If you’ve ever had a cough that refused to go away, hear me out — because this might land a little too close to home.
A friend messaged me recently, frustrated out of her mind. She’d had this cough for weeks. Tried meds. Tried essential oils. Tried supplements. Nothing changed.
Then she asked me:
“Is there a way to tell if a cough is emotional?”
Short answer? Yes. Our bodies are snitches — they will tell on us long before we’re willing to tell the truth.
So I asked her two questions:
1. Does your cough spread to anyone else?
If it doesn’t, chances are it’s not viral.
2. Does it flare up when something stressful or emotionally triggering happens?
As in, when someone cuts you down, dismisses you, or you swallow what you really want to say?
Her reply came fast.
The cough got worse every time a certain person at work shut her down, questioned her capabilities, or made her feel small. She felt judged. Unsafe. So she bit back her truth to keep the peace.
Her body didn’t get the memo.
When we don’t express, the body will express for us.
When the Body Speaks the Words We Swallow
We love to pretend we’re “fine.” We smile, nod, and tolerate nonsense to avoid conflict, rejection, or becoming “that difficult person.”
But the body? The body keeps the receipts.
A persistent cough, a tightening throat, recurring sore throats, losing your voice — these are often the body’s warning bells when we’ve silenced ourselves for too long.
It’s your system saying:
“I need this out. You won’t say it, so I will.”
We think we’re avoiding drama by staying quiet. But the real drama is happening internally — in your nervous system, your immune system, and your suppressed voice that keeps boomeranging back through physical symptoms.
And I say this with love, because I used to be that person too. For ten years.
My 10-Year Cough: A Story I Wish I Learnt Sooner
I used to have this dry cough that would hit so violently I would choke and nearly puke. Not occasionally — but for years.
Ten. Whole. Years.
I tried everything. Medicine. Natural remedies. Oils. Rest. Cutting dairy. You name it — I experimented with it. Nothing helped.
Here’s the truth I didn’t want to acknowledge at the time:
I was terrified of speaking up.
There were things happening in my team that deeply bothered me — unfairness, behaviours that felt wrong, decisions that didn’t sit well with my values.
And every time I tried to speak, I froze.
I was afraid people would avoid me.
Afraid of being labelled difficult.
Afraid of losing belonging.
So I swallowed it all. And my body swallowed it too.
Every unsaid word built up like emotional phlegm stuck in my throat. (Yes, disgusting analogy. But accurate.)
On the outside, I looked calm. “Nice.” Easygoing.
On the inside, I was suffocating.
The turning point came the day I finally thought:
“If speaking my truth makes me unpopular, so be it. Because losing myself is too high a price.”
I said what I needed to say — respectfully, clearly, grounded.
And the cough stopped.
Not overnight, but it faded… and then disappeared.
No more choking. No more nights coughing until I gagged. No more “mystery” symptoms.
My body didn’t need to scream anymore. I was finally speaking for myself.
Why This Happens (The Science and the Soul)
Here’s the emotional–physical connection, without the fluff:
1. The Nervous System Doesn’t Lie
Suppressing emotions activates a stress response. Chronic tension around the throat is part of the vagus nerve pathway — the same pathway tied to communication and expression.
2. The Body Stores the Unsaid
The more we hold in, the more tension builds. The body finds a release valve — coughing, throat clearing, losing voice, breathlessness.
3. The Energetic Perspective
If you lean more intuitive:
The throat area is about expression, boundaries, truth. Suppress your voice long enough and it can show up physically.
Science or spirituality — both point to the same conclusion:
Silenced truth creates symptoms.
How to Tell If Your Symptom May Be Emotional
Not every cough is emotional. But here are signs it might be:
• It doesn’t spread to others
• It fluctuates based on emotional triggers
• It gets worse around specific people or situations
• You lose your voice or throat tightens when you need to speak up
• You feel “blocked” or resentful but say nothing
If three or more of these are true, your body might be waving a red flag.
How to Clear Emotional “Congestion” (Without Burning Your Life Down)
Here are simple ways to start unblocking what’s stuck:
1. Validate Your Voice
Your experiences and feelings are real. You don’t need permission to speak.
2. Talk It Out With Someone Safe
Choose someone who listens without judging, fixing, or dismissing your experience. Your nervous system needs release, not suppression.
3. When You’re Ready, Speak the Truth
If it’s safe and appropriate, have the conversation.
Start with:
“My intention for sharing this is…”
It keeps the tone grounded rather than accusatory.
4. Clear the Mental Programming
When someone’s words replay in your mind, interrupt it:
“Thank you for sharing. Cancel.”
It trains your brain to stop running old scripts on repeat.
(And yes, there’s a more colourful version of this clearing that I won’t write here. If you want it, comment “SNORT” and I’ll send it privately.)
Journal Prompts to Help You Unblock Your Voice
If this hit a nerve (or your throat), take 5–10 minutes to reflect on any of these:
• Where in my life am I currently silencing myself to keep the peace?
• Whose approval am I afraid to lose if I speak my truth?
• What am I really afraid will happen if I say how I feel?
• What truth have I been swallowing that my body is now expressing for me?
• What would self-respect look like in this situation?
• What is one sentence I wish I could say out loud?
You don’t need to act on it yet. Awareness alone creates movement.
If something in your body has been talking to you — through a cough, tension, flare-ups, anxiety, or anything else — don’t ignore it.
Pause. Listen. Ask yourself:
“What truth am I not saying that my body is saying for me?”
If this resonated, share it. Someone you know is holding in a cough, a truth, or a piece of themselves they’re scared to voice.
And if you’ve experienced this, I’d love to hear your story in the comments.
Your voice might be the permission someone else needs.
