I have had a chronic cough for donkey years. It is on and off, better some times and worse at other times. It is worst in a lying down position. At the dentist’s, lying down inevitably triggers on a brief coughing fit.
After a cold I would suffer incessant coughing for months on end. A string of GPs don’t know nuts. X rays always reveal nothing.
With the wisdom of experience, I have since found that drinking lots of fluid daily is very good at keeping it at bay. Coffee, and in particular western tea, seems to make it worse.
Having grown up with the all knowing smart-ass condescension that the London moon is bigger and rounder, I used to disdain Oriental home remedies. Now older, hopefully wiser and with the mellowing of the years, I am looking at age old remedies with new respect and benefit of the doubt.
When Du Du was here, she read a passage out of Ah Mah’s Chinese home remedy almanac for home tonics for cough. It prescribed a ubiquitous use of ginger in everyday fluid intake. Basically, just dump some ginger into the kettle each time you boil water!
Combining that and Mum’s old home remedy of boiling ginger with coke, I have lately taken to boiled ginger juice in plain water. Keeping a pot handy in the fridge, I pour out a little into a glass each day, heat it up and drink it hot with a spoonful or two of honey.
It actually tastes good, very good! It is like ginger tea except it’s even nicer!
I find it excellent as a relief for coughs, better than sucking on cough drops. On those nights when coughs are at its worst, I keep a sipping bottle ready on the bedside table.
Fantastico excellento!
Disclaimer 
: I am the only one in the family who vouches for it. Christopher gave one tiny sip and refused point blank to touch it thereafter. Andrew’s coughing fits keep him awake at nights but still, would not drink it 
