It's better to let the cough out instead of holding the cough in.
Coughing helps the body remove irritants, phlegm, mucus etc from your airways and coughing can prevent the buildup of irritants, debris, mucus, phlegm etc, which can result in infections.
Coughing also clears your airways and makes it easier for you to breathe.
You should always let your cough out instead of holding it in, as holding your cough in can make the coughing worse.
When you have a cough, it's also better to treat the cause of the cough, especially if the cough is chronic.
You can also use some symptom relief as well to help ease the cough.
If your cough is acute or minor, you can try some honey or even a humidifier can sometimes be good enough to treat the cough and ease the cough symptoms.
Although if you have more severe coughs and more persistent coughs, then addressing and treating the underlying cause of the cough is best and can prevent the coughing from getting worse.
If you have a constant and persistent cough, it's best to see a doctor, who can diagnose conditions that can cause the cough, such as acid reflux, COPD or asthma or other conditions.
If the cough is caused by other conditions, like asthma, COPD or acid reflux etc you may need some prescription medications, like inhalers for the COPD or asthma.
If the cause of the coughing is from a bacterial infection, then your doctor may need to prescribe antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection and stop the coughing.
For normal cough symptoms and coughing you can soothe your throat by swallowing some honey or by drinking some warm tea with honey and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
You can also use some throat lozenges or warm salt water gargles and even use a humidifier and take a steamy shower or sit in the bathroom with the shower running with hot steam.
Drinking plenty of water and other fluids can also help thin any mucus and make it easier to clear the mucus from your lungs.
And if you smoke, you should stop smoking and stay away from any smoke, dust and other pollutants.
If the cough lasts more than a few weeks, you should see a doctor.