Cough

Description
Certain parts of the respiratory system are naturally sensitive to foreign matter. A cough is usually a reflex to clear the airways. This reflex is essential to life and therefore should only be suppressed with care since it serves a vital function.

Coughs vary from mild to severe, and come in two general forms: productive and nonproductive. Productive coughs are those that produce fluid or mucus, and are often caused by lung Infections. Nonproductive coughs do not bring to the surface fluid or mucus. Persistent coughs are those which last for two or more weeks. If this occurs without other respiratory symptoms, disease of another organ is usually involved.

Herbs
Black Cohosh
Garlic (1)

Homeopathy
If your cough is part of a cold or flu, then it may be better to find a medicine that covers the overall picture of the illness from the "Common Cold" and "Influenza" section.
However, sometimes a cough will persist after the original viral illness has settled, or indeed it may be the only feature of the illness. If so, choose a medicine from the list below.

Homeopathy - Dry Cough
Aconite
Dry croupy cough especially in cold dry weather.
Worse at night.
Breathing feels difficult.
Better sitting up or lying on back.
Anxiety and restlessness.

Bryonia
Dry, hacking cough.
Worse at night, especially after eating or drinking.
Cough extremely Painful, must splint chest.
Want to breathe deeply, but it hurts.
Thirst for cold drinks.

Hepar sulph.
Hoarse dry cough with choking and gagging.
Triggered by any part of the body getting cold.
Can be croupy or barking.
Small amounts of yellowish phelgm.

Homeopathy - Chesty Coughs
Ipecac.
Persistent violent cough, little phlegm.
Accompanying nausea and Vomiting.
Very loose, rattly and/or wheezy.

Pulsatilla
Thick yellow loose phlegm.
Loose cough in day, dry at night.
Better in the open air, worse in a stuffy room.

Kali. bich.
Brassy cough.
Large amounts of stringy phlegm which is very glutinous and stick, difficult to bring up.

Homeopathy - Coughing spasms
Cuprum met.
Exhausting spasms of cough.
Better for sips of cold drink.
Marked spasm and constriction of the chest.

Drosera
Paroxysms of cough like whooping cough, often with retching.
Spasms follow one after another rapidly.
Worse as soon as puts head on pillow or at night.
Speaking aggravates cough.

Ignatia
Dry tickly cough.
Feels as if a constriction in the throat.
Frequent short spasms, no retching.
Often has to suppress the cough by willpower.
Tendency to sigh.

References
1. Elnima EI, et al: The antimicrobial activity of Garlic and onion extracts, Pharmazie, 38(11), Nov 1983, p 747-748.