A cough is a sharp and forceful exhalation through the mouth; it is provoked by contractions of the smooth muscles of the branches of the respiratory tract, caused by irritation of the nerve endings of the airways.
A dry cough is characterized by the fact that phlegm is not coughed up, so it is called unproductive.
This symptom indicates the development of some pathological process or is a reaction to the influence of negative external factors.
Main reasons
A dry cough is not always a sign of a disease; it can be caused by some exogenous causes. Sometimes this symptom is triggered by inhaling excessively dry air, cigarette smoke, certain chemicals, and particles of household dust. In such cases, the attack occurs once, does not require specific treatment, and goes away quickly and independently.
Dry cough
A nonproductive cough may accompany the following pathologies:
- bronchial asthma;
- initial stage of tuberculosis;
- COPD;
- allergy;
- initial stage of bronchitis;
- inflammatory processes in the organs of the respiratory system (laryngitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy);
- infectious diseases (whooping cough, ARVI, influenza);
- failure of heart function.
A progressive dry cough can be a symptom of the development of oncological processes in the organs of the respiratory system. By nature, it is predominantly hysterical, tearing the throat.
A protracted, unproductive cough torments a person with lesions of the pleura. With obstructive bronchitis or emphysema, it is most often dull and paroxysmal.
A characteristic manifestation of chronic bronchitis, COPD, and heart disease is a prolonged cough.
Chronical bronchitis
In infectious and inflammatory processes, a painful dry cough is usually a manifestation of the first stage of the disease.
If you deal with it correctly, then after a short time coughing up of sputum begins, which means the beginning of recovery, since together with bronchial secretions and mucus, the airways get rid of pathogenic microorganisms and are better cleaned.
If a debilitating nonproductive cough persists for more than three days, sputum is not expectorated, this indicates worsening inflammation and ineffectiveness of the therapy.
With tuberculosis, COPD, and allergies, a person coughs more often at night. He cannot sleep normally, and if left untreated, neurological disorders develop, which, in turn, can cause severe bouts of “nervous” coughing.
Additional symptoms
Fever, general malaise and dry cough are typical symptoms of infectious diseases
In case of infectious diseases, colds, a person’s temperature rises (usually in the evening), febrile phenomena, severe weakness, nausea, and sometimes vomiting are observed. The throat hurts very much, the cough does not bring relief in the first days.
Tracheitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis are characterized by attacks of debilitating dry cough, especially in the morning.
If the inflammatory process is provoked by infectious agents, then in the first days the person experiences fever and severe pain when swallowing.
Pneumonia is characterized by shortness of breath, a feeling of heaviness in the chest, and an obsessive frequent cough, in rare cases accompanied by scanty expectoration.
Whooping cough is an infectious disease of bacterial origin, mainly affecting children, but in adults it is very severe. The person coughs very strongly, sometimes to the point of vomiting and loss of consciousness.
This is a dangerous pathology that can provoke serious complications: respiratory arrest as a result of suffocation, convulsive attacks, brain disorders, and the development of inflammatory processes in the respiratory organs.
Allergic cough is very different from other types of this phenomenon. It occurs as a result of the irritating action of any agents called allergens.
Often accompanied by lacrimation caused by conjunctivitis, nasal congestion, dry throat, runny nose, itchy rashes on the skin and mucous membranes.
Manifestations of allergies stop only after the provoking factor is eliminated.
If there are no other symptoms other than cough, this may indicate the development of an oncological process in the respiratory organs.
In heart failure, severe shortness of breath is observed; in the stage of decompensation, cyanosis of the skin is observed. Progression of the pathology can lead to hemoptysis. With hyperplasia of the thyroid gland, pressure on the trachea increases, which leads to difficulty in swallowing, and the person suffers for weeks and months.
Diagnostics
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor analyzes the patient’s complaints, collects anamnesis, and conducts a physical examination. Methods of auscultation and percussion of the lungs and respiratory organs are used. A number of laboratory and instrumental studies are also prescribed:
General blood analysis
- a general blood test to assess the general condition of the body and identify possible inflammatory processes;
- allergy tests (if an allergic etiology of the disease is suspected);
- bacteriological examination and culture of sputum or throat swab to identify the pathogen in case of infectious etiology of the disease;
- fluorography and x-ray of the lungs for visual assessment of the state of the respiratory system, identification of pathological foci characteristic of pneumonia, tuberculosis, and oncological diseases;
- spirometry (method for studying the function of external respiration);
- bronchoscopy (method of endoscopic examination of the branches of the windpipe).
