of eucalyptus oil, put a towel over your head and breathe in the steam for 15 minutes. Do this two to three times a day.

There’s good research behind this. Eucalyptus oil is mostly eucalyptol (also called 1,8-cineole), which helps loosen mucus, calm inflammation and open the airways. A review of six trials with 1,857 people found that eucalyptus products improved cough more often than a placebo, with no serious side effects. In a trial of people with acute bronchitis, cineole capsules reduced coughing fits after just four days. A clinical review of essential oils for airway symptoms recommends exactly the steam method I use: 10 to 15 minutes, with a towel over your head, two to four times a day, then a short rest afterwards.

The same review warns against strong peppermint (menthol) oils when you are short of breath, because menthol can mask how breathless you really are. Eucalyptus is the better choice.

Get the eucalyptus oil I use (Affiliate link: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

You can also buy a ready-made blend that combines eucalyptus with other oils that support easy breathing. Revive Breathe Air blend (affiliate link).

Choose your oil carefully. My recommendation is that you only ever buy food grade, quality controlled essential oils. Cheap oils can be diluted or contain other chemicals you don’t want to breathe in all night. Never swallow essential oils unless a professional tells you to, and keep the bottles out of reach of children.

3. Liposomal vitamin C

Lastly I add liposomal vitamin C, and during a cough I go well beyond the dose on the label: two to three times as much, for a few days. That higher dose is exactly what makes the difference for me. Your gut tells you when you’ve reached your limit: loose stools mean it’s time to step back down. Children get the dose on the children’s label, and if you’ve ever had kidney stones, talk to your doctor before taking high doses.

Why liposomal? The vitamin C is wrapped in tiny fat bubbles, which helps more of it reach your blood. Studies comparing the two found higher blood levels with liposomal vitamin C than with regular tablets, although how much better varies a lot between products.

What does vitamin C do for the lungs? In a laboratory study, vitamin C switched on a channel in airway cells (called CFTR) that moves salt and water onto the airway surface, which helps keep mucus thin and easier to clear. To be honest about the evidence: this shows a plausible pathway, not that vitamin C dissolves phlegm. The bigger picture comes from a Cochrane review of vitamin C and colds: taking it regularly shortened colds a little, especially in children, while starting it only once you’re ill had less consistent results. That’s why I take it regularly through the winter and increase it when a cough starts.

Acupressure Points to Stop Coughing

Acupressure comes from traditional Chinese medicine: you press specific points along the body’s meridians to calm a symptom. For coughing, these five points are the ones I use. It’s traditional use rather than something that has been studied in large trials, but it costs nothing, it’s gentle, and many people feel their chest and throat relax while they press.

KI-27 (Kidney meridian): opening up the airways. Just below the collarbone, close to the breastbone, on both sides.
CV-17 (Conception vessel): releasing chest tightness. Center of the chest, on the breastbone, level with the nipples.
LU-5 (Lung meridian): soothing the source of coughing. Inside of the elbow, in the crease on the thumb side of the tendon.
PC-6 (Pericardium meridian): calming the throat. Inner forearm, three finger widths up from the wrist crease, between the two tendons.
ST-36 (Stomach meridian): boosting overall immunity. Four finger widths below the kneecap, one finger width to the outside of the shinbone.

How to press: use your thumb or fingertip, press firmly and make small circles for one to two minutes on each point, on both sides of the body. Breathe slowly and deeply while you press. You can do this several times a day, and it’s a lovely way to help a child settle at night.

Best Ways to Stop Coughing at Home

Next to my routine, these are the natural remedies I recommend most. You’ll find all fourteen, with recipes, in our guide to easy home remedies for cough.

Ginger, lemon and honey tea. The classic. Ginger calms inflammation, and a 2024 review of plant remedies for cough lists it among the extracts that work on the cause of a cough instead of only suppressing it.
Honey. A Cochrane review found honey eased children’s coughs about as well as some common cough syrups. More in honey for cough.
Ivy leaf. Its saponins loosen mucus and calm the urge to cough, often quite quickly. Every trial in a systematic review reported fewer symptoms. Use a syrup or ready-made ivy leaf tea, never garden ivy.
Thyme. A thyme and primrose extract reduced coughing fits in 361 adults with bronchitis. At home, thyme tea with honey.
Marshmallow root. Turns into a soothing gel that coats a dry, tickly throat.
Steam and humid air. A hot shower, a steamy bathroom or a humidifier keeps the airways moist.
Rest. In chiropractic we always say the body has its own capacity to heal. Our job is to give it the conditions to do that.

Want to calm the cough reflex itself, or help mucus come up? See natural cough suppressants and natural expectorants.

