Can I drink alcohol if I have a cough?

You should not drink alcohol when you have a cold. It’s dehydrating, and when you have a cold it’s important to keep the lining of your nose and throat moist. The moisture thins mucus so you can easily blow and cough it out.

Does alcohol make a cough worse?

Drink Alcohol Too much of it leaves you dehydrated and makes symptoms like congestion worse. Alcohol puts a damper on your immune system. And it might mix badly with cold medications you’re taking. So until you feel better, it’s best to lay off the booze.

Which alcohol is good for cough?

Benefits of Drinking a Hot Toddy: Whiskey is a great decongestant, and it helps soothe any pain associated with your head cold. Hot liquids of any kind are a good way to soothe a sore throat. Honey and lemon help soothe a cough and any congestion.

Does alcohol break up mucus?

The alcohol dilates the blood vessels. The steam from the hot beverages works with the decongestant benefits of the alcohol and makes it easier for the mucus membranes to deal with nasal congestion.

What can I drink for coughing up phlegm?

Drinking enough liquids, especially warm ones, can help your mucus flow. Water can loosen your congestion by helping your mucus move. Try sipping anything from juice to clear broths to chicken soup. Other good liquid choices include decaffeinated tea and warm fruit juice or lemon water.

Does alcohol help a chest infection?

Simply not true. This common myth is based on the perception that alcohol has a sterilizing effect on a cold or flu virus.

Does alcohol open your airways?

Alcohol reaches the airway passages both by the bronchial circulation and by direct inhalation. Thus, an effect on airway flow is plausible with implications for bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It has long been thought that alcohol might be beneficial in persons with asthma.