If diseases of the cardiovascular or endocrine systems are suspected, an ECG and ultrasound of the thyroid gland may be prescribed.
Therapy methods
A cough is a sign of a disease, so symptomatic treatment is prescribed to eliminate it. In addition, etiotropic therapy is carried out aimed at eliminating the underlying pathology.
When treating dry cough, medications of various effects, inhalations, and warm compresses are used. Traditional medicine methods can also be used to combat this symptom.
Medications
Antitussive drug Sinekod
Drug therapy may include the use of antitussives and agents to increase sputum production. Effective medications for suppressing the cough reflex are Sinekod, Libexin, Omnitus, Butamirate. In order to increase sputum production and for better removal, mucolytic and expectorant drugs can be prescribed. These include ACC, Flavamed, Lazolvan, Ambrobene, Mukaltin.
Combination medications help cope with obstructive lesions. Broncholitin is considered a popular medication that has bronchodilator, bactericidal and antitussive effects.
Combination medications Eucabal and Codelac Neo relieve attacks. To increase the production of sputum and improve its coughing, herbal remedies Gerbion, Gedelix, Prospan, and licorice root syrups are used.
Allergic cough is treated with antihistamines (Loratadine, Suprastin, Tavegil). If a cough is caused by a bacterial or viral infection, antibiotics and antiviral drugs are used to get rid of it. The corticosteroid drug Pulmicort helps relieve asthma attacks.
Inhalations
With a progressive cough, inhalations and rinses are done. They soften and soothe a sore throat and relieve attacks. It is best to treat this symptom with so-called cold inhalations using mineral water, saline solutions, and medications (Berodual, Lazolvan, Ambrobene, Pulmicort).
Suspension for inhalation Pulmicort
Compresses
To alleviate unproductive coughing at home, you can make a warm compress. The easiest way is to place a linen bag with heated salt on your back or chest.
You can also make a flatbread from hot boiled potatoes, honey and milk. It is placed on the chest, covered with plastic wrap, and wrapped with a towel on top.
It is most effective to do such procedures in the evening during the entire night's rest, when the person is already in bed.
A nonproductive cough brings significant discomfort to a person and significantly reduces the quality of life, so it is necessary to take measures to quickly cure it.
You can use medications in the first days, but if the symptoms of the disease do not go away, you should seek medical help. In such cases, serious pathologies are possible, and the sooner treatment is started, the greater the chances of a successful and rapid recovery.
Source: https://pulmohealth.com/bolezni/kashel/suhoj-kashel/
Dry cough: causes, methods of diagnosis and treatment
Cough is a reflexive protective reaction of the body to an irritant. With the help of coughing, foreign substances (mucus, liquid, dust, foreign body) are removed from the respiratory tract and bronchial mucosa. Experts distinguish between two types: dry cough (non-productive) and wet. A cough without mucus discharge is considered dangerous and requires special attention.
What causes a nonproductive cough?
Nonproductive cough is one of the main indicators of diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract of a person of inflammatory or allergic etiology. Treatment for dry cough depends entirely on the cause of its occurrence. Conditions causing painful paroxysmal cough:
- Inflammatory diseases of the larynx. A characteristic manifestation is that attacks appear at night, closer to the morning, hoarseness of voice and a cough of a “barking” nature. In childhood, a possible complication is false croup, which provokes acute respiratory failure and causes suffocation. Requires urgent qualified assistance.
- Inflammatory diseases of the trachea, lungs and bronchi. In a person who is sick, a dry cough lasts up to three days, then becomes productive and wet with sputum.
- Bronchial asthma. A chronic disease of the respiratory system, which is accompanied by attacks of suffocation and dry paroxysmal painful cough, wheezing and whistling in the chest cavity. Medical assistance not provided on time contributes to the development of asphyxia.
- Dry pleurisy. The main indicator of inflammation of the pleura is a prolonged, severe dry cough, with characteristic pain in the chest area.
- Oncological diseases of the respiratory system.
- The causes of cough are foreign bodies in the respiratory tract. An attack of hacking cough is caused by inhalation of chemical fumes, water and food entering the throat and respiratory tract. The victim's condition requires qualified and urgent assistance. It poses a risk of suffocation and is often complicated by bacterial infection.
- Whooping cough. The main clinical manifestation of the disease is a paroxysmal, severe dry cough, which often ends with vomiting and a very sore throat. Medications for this pathology have no effect.
- Tuberculosis. A lingering cough (over a long period of time) signals a terrible disease.
