At the first sign of a sore throat many people take powerful lozenges which are not only pumped full of chemicals, but also do nothing to treat the real cause of a cough.
A cough serves a very specific purpose: to clear the large passages from secretions, irritant, microbes, and foreign particles. Without this natural reflex, our bodies would be the victims to a number of airborne diseases and, especially in the increasingly toxic environment we live in, coughs help protect us against deadly particles in our environment.
But let’s be real. Coughs are annoying and can become painful if chronic. Although the body is doing us a favor, sometimes it’s not enough to wait it out.