How to Make Yourself Cough

Paraftek

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posted on 16 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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Most people want to get rid of a cough instead of deliberately inducing one. But there are certain reasons why you might want to make yourself cough, including clearing phlegm out of your throat during a cold, or if you’re getting ready to speak in public. Individuals with chronic lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), may require assistance with coughing to clear lung mucous. Similarly, disabled individuals such as quadriplegics, might not have the muscular ability to cough productively.

Steps

Altering Your Breathing

Breathe in sharply and close your throat. Changing the way you breathe in and out, combined with restricting your airflow, can induce a cough. Take in a deep, sharp breath to dry out your mouth and throat. Tighten your throat and try to exhale. Tighten your stomach and push air out while keeping your throat restricted. This can help induce a cough.

Try doing a huff cough. A huff cough is a gentle, low pressure cough that is useful for individuals who do not have the lung capacity to perform a normal cough. These include patients with cystic fibrosis or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), among others. To do a huff cough: Slow down your breathing by exhaling for a count of 4. Breathe in about 75% of a normal inhalation. Shape your mouth into an O and try to keep your voice box open. Contract your abdominal muscles to force air up through your mouth. You should make a soft “huff” sound. Inhale a quick, shallow breath and make another “huff” sound.

Try doing a fake cough. When you start making a coughing sound on purpose to simulate a cough, a real cough might follow. To do a fake cough, start by clearing your throat. Force air out of your throat by tightening your abdominal muscles and pushing air up and out of your mouth.

Breathe in cold, dry air. Winter air is often cold and dry, and can contribute to increased coughing. Cold, dry air can eliminate water vapor from your throat and mouth, which can cause a spasm in your airway. This might make you cough, especially if you are prone to asthma. Take big, deep breaths in the cold air. Make sure the air reaches down into your lungs.

Inhaling Substances

Breathe in steam from boiling water. Boil water in a kettle and pour it into a bowl. Put your face over the bowl, being careful to avoid getting burned. Breathe deeply and quickly to draw the vaporized water into your lungs. It will condense in your lungs, whereupon your body will mistake it for water in your lungs. Your body will try to expel the water by coughing.

Inhale citric acid. Citric acid has been used in a number of medical trials as a tussive agent (something that causes the cough reflex).

Breathe in aromatic oil of mustard. An older medical study indicates that oil of mustard can be inhaled to induce coughing. Put a few drops of aromatic oil of mustard in a bottle. Sniff the bottle and you will begin to cough.

Cook up chili peppers. Chili peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which can irritate your mouth, throat and airways. When you have exposure to capsaicins by cooking chili peppers, some of the molecules become airborne. You may inhale them and cause irritation in your throat and lungs, which, for many people, causes a coughing fit.,

Suck mucous back into your throat. If you have a cold and your nose is runny or plugged, bring the phlegm back into your mouth and throat to induce a cough. This will contribute to a postnasal drip, which is when mucous seeps into your throat through your nasal passages. Postnasal drip will contribute to your cough, potentially prolonging it.

Inhale an allergen like dust or smoke. Deliberately inhaling allergens such as dust, pollen or smoke will likely make you cough, especially if you are sensitive to them. Hold your face over a feather duster and open your mouth. Breathe in a quick, deep breath. Alternately, ask someone to blow cigarette smoke in your face. Breathe in through your mouth to bring the smoke into your lungs. If you are not a smoker, this may cause you to cough. If you are a smoker, this may not be very effective. However, remember, even if you're a smoker, the smoke can be dangerous for you.

Take a big sniff of a foul smell. The lungs have a means of detecting odors and irritants that cause a coughing reaction, such as toxic chemicals or bad smells. The lungs are imprinted a sort of “memory” so that they protect themselves. This is why you often have a sudden and violent response, such as gagging and coughing, to irritants and odors. Find something that smells really awful, like rotting food or feces. You may have a reaction to the smell that includes gagging and coughing.

Trying Coughs for Medical Purposes

Use a cough stimulator. This type of device is typically used for quadriplegic individuals who do not have the ability to cough on their own. The device is implanted under the skin near the neck or upper chest, and sends electronic pulses to the neck’s phrenic nerves. This causes the diaphragm to contract, simulating a breath inhalation. Continuing these pulses will cause minor spasms to initiate coughing.

Apply pressure to the chest. A caregiver can help a disabled patient to cough by pressing firmly on the torso just below the ribcage. At the same time, the patient should exhale or try to cough. The pressure should induce a sort of cough that will, for example, help clear lungs during a chest infection.