- Worm infestation. The causes of paroxysmal cough are the result of prolonged irritation of cough receptors when helminths enter the bronchi. The use of cough medicine in this case does not help.
Identifying causes of dry cough
It is possible to prescribe correct and effective treatment to a patient and determine the reasons that cause coughing attacks only after a series of diagnostic procedures.
- Plain radiography of the chest organs. The study is carried out to identify affected lung tissue from dry cough and tumor formation. If the information content is insufficient, a CT scan is additionally performed.
- Bronchoscopy. An examination of the respiratory tract through the throat using a bronchoscope is carried out if a tumor pathology of the bronchial tree is suspected.
- For a dry cough, a blood test is performed to determine the presence of allergens. The body's response to triggers and the presence of lgE in the blood is determined, which is the main mediator of bronchial asthma and bronchospasm.
- Examination of sputum for the presence of atypical cells and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
- Spirometry and spirography - measurement of speed and volume parameters of breathing in adults and children, help identify diseases in the early stages.
- Blood and stool tests to detect helminths.
Ways to get rid of dry cough
Drug therapy is carried out:
- Antibacterial agents are used in case of advanced inflammatory process, bacterial infection, or high fever. Etiological treatment of dry cough is carried out in complex therapy with other drugs. Effective antibiotics for diseases: augmentin, cefotaxime, azithromycin, immunal, clarithromycin. An antibiotic sensitivity test will show which medications are best to take.
- Antitussive drugs. The appointment is carried out in cases where the cough causes bronchospasm, fainting and is difficult to eliminate. Safe antitussive drugs are prescribed for dry cough, which also have additional therapeutic anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties: codterpine, libexin, stoptusin, oxeladin. Experts believe that the best remedy is synecode. It is used for dry cough by patients of all ages. It is recommended to take medications only on the recommendation of a doctor.
- Antiviral medications should be taken from the first days of the disease.
- Mucolytic drugs. The use of dry cough medications from this group is carried out as prescribed by a doctor. Used: fluditec, ambroxol, carbocisteine. Cough lozenge helps soothe an irritated throat.
- Antihistamines. It is necessary to take medications for dry cough of allergic origin. For the treatment of adults, the following are used: loratadine, pulmolor, diazolin, claritin.
The best treatment for adults is homeopathic medicines. These medicines are created on a plant basis: atma, bronchipret. For non-productive dry coughs of any origin, experts recommend drinking plenty of fluids, especially mineral water. If your throat is “itchy,” the best remedy is special lozenges based on Icelandic moss.
The role of physiotherapy in treatment
Physiotherapeutic procedures have a good therapeutic effect for dry cough: electrophoresis, UHF, inhalations, breathing exercises and massage, paraffin therapy.
Medicines and the effects of this treatment method help improve blood circulation in tissues, reduce pain and significantly reduce inflammation.
An experienced specialist decides what means and how to cure a dry cough.
The power of traditional medicine against non-productive cough
The miraculous power of various methods of traditional medicine has been known for centuries. Their effective action is in no way inferior to pharmaceutical drugs. Folk remedies for dry cough are used in the form of herbal infusions, decoctions, essential oils, and juices.
Dry cough can be treated with a decoction of medicinal herbs: calendula, plantain, thyme, coltsfoot, licorice and lungwort. Herbs are taken in equal quantities and mixed. Two tablespoons of this collection are poured with half a liter of boiling water and left for about two hours. Strain the broth and take half a glass three times a day 30 minutes before meals.
During whooping cough, children and adults are recommended to take a decoction of figs (four or five pieces) and boiled milk (one glass) twice a day, before meals, in a third of a glass. A mixture of coltsfoot leaves, plantain and licorice roots, rubbed into the patient’s chest, helps stop the attack.
When your throat is sore and sore, it is recommended to take fresh milk with the addition of honey (one spoon) and a little soda several times a day. Juice of homemade black radish with honey or a small amount of sugar helps cure a severe cough.
A popular treatment for dry cough in adults is viburnum decoction. It’s simple to prepare: half a liter of water is mixed with a spoonful of viburnum and boiled for ten minutes. Add honey to taste and take equal amounts at least three times a day. The best traditional medicine for dry cough is steam inhalation using soda or essential oil, mustard plasters, iodine nets.
If a dry cough persists for a long time, it is necessary to prevent the development of complications (emphysema, pneumothorax) and seek help from a specialist. Self-medication is strictly contraindicated; the doctor decides how and how to treat a dry cough after a full examination.
