Is salt-steamed orange effective in treating cough?

Coughing is a common problem in life, and if you want to treat it effectively, you need to pay attention to mastering the correct method. Steaming oranges with salt is effective in treating coughs, but it is a folk remedy, so if you want to completely solve the cough, you must also pay attention to understanding the cause and treating it correctly.

1. "Salt-steamed oranges" and "Salt-steamed tangerines" can only be used as folk remedies

There are two versions of the folk remedy for coughs circulating online. Which one is "steamed oranges with salt" or "steamed oranges with salt"? In this regard, Zhang Shunan, professor of the Department of Respiratory Medicine of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, said in an interview with this newspaper, "Both remedies make sense, because from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, oranges and tangerines themselves have certain medicinal value. Both can relieve coughs and reduce phlegm, and are also the two most commonly used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine for relieving coughs and reducing phlegm."

2. Some experts have expressed doubts about the effectiveness of this folk remedy. "In my opinion, the folk remedy of using steamed oranges with salt to treat coughs is unreasonable. Steaming oranges may have a certain effect on colds, but there is no need to add salt, because salt intake itself can easily lead to coughs, and salt does not have a cough-relieving effect. There is no reason to steam oranges with salt. Moreover, Chinese medicines for treating coughs generally do not contain salt. Unless it is a kidney cough, which is equivalent to a cough caused by heart failure, this is completely different from a cough caused by the respiratory system," said Bian Yongjun, director of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Guang'anmen Hospital. There are many types of coughs, such as wind-cold, dry lungs, etc., but no matter what kind of cough it is, we can only regard steamed oranges with salt as a folk remedy. It is difficult to say whether it makes sense or not, and it is not worth promoting.

3. For patients with phlegm and dampness and heat, choose steamed oranges with salt

Since both "steamed tangerines with salt" and "steamed oranges with salt" have certain auxiliary effects in treating coughs, is there any difference between the two? In this regard, Zhang Shunan said that salt-steamed oranges and salt-steamed tangerines have certain auxiliary therapeutic effects on coughs. When citizens choose, they should look at the target population. Tangerines are warm in nature, while oranges are cool in nature. Therefore, if the patient's cough is caused by phlegm and dampness and is of a cold nature, you can choose to use the method of steaming tangerines with salt. If the patient's phlegm and dampness is of a hot nature, you should use the method of steaming oranges with salt. Therefore, although they are all folk remedies for treating coughs, they should be selected based on personal constitution.

4. It cannot replace drug treatment

Zhang Shunan specifically pointed out that both salt-steamed tangerines and salt-steamed oranges have certain auxiliary effects in treating coughs, but citizens need to be reminded that this is a folk remedy after all. It is difficult to say that this folk remedy can cure coughs, and it is also not feasible. This folk remedy alone cannot cure cough. It can only be used as an auxiliary means or dietary therapy for treating cough, and the premise should also be the symptomatic treatment mentioned above, which varies from person to person.