Why the cough appeared: main factors and common symptoms

An unreasonable cough is a reason to be wary and consult a doctor. This problem can appear even in a healthy person, indicating hidden infections and disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. It is important not to start the disease and begin treatment as soon as possible.

Causes

Coughing for no reason can be caused by more than just a cold. Often the appearance of a cough helps determine the cause of the problem itself.

If a person smokes, he may have a cough. This indicates lung damage and even cancer.

Therefore, people who abuse smoking are required to undergo a lung examination at least once a year in order to detect the disease in time.

Not only people who smoke get lung cancer - about 10% of passive smokers who inhale tobacco smoke are at risk, and for this reason a dry cough that occurs regularly (especially in the morning) cannot be ignored.

Residents of large cities may often cough for no apparent reason. Poor ecology leads to chronic lung diseases, bronchitis and emphysema. With inflammation, the load on the chest and lungs increases, resulting in a person having to make more effort to breathe. Due to overstrain of the respiratory system and irritation of the mucous membrane, a constant cough begins.

Some hypertension medications can irritate the lining of the throat and cause a cough.

According to statistics, about 5% of patients who were prescribed ACE inhibitors to normalize blood pressure report a constant cough and sore throat.

A phenomenon called acid cough is diagnosed when a patient regularly experiences heartburn. At the junction of the stomach and esophagus there is a muscle ring, and normally it should open when a person eats. If it weakens, the contents of the stomach partially return to the esophagus, causing heartburn with cough.

Acid cough can be triggered by loud laughter or singing, because when the diaphragm tenses, acid also enters the esophagus.

A severe and frequent dry cough indicates that the mucous membrane is inflamed. The cause may be colds or viruses. As the inflammation moves from the larynx to the bronchi and trachea, it becomes moist. Sputum forms in the bronchi, which irritates the respiratory tract and, especially when changing body position, leads to coughing. Therefore, at night a person may experience a sharp cough, although the disease has already passed and does not cause inconvenience during the day.

A cough is a possible sign of a cold and inflammation. The wet type indicates that the disease has descended into the bronchi or lungs. Pneumonia is possible, which can be ruled out by consulting a doctor.

An asthmatic cough may occur from time to time when a person with asthma is in a stuffy room or in high humidity conditions. Coughing is difficult - it seems that the patient is suffocating.

There is a nervous cough in which a person cannot control himself and says that he is experiencing severe dryness in the throat. With nervous tension, the cough may intensify, but in a calm state it goes away completely.

Associated symptoms

It is difficult to determine the disease from just one cough; at least one more symptom is needed. You can recognize an incomprehensible illness by the following signs:

Dyspnea

• A constant temperature that is not brought down by medications occurs with oncology or inflammation.
• Shortness of breath and the presence of blood in the sputum, as well as chest pain, are signs of a smoker's cough.
• Sudden weight loss, difficulty breathing, but no runny nose - tuberculosis is possible.
• Moderate sputum production, a slight whistling cough, which intensifies in autumn and winter, indicate a city dweller’s cough and poor living or working conditions.
• A teenager's clear and slightly hoarse cough indicates a break in his voice.
• In children, a cold in an advanced state can develop into stenosis. This is a dangerous disease, the main symptom of which is sudden snoring at night. Treatment must begin immediately, because with stenosis in the supine position, the supply of oxygen to the lungs is blocked and the child may suffocate.
• With high blood pressure, a cough can cause a tickling sensation, spasm, and even provoke vomiting.
• Heartburn occurs with an acid cough.
• The feeling of lack of air is characteristic of asthma.

Diagnostics

Given the wide range of diseases that can be a symptom of persistent coughing, it is important to conduct a full examination to understand the true cause of the problem. To do this, they first use subjective and objective examinations, studying the patient’s lifestyle and habits, as well as comparing other symptoms.

Be sure to look at the intensity, frequency of coughing and even the sound that is heard. A barking cough often indicates a viral infection. If there are no other alarming signs (for example, no blood is produced with sputum), then the patient is diagnosed with a cold.

If there is a suspicion of a more serious illness, an x-ray and blood test, as well as sputum examination, are prescribed.

The cough can become chronic. In such cases, the patient is first referred to an ENT doctor, and a visual examination of the chest is also performed. If necessary, a sputum examination is prescribed (especially if the cough is wet and does not go away for a long time).