Source: http://grippmed.ru/information/suhoj_kashel.html
Dry cough in an adult: causes, treatment at home
Together with an expert, we analyzed the treatment of dry cough in adults, described the symptoms and possible causes of cough, and identified tips and recommendations for the prevention and treatment of dry cough.
Types of dry cough
Causes of dry cough in adults
Read more about the symptoms accompanying a dry cough
Diagnosing the causes of dry cough in medical institutions
Treatment of dry cough in adults
How to relieve the condition yourself before visiting a doctor
Prevention of dry cough
Types of dry cough
In fact, there are no types of dry cough. Doctors look more at what kind of cough it is: paroxysmal, or one-time, when a person coughs, once or during the day, or maybe under certain conditions or reasons it occurs at night, in the morning. That is, detail is more important for doctors.
Causes of dry cough in adults
- Bacteria and viruses. This is the first reason for the appearance of a dry cough. As a rule, a cough appears after an illness or against its background. The same as ARVI or influenza virus, laryngitis (you can read more about it in our article ), tracheitis, pharyngitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
- Tuberculosis. Also causes dry cough. This is if we talk about the upper respiratory tract.
- Gastrointestinal diseases. For example, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) very often causes coughing. Treatment for this disease is long and difficult. Especially if the specialist is not very competent and forgets about this disease. With this disease, the contents of the stomach are taken into the esophagus. Due to this, irritation appears, since the mucous membrane of the esophagus is not adapted to the contents that are in the stomach - hydrochloric acid is destructive to the esophagus. Therefore, a strong dry obsessive cough, a feeling of tickling and redness occurs.
- Heart diseases. Further reasons include the heart. But if we talk about heart disease, then there is more shortness of breath, but there is still a cough. And with heart failure it increases.
- Thyroid diseases. Don't forget about thyroid diseases. When it becomes inflamed, swollen, the throat begins to compress, hence a cough occurs, as well as difficulties with swallowing.
- Allergic cough . This is an allergy of any origin, of any type. Up to a single inhalation of any irritant, this will give a dry cough.
- Nervous state as a cause of cough. Nervous disease, stress - all this can lead to coughing.
- Smoking is obvious. This is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and it is worse than bronchial asthma because it is more difficult to treat.
- Injuries. If we talk about injuries, such as a blow to the chest, then a person is more likely to suffocate. There may be a dry cough, but to a lesser extent. Difficulty breathing, pain shock - yes.
Read more about the symptoms accompanying a dry cough
Symptoms can be absolutely anything, from fever and headache to nausea and vomiting. Anything can go along with a cough. And of course, these additional symptoms can help us diagnose the cause of the cough.
After all, for a doctor, 90% of the success of a correct diagnosis is a correctly collected anamnesis. That is, we ask when the cough occurs, how long the patient has been sick, what happened, how they were treated, and necessarily associated pathologies.
And all this will guide us where to go, what disease we suspect.
If we are talking about adults, then usually the patient comes to us having tried to treat himself with something, and he is already feeling very bad . There is no effect from the treatment, or the condition has worsened, and here we are already wary of this. A person has a high fever from coughing for a long time and loses weight.
You can also note tachycardia and difficulty swallowing. With these symptoms, we already suspect more serious things, which means that the patient should immediately consult a doctor with such symptoms.
If we talk about the most common causes of dry cough (ARI and FLU) - nasal congestion, redness of the eyes, lacrimation. But it is worth noting that a purely dry cough during illness is actually quite rare. Most often it occurs after the illness, as a residual phenomenon.
The same bronchitis is long-term, when he coughs very often, a focus of the cough reflex is formed, and we even have to prescribe drugs to suppress this reflex in the brain. This really happens.
It’s just that the body is used to coughing, the brain remembers this and even after illness continues to send impulses so that the person coughs out of habit.
Diagnosing the causes of dry cough in medical institutions
It all starts, of course, with the therapist. This is an examination of the throat, palpation of the lymph nodes, and listening to the lungs. If the therapist doesn’t like something, the ENT continues the examination. But this is if we are talking about a physical examination without instrumental intervention.
And then there’s a standard general blood test, a biochemical blood test, and an x-ray of the lungs. And only on the basis of this we look at where to send the patient next.
Sometimes an initial examination is enough to narrow down the causes of a dry cough and prescribe treatment.
Treatment of dry cough in adults
Treatment of dry cough depends only on the causes of this symptom. If we are talking about the most common phenomenon - viruses, then this is antiviral treatment.
After all, they settle on the mucous membranes, in order to wash off viruses from them, there is hypersecretion of mucus everywhere: the nose, oral cavity, upper respiratory tract.
