Ayurveda has a very interesting approach to cough. Ayurveda says cough may be a symptomatic manifestation of a swelling of the uvula, accumulation of wax in the ear, constipation or worm infestation. Roundworm infestation is known to lead to eosinophilia which is turn may present itself as cough.

It is important to realize at first that cough is a symptom and the cause for this irritating condition should be ascertained right at the outset. The causes of cough range from the innocuous pharyngitis and eosinophilia to the more dangerous bronchial asthma and tuberculosis. Cough can be the first sinister manifestation of lung cancer and heart failure, and sometimes paradoxically, cough can occur as a side effect of some anti-hypertensive drugs! In view of this, it seems logical to state any cough that lasts more than ten days needs investigation by a doctor. There are a large number of anti-cough medicines available in the market. They are effective, but also have side effects like sedation and drying up of mucous. They fuddle your senses and make you so unhappy that you feel that the cough by itself was much better!

Cough due to pitta imbalance, is continuous, is accompanied by yellow, mucoid expectoration. A bitter taste persists in the mouth and there are sour eructations. The juice of adulsa leaves mixed with honey is probably the best treatment for this. Formulations like vasa or vasaka available in the market contain adulsa. A paste made with half a teaspoon of sitopaladichurna and one teaspoon of honey and one teaspoon ghee makes a good medication to lick when the cough is severe.

In the kapha variety, there is heaviness in the chest accompanied by headache. Copious amounts of mucous expectoration occurs. The saliva is thick and the mucous is difficult to expel. Ideal remedies include chewing roasted behead (Terminalia bellerica) or sucking a paste of equal quantities of pippali and soonth with honey. Similarly borax (tankan) is roasted and then powdered to form a churna and given with a quarter teaspoonful of honey.