Honey water is generally acceptable for those with coughs. In cases of persistent cough, medical attention should be sought promptly, and professional physicians should provide syndrome differentiation and treatment. Honey is produced by Apis cerana Fabricius or Apis mellifera, insects belonging to the Apidae family, and it is used both as a medicine and food. It has a sweet taste and neutral property, and is associated with the lung, spleen, and large intestine meridians. Internally, honey can nourish the middle, moisten dryness, relieve pain, and detoxify. It is mainly used to improve abdominal pain due to deficiency, dry cough due to lung dryness, and constipation due to intestinal dryness. It can also neutralize the toxicity of Aconitum-like drugs. Externally, honey can promote muscle growth and heal sores, treating unhealing wounds and burns caused by fire or scalding water. Cough is a major symptom of lung diseases. Its causes include external pathogen invasion, leading to the obstruction of lung qi and resulting in cough; it can also be caused by lung pathology or other organ diseases affecting the lungs. People with coughs can drink honey water, which has a certain effect on improving dry cough due to lung dryness. However, diseases are usually not treated with a single drug. If the cough is severe, medical attention should be sought as soon as possible, and medication should be taken under the guidance of a physician based on syndrome differentiation. For example, cold-induced cough can be treated with Decoction of Ephedra and Cough-stopping Powder, wind-heat cough can be treated orally with Sangju Decoction for cough relief, and cough caused by wind-dryness injuring the lungs can be treated with Sangxing Decoction. It should be noted that honey can promote dampness and loosen the bowels, so it should be used with caution in those with dampness obstruction, damp-heat phlegm retention, loose stools, or diarrhea to avoid exacerbating symptoms.