These are mainly antihistamines; we prescribe medications into the nose if there is any rhinitis, drink plenty of fluids, bed rest, and humidify the air. If it is laryngitis of the obstruction type, then we prescribe inhalations.
Antitussives
There are medications that suppress the symptom of cough itself. At the same time, they act on the center located in the brain. Tablets for dry cough are indicated only for non-productive symptoms, without sputum production, and can sometimes contain narcotic substances.
Among the non-narcotic substances, Sinekod can be distinguished. But Codeine, Morphine and other narcotic drugs cause adaptation and are not recommended when treating children.
With a dry cough, the first step is to transform the non-productive symptom into a productive cough, and then get rid of it with the help of mucolytics and expectorants.
Broncholitin and Gerbion syrups, Sinekod tow, Codelac Broncho or Stoptussin tablets can help with dry cough As a rule, they are created on the basis of plant substances and have a pronounced antitussive effect and bronchodilator effect.
Doctors can prescribe mucolytic drugs for inflammation of the lungs, bronchi, ears and nasal congestion. It is important that the dry cough is replaced by a wet one. In this case, mucolytics are used. They make sputum less sticky. Generally, mucolytics serve three purposes:
- to reduce the consistency of sputum;
- for its departure;
- reduction of secretions.
Recommended drugs include Mucaltin, Acetylcysteine and Bromhexine.
Bronchodilators
Bronchodilators are medications that eliminate spasm of the bronchi by relaxing their muscles. Another name for them is bronchodilators.
They are used for bronchial asthma, bronchitis with an asthmatic component and other bronchopulmonary diseases.
Thus, the adrenergic stimulants Salbutamol, Alupent and Ephedrine eliminate bronchospasm.
And m-anticholinergics Arutropid and Atrovent are used as maintenance therapy and improve lung function.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
In complex therapy, cough tablets are prescribed, which are inexpensive but very effective.
Doctors use drugs with anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, bronchodilator, anti-exudative and bronchodilator effects, which mainly include non-steroidal drugs.
Erespal or Fenspiride is the main component of the diazospirodecanone composition, which inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria. In addition, in the treatment of dry cough, antiviral drugs such as Nimesil and Ibuprofen may be prescribed.
How to relieve the condition yourself before visiting a doctor
Patients often come to the pharmacy before visiting the doctor and ask for something for their cough. And the first thing they are given is mucolytics, that is, those drugs that thin out sputum. And they aggravate the condition even more, because the indications for mucolytics are four main diseases. And they are not registered anywhere else.
After all, coughing is essentially a normal protective reaction of the body. And the use of mucolytics is a mistake. Normally, there is always sputum production, only when you are sick, it becomes more, and if you use mucolytics it will only increase - this is undesirable.
And, of course, self-medication only blurs the picture for us doctors to determine the diagnosis.
If this is a disease of the respiratory tract and the cough is suffocating and unbearable, then we prescribe inhalations with inhaled hormones. But if these are gastrointestinal diseases, then this is a completely different picture. If it is the heart, then again these are other drugs.
There is no universal remedy for dry cough. The doctor must determine which medicine to take. Our main problem today, if we talk about dry cough, is allergies. Essentially all adults are allergic to something, but identifying the source is quite difficult.
and if you consider that we live in a region where everything blooms and everything grows. In this case, cough is the most common reaction to allergies.
Prevention of dry cough
First of all, smoking is not recommended. Now many have replaced cigarettes with electronic heaters and hookahs, but this is even worse. Especially the last one.
Hookah lovers, especially those who smoke in public places, should be extremely careful.
Doctors took samples from public hookahs and found that no matter how thoroughly they were washed, a range of bacteria remained on them, including E. coli and tuberculosis.
However, many bacteria are resistant to antibiotics.
We already have a big problem with antibiotic resistance today; we will soon end up dying from purulent tonsillitis because we won’t be given antibiotics.
We have already lost some antibiotics; we are not susceptible to them. This is primarily due to the fact that patients treat themselves and buy antibiotics at the pharmacy.
But this is not such a safe drug, it needs to be taken seriously. The recommendations are as follows: quitting smoking, treatment of major diseases, prevention, healthy lifestyle, walks outside, vitamins, healthy food, keeping the apartment clean, regular ventilation, humidity in the room about 60%, healthy nervous system, more positive emotions.
Unfortunately, medical advice from the Internet is not always agreed upon with a specialist. Therefore, no one canceled the doctor’s consultation. Why you shouldn’t always trust medical forums and how to get health information from a specialist without queuing in online clinics, read our material .