How to Stop Coughing at Night

Many coughs are worse at night. When you lie down, mucus pools at the back of your throat, stomach acid moves up more easily, and the air in a heated bedroom is often dry. What helps:

Sleep position: raise your head and shoulders with an extra pillow, or sleep on your side. Lying flat on your back lets mucus drip down your throat (not for babies, who always sleep flat on their back).
Take a spoonful of honey before bed (over 12 months only).
Run a diffuser with eucalyptus oil, or a humidifier, in the bedroom (for children aged 2 to 3, use a kids’ blend; under 2, a humidifier only).
Don’t eat in the two to three hours before bed if reflux could be part of the problem.
Keep a glass of water by the bed for the swallow trick.

Our full guide on how to stop a cough at night goes through every cause.

Dry or Wet Cough: What’s the Difference?

A dry cough tickles and scratches but brings nothing up. Soothe it: honey, marshmallow root, ivy leaf, warm drinks and humid air. Avoid smoke and cold air. See dry cough remedies.

A wet cough brings up phlegm and is doing a useful job. Don’t suppress it; help it along with steam, eucalyptus, thyme and warm fluids. See how to get rid of phlegm. A chesty cough with fever that lasts more than a week or two may be bronchitis: see bronchitis home remedies and essential oils for bronchitis.

Cough in Children

Children cough a lot. Most coughs come with ordinary colds, and a child can have several of those a winter. Honey (over 12 months), warm drinks, a steamy bathroom, saline drops for a blocked nose, gentle acupressure and lots of rest are the safest basics. Read the box at the top of this page before using essential oils or propolis. For croup, toddler coughs and when to call the doctor, see cough remedies for children.

How Long Does a Cough Last?

A cough from a cold usually lasts one to three weeks. A cough that follows a chest infection can linger for up to eight weeks while the airways recover, even when you otherwise feel well. If a cough lasts longer than three weeks, or keeps getting worse instead of better, get it properly checked so you know what you’re treating.

When to See a Doctor for a Cough, and Which One

Natural remedies can carry you through most coughs. What makes them work is knowing exactly what you’re treating, so get a proper diagnosis when a cough doesn’t follow the usual pattern.

Get help straight away for trouble breathing, chest pain, blue lips, coughing up blood, confusion or drowsiness, or any cough in a baby under 3 months. In an emergency, call 112 (Europe) or 911 (US).
Your GP or family doctor for a high fever, coughing fits with a “whoop” or vomiting, or a cough that gets worse after a week.
A pulmonologist (lung specialist) for a cough that lasts more than eight weeks, keeps coming back, or comes with wheezing or weight loss.
An ENT specialist (ear, nose and throat) when the cough comes with constant throat clearing, post nasal drip or sinus trouble.
A gastroenterologist when the cough comes with heartburn, a sour taste or is worse after meals.
Your pediatrician for babies and children, especially with a barking cough, noisy breathing, or a child who is very sleepy or not drinking.

Read more in when a cough needs a doctor and our medical disclaimer.

Every Cough Guide on Home Remedy Shop

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you stop coughing?

Right away: sit up, breathe slowly through your nose, swallow twice and sip something warm or take honey. To stop the cough for good, treat what’s causing it, with steam, ivy leaf or thyme, and support your body with rest, propolis and vitamin C.

How do you immediately stop coughing?

Close your mouth, breathe in slowly through your nose, swallow hard and breathe out slowly through pursed lips. Follow with a sip of warm water or a spoonful of honey.

How do you stop a coughing fit?

Lean slightly forward, take small sips of air through your nose, breathe out slowly through pursed lips and sip water as soon as you can. Move away from cold air, smoke or perfume.

What should I do if I can’t stop coughing?

Use the swallow and slow breathing trick, sip warm drinks and take honey, then find the cause: a cold, mucus, post nasal drip or reflux. If you can’t catch your breath, your lips turn blue or you cough up blood, get help straight away.

Why can’t I stop coughing?

Usually because the airways are still sensitive after a cold, or because mucus, post nasal drip, reflux, dry air or smoke keeps irritating them. Coughing itself also irritates the throat, so the cough feeds itself until you break the loop.

Is there an acupressure point to stop coughing?

Yes. In traditional Chinese medicine, LU-5 in the elbow crease, KI-27 below the collarbone, CV-17 on the breastbone, PC-6 on the inner forearm and ST-36 below the knee are used for coughing. Press each one for one to two minutes in small circles.

What is the best sleep position to stop coughing?

Sleep with your head and shoulders raised on an extra pillow, or on your side. That stops mucus and stomach acid from reaching your throat. Babies always sleep flat on their back.

How long does a cough last?

Usually one to three weeks after a cold, and up to eight weeks after a chest infection. Get it checked if it lasts more than three weeks or gets worse.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, marked as such. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This article is for general information and does not replace a diagnosis from a qualified professional. Read our medical disclaimer.

Veronique Cleas D'erckenteel

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