Having a cough can be so uncomfortable, annoying, and, often, embarrassing. That tickle in your throat crops up at the worst times, and more often than not, it isn’t just one cough, but an entire coughing fit. You’d get dirty looks not only for being disruptive, but also for potentially spreading germs around.
Wouldn’t you just rather stay home when you have a cough? Unfortunately, it’s usually not considered dire enough for you to miss a day of work or school. This means that you get to suffer through your day, performing your work at diminished capacity, and since you’re not resting as you should, there’s a good chance that your illness will fester.
How to Get Cough Relief at Work
Many times in life, you just have to suck it up and behave as though it’s business as usual even if you’d much rather just stay home and nurse your cough. There are, however, ways to tame the hacking and make it easier for you to last through an otherwise even more arduous day.
1.Take some over-the-counter cough medicine.
This should be your first step if you really want to get through the day without coughing in everybody’s face the entire time.
Figure out what kind of cough you have. If you have a wet or productive cough, take some expectorant syrup to loosen the phlegm. It will help you breathe better as well as make it easier for you to cough the mucus out.
If you have a dry, hacking cough, take some suppressant. This can get you long-acting cough relief to help you get through your day in relative peace and quiet as it generally makes the urge to cough go away.
2.Stay hydrated.
Whenever you’re battling an infection, getting lots of fluids is a good idea. Being well-hydrated allows your immune system to better fight off sickness.
Water is the best option for it as it doesn’t contain potential irritants. Keeping yourself hydrated thins your mucus, making it easier for you to breathe and expectorate. It also helps flush out the germs in your body.
Tea and clear broth are also great choices, especially if they’re warm. Meanwhile, you should stay away from sugary, caffeinated, or alcoholic drinks.
Be prepared to frequent the bathroom. That will actually help the healing process.
3.Suck on a cough drop.
Sucking on a hard candy may also work as it keeps your saliva flowing, relieving your throat of dryness; however, the sugar in it may end up irritating your throat as well. Lozenges are a safer bet, with their formulation providing a more soothing sensation to your throat. They also have ingredients that specifically address the cough.
4.Get some vapor going.
Bring a humidifier with you. Plug it into an outlet close to your workstation to make the air you breathe more moist, alleviating the dryness, which is often the culprit behind the tickle in your throat.
Even better, you can add some essential oils that specifically help relieve cough symptoms, such as eucalyptus or cinnamon.
5.Impose a semi-quarantine on yourself if possible.
Stay away from people as much as possible on the premise that you don’t want to spread your germs, but really, it allows you to enjoy some semblance of rest by not having to interact with anybody. It also prevents you from being irritated by the smell of smoke or perfume, which some may carry on their person.
Squeeze in some shuteye during your breaks. Take some rest in any way and at any time you can get it.
Combination Effort
You can try one tip or you can try them all. The important thing is to get through the day as efficiently and with as minimal suffering as possible. If your cough won’t go away after a week, or if it seems to be getting worse, take one of your sick leaves to finally consult a doctor and give yourself some proper rest.