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Source: https://atvmedia.ru/materials/suhoy-kashel-u-vzroslogo-prichiny-lechenie
Persistent and persistent dry cough - possible causes
A dry cough is a persistent form of cough that is not accompanied by sputum production. Let's look at the pathological and non-pathological causes of dry cough. We will also study pharmacological and natural remedies to solve the problem of dry cough.
What is dry cough
A dry cough is a sign of a disease or condition that leads to inflammation or irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, which, however, is not accompanied by coughing up mucus.
Dry cough is a relatively common occurrence and, in most cases, is not associated with disease. Often a consequence of banal irritation caused by inhalation of dust, smoke or other substances, or even accidental ingestion of foreign bodies - solid or liquid - into the respiratory tract when swallowing food.
Of the pathological causes of dry cough, the most common is the acute phase of a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, for example, ARVI or seasonal influenza.
However, a dry cough should not be underestimated, especially if it persists for a relatively long period of time. It may indicate a serious pathology that threatens the patient’s life, for example, tuberculosis.
When and how does a dry cough appear?
Depending on how it happens, how long it lasts and what its causes are, several types of dry cough , but in practice it is very difficult to separate them, since these types overlap each other.
But let's try, however, to distinguish these types:
- Nocturnal: As its name suggests, it is a cough that occurs at night! When does our body need to rest? Cough prevents sleep and further aggravates the patient’s condition. This cough often accompanies a state of nervousness.
- Persistent: This is a type of cough that is usually not related to the time of day or even position, but is very persistent and can persist for days, weeks or even months, without any apparent cause. In this case, it is useful to delve deeper into the search for the reasons to identify the true cause. A cough is called persistent if it lasts at least 2 weeks, and is called chronic if it lasts more than 4 weeks.
- Allergic: This is a type of cough that occurs in certain cases or places where an allergy factor is present.
Symptoms accompanying dry cough
Considering the large number of diseases, the symptoms of which include a dry cough, there are such a large number of disorders accompanying cough.
We present the ones that occur most frequently :
- Wheezing.
- Fatigue and general malaise.
- Muscle pain.
- Headache.
- Nasal congestion and runny nose.
- A sore throat.
- Hoarseness.
- Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck.
- Gastroenterological disorders (nausea, vomiting, sometimes diarrhea).
- Fever in the evening.
The symptoms described are the most common and coincide with typical symptoms of influenza-like illnesses . As a rule, in such cases, a dry cough is observed only in the acute stage of the disease, and over time it becomes “productive”, with the release of copious sputum.
Less frequently, other associated symptoms may appear:
- Bad breath.
- Chest compression and pain.
- Difficulty breathing and feeling of lack of air.
- Fatigue and tiredness, even at rest or after minimal effort.
- Diarrhea.
- Skin rash.
- Weight loss for no obvious reason.
- Anorexia.
With even less frequency, serious symptoms , which require immediate medical attention:
- Fever with a high temperature that consistently exceeds 38°C.
- Severe difficulty breathing and shortness of breath.
- Dry, metallic and painful cough, which is accompanied by pain during breathing.
- Difficulty swallowing, accompanied by severe pain.
- Speech problems.
- Continuous urge to urinate.
- Swelling of the legs and lower extremities.
- Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia) and a feeling of heart in the throat.
Causes of cough depending on symptoms
Possible causes of dry cough are all those diseases that have it as one of the symptoms. As already mentioned, there are a lot of such diseases; below we will list those that are the most common and indicate their main symptoms.
| Colds: Infections in the nasopharynx (nose and upper respiratory tract) are usually caused by viruses of the rhinovirus genus. |
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| Influenza: an upper respiratory tract infection caused by a virus from the Orthomyxoviridae family |
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| Whooping cough: a respiratory tract infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis |
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| Croup: acute viral infection, sometimes bacterial, of the respiratory tract (larynx, trachea, bronchi), typical for children |
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| Tuberculosis: a lung infection caused by the bacterium Micobacterium tubercolosis |
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| Legionellosis: an infection of the lungs and lower respiratory tract caused by the bacterium Legionella pneunophila |
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| Pleural empyema: inflammation of the pleural space with accumulation of pus. As a rule, it is a complication of pneumonia caused by bacteria Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherechia coli, Staphylococcus aureus |
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| Asthma: inflammation and obstruction (almost always reversible) of the airways |
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| COPD: clogging of the bronchial tree due to chronic inflammation of the bronchi and lungs |
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| Pleurisy: Inflammation of the pleura due to various causes |
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| Cancer of the larynx or lungs: the development of malignant neoplasms of various categories from cells of the tissues of the lungs or larynx |
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| Pneumothorax: accumulation of air in the pleural space and resulting collapse of the lungs |
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| Congestive heart failure: inability of the heart to allow blood to pass through the vessels |
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| Aortic aneurysm: massive dilatation of the thoracic aorta |
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Moreover, a dry cough may not be associated with pathological conditions. For example, you will have a dry cough if:
- Smoke cigarettes. Smoking irritates the airways and causes a cough reflex. Sometimes even passive smoking can cause a dry cough.