Sometimes your doctor may recommend a trial course of treatment to see how your body reacts. Making a diagnosis is often difficult or time consuming.

But it is better to start dealing with the problem quickly, and therefore, before receiving the test results, the patient may be recommended to take medications or certain procedures.

Bronchoscopy

During the diagnostic process, the patient’s bad habits must be taken into account. First of all, studies are carried out to exclude diagnoses caused by a person’s lifestyle.

Doctors always take into account the state of sputum. A productive cough produces mucus (especially during the daytime). It cannot be stopped, because the release of sputum indicates the healing process. It accumulates during sleep and a cough may occur in the morning. If sputum is not produced, the cough is called unproductive, and additional studies are carried out.

Therapy

For colds and severe coughing, medications that have an expectorant effect are prescribed. The doctor may recommend taking vitamins, inhalations, mustard plasters and other measures that can stop attacks. Folk remedies are allowed only as an addition to the main therapy and with the consent of a specialist.

Drug treatment

If you have a hypertensive cough, you can ask your doctor to change medications, because stopping ACE inhibitors often helps eliminate chesty cough. After a week, you can check how you feel, and if symptoms persist, the problem may not be with the medications.

Acid cough needs to be treated with medications and proper nutrition. The patient needs to eat less fatty and salty foods and avoid alcohol and coffee for a while. It is also not recommended to have dinner too late. Food must have time to be digested in the evening, otherwise a night's sleep will be in jeopardy.

In cases related to cancer, tuberculosis and other dangerous diseases, surgery is prescribed.

It is very important to treat coughs during pregnancy immediately. The attacks provoke the tone of the woman’s uterus, and this threatens premature birth and loss of the child.

Preventive measures

Never getting sick is difficult, but in order for a person to avoid a cold cough, it is enough for him:

• eliminate cigarettes from your life;
• if possible, move to another area or city, change jobs if environmental conditions are assessed as difficult;
• do not drink cold drinks;
• avoid hypothermia;
• constantly inhale or take medications prescribed by a doctor if the disease is chronic;
• reduce stress levels.

Hypothermia must be avoided

Coughing for no reason is a symptom that should not be ignored. It can help diagnose a serious illness in a timely manner. Often it is late treatment that does not allow a person to cope with the disease. Paying attention to yourself will help protect you from dangerous diseases and live longer.

Source: https://pulmohealth.com/bolezni/kashel/besprichinnyj-kashel/

Persistent cough in an adult - causes and treatment

Coughing is a protective reflex that helps clear the airways of various foreign bodies. An acute cough accompanies most bronchopulmonary diseases and helps clear the bronchi and lungs of mucus and sputum.

Often, long-term inflammatory processes lead to restructuring of the mucous membrane and coughing from a protective reflex turns into a painful and chronic symptom that significantly affects a person’s quality of life. Let's consider what processes can cause a constant cough in an adult and what can be done about it in each situation.

It is a mistake to believe that the causes of chronic cough development are only diseases of the lungs and bronchi. It often occurs against the background of diseases of the cardiovascular system or due to pathology of the gastrointestinal tract.

Let's look at the most common causes of this problem:

• Chronic inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract (pharyngitis, laryngitis, tracheitis or bronchitis).
• Allergy (permanent form).
• Drip syndrome.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Bronchiectasis.
• Diseases of the digestive system (reflux, chronic gastritis with high acidity, etc.).
• Severe diseases of the cardiovascular system.
• Side effects of certain medications.
• Oncological diseases of this area.
• Systemic and specific diseases (lupus, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, etc.)

There is a so-called psychogenic or psychosomatic cough. This means that there is no organic disorder that causes the symptom, but disturbances in the patient’s psyche lead to the cough that he complains to the doctor about.

Let's look separately at the most common causes of cough and figure out how to diagnose and treat them.

Cough in inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract

Chronic inflammatory diseases of all parts of the respiratory tract are almost always accompanied by constant coughing:

• The cough with chronic pharyngitis is usually dry. Occurs in the upper parts of the pharynx. In addition, the patient feels a sore throat, tickling and scratching. Not accompanied by an increase in body temperature. Worries more often at night and in dry weather.
• Chronic laryngitis causes a constant dry hacking cough. Symptoms of voice changes occur, and viