Believe it or not, a cough is actually a good thing. It’s your body’s way of clearing your airways in response to an irritant, according to the Mayo Clinic. But a cough can also keep you up all night and make you generally miserable — and sometimes it feels like it’s never going to go away.
If you’re struggling with how to get rid of a cough, here’s the good news: Most coughs clear up on their own without treatment. In the meantime, there are several natural remedies for cough that have proven benefits, says Stephen Russell, MD, a physician at the University of Alabama at Birmingham department of medicine and an expert in upper respiratory infections.