- Accidentally inhale an irritant. They also stimulate cough receptors.
- Are you taking medications? Some medications, such as ACE inhibitors, used to treat hypertension, may cause a dry cough as a side effect.
- You have problems with anxiety and nervousness. Very often, the cause of cough should be sought in the emotional sphere, since it can develop in the form of a psychosomatic disorder; a state of anxiety or nervousness can even cause violent coughing attacks.
Diagnosis – anamnesis and examination
To correctly diagnose the cause of a dry cough, the doctor will use the following means:
- Anamnestic analysis (direct conversation with the patient).
- Analysis of the symptoms and signs that accompany a dry cough.
- Examination and thorough medical examination.
- Throat swab. Obtaining cells from the pharynx, which are then examined for the presence of any infections and their causative agents.
- X-ray or CT scan of the chest.
- Bronchoscopy. Insertion of an endoscope into the respiratory tract, which allows them to be examined and material to be obtained for research.
- Spirometry. Allows you to assess the functionality of the respiratory system and diagnose problems such as asthma.
Remedies for dry cough
The best treatment for dry cough is to cure the underlying disease . As soon as the cause is cured, the cough should immediately disappear.
However, if a dry cough is very irritating and significantly reduces sleep, then symptomatic treatment may be required to suppress coughing attacks.
Cough medicines
Medicines used to treat cough symptomatically act on the cough control center in the brain and spinal cord or on the cough receptors located in the respiratory tree.
One of the active ingredients most commonly used for this purpose is codeine in the form of syrup or drops.
Cough spray
This form of therapy is especially effective for certain types of dry cough (asthma, bronchitis, etc.).
Aerosols have proven to be very effective in treating airway inflammation and therefore many types of dry coughs because they can be sprayed in very small droplets (one millionth or even a billionth of a meter in diameter).
Then, when inhaled, the aerosol drug reaches every point in the respiratory tract and, thus, it is possible to eradicate inflammation by taking a minimum dose of the drug .
Medicines that are most often administered in aerosol form are antihistamines (to treat dry cough due to asthma or allergies), cortisone (to treat bronchitis and general inflammation), and salbutamol (to treat bronchospasm).
Natural Remedies
In folk medicine, there are many herbs that can effectively soothe dry cough. These remedies are usually used in the form of herbal teas or syrups.
Among the most commonly used:
Linden. Infusions are prepared from its dried flowers. They contain thialicin, which has mild sedative properties, antispasmodic (counteracts spasm of the respiratory muscles) and emollient effect.
Mallow. Infusions are prepared from its leaves. Such infusions contain many active ingredients that act like penicillins on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
Thyme. Used in infusion form. Contains thymol, which has antibacterial properties. It also has expectorant properties, which means it helps remove mucus.
Source: https://sekretizdorovya.ru/publ/postojannyj_stojkij_sukhoj_kashel/7-1-0-757
Dry cough
The occurrence of a cough can be caused by many diseases; it can be both dry and wet. Helping a patient achieve a speedy recovery is possible only by correctly determining the type of cough and the cause of its occurrence. After all, treatment can be aimed at softening or suppressing cough or improving expectoration of sputum.
The coughing process itself is a forced expulsion of air from the lung cavity. In this case, air is expelled with accelerated force, due to which foreign particles located in the respiratory canals are removed.
Cough is useful from a physiological point of view. A wet cough helps remove germs and foreign matter from the respiratory tract along with phlegm.
But with a dry cough, the situation is different - it is physiologically unproductive, exhausting, brings psychological and physical discomfort, and disrupts normal sleep.
If a dry cough does not go away, it should definitely be suppressed with symptomatic treatment.
To treat dry cough, drug therapy can be used alone or in combination with non-drug therapy. When suppressing a dry cough, physiotherapy, massage and inhalation are used quite often and are effective. Naturally, before choosing a treatment method, it is worth understanding the nature of the cough and the cause of its occurrence.
Causes of dry cough
Of course, among the causes of a common cough one can also name the body’s defensive reaction to a foreign body in the respiratory tract, i.e. for a piece of food, a crumb of bread, dust, gases, etc.
But if we talk about the cause of a dry cough, then most likely it lies in the presence of a certain disease.
If a dry cough does not go away, then it makes sense not only to carry out symptomatic treatment, but also to identify the disease that causes it.
Some of the causes of dry cough may be the following diseases:
- Laryngotracheitis causes a tiresome, hard to tolerate dry cough with little sputum production. At the same time, the temperature remains high.
- In chronic bronchitis, a strong dry cough does not go away and is especially worse in the morning. The inflammatory process lasts a long time. Secondary tuberculosis may occur.
- With cystic fibrosis, a dry, suffocating cough is replaced by a wet cough with an abundance of expectorant secretion. Expectorated sputum has a strong, unpleasant odor.
- Bronchial asthma leads to attacks of intense coughing with shortness of breath. At such moments, the patient experiences pain in the chest area. The outflow of sputum is insignificant and occurs only occasionally.
- Presence of a foreign body in the trachea. With such a dry cough, drug treatment is ineffective. It is necessary to push out the foreign body yourself or with the help of a doctor.
- With tumors, the cough becomes tearing, especially dry and painful. It is often a symptom of lung cancer. Under no circumstances should such a cough be ignored; urgent examination and treatment is necessary.
Drug treatment
To treat dry cough, medications of central and peripheral action are used.
Centrally acting antitussive drugs can suppress the cough reflex by acting on the medulla oblongata.
Among these drugs are Codeine, Glaucine, Ethylmorphine, Oxeladin, Prenoxdiazine, Dextromethorphan and combination drugs based on them. Prescribing and taking medications based on codeine and ethylmorphine should be carried out with extreme caution.
They are mainly aimed at suppressing the respiratory center in the medulla oblongata. These drugs are contraindicated for children under two years of age.
Antitussive peripheral drugs, due to their effect on cough receptors in the mucous membrane of the respiratory canals, suppress the cough reflex. This group of drugs includes drugs based on the substance acetylaminonitropropoxybenzene.
Let's name the most well-known means of drug therapy for dry cough:
- Acetylaminonitropropoxybenzene (Falimint);
- Bronchitusen Vramed (Bronchocin, Broncholitin, Bronchoton);
- Bronchicum syrup;
- Butamirat (Panatus, Omnitus, Panatus forte);
- Codelac;
- Codelac broncho;
- Codeine (codeine phosphate hemihydrate, codeine base, codeine phosphate hemihydrate);
- Codelac phyto;
- Neo-Kodion;
- Cough tablets;
- Fervex for dry cough;
- Terpincode.
Non-drug treatment
If, according to the attending physician, the cause of a dry cough is ARVI, then warm milk with the addition of soda will alleviate the patient’s general condition and calm the cough reflex.
Various herbal decoctions also help to transform a cough from dry to reproductive.
You can drink decoctions of coltsfoot, elecampane, wild rosemary, plantain juice, black radish with honey, anise and thyme fruit extract several times a day.
If you decide to be treated with traditional methods, then you should remember that they are very inferior in duration of action to medications. Therefore, frequent intakes of “natural medicines” in small dosages are necessary. Beware of exceeding a single dose of the decoction, as this may lead to nausea and vomiting.
Inhalations are often prescribed for dry coughs. They are especially effective for diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
The simplest inhalations for dry cough are steam inhalations of a solution of alkaline mineral water and baking soda. This method shows good results in the treatment of obsessive cough in children.
When treating children, remember that inhalations with boiling water are strictly contraindicated for them!
Inhalations for dry coughs are also prescribed in medical institutions; they are carried out using nebulizers - special inhalers that generate an aerosol cloud of drug microparticles. This device allows for inhalation of children in the first years of life and newborns.
Prevention
In most cases, the intensity and painfulness of a dry cough can be reduced or even prevented thanks to simple rules of behavior. For example, frequent ventilation in winter will reduce the number of acute respiratory viral infections.
Even in cool weather, it is advisable to leave the window slightly open in the room where the child and other family members sleep. When the air is dry, moisture evaporates from the mucus in the respiratory tract, the mucus becomes thick and viscous, and this makes the process of expectoration very difficult.
You can also humidify indoor air using mechanical or automated air humidifiers. As a last resort, you can simply place a wet sheet on the radiator.
Source: https://dolgojit.net/sukhoi-kashel.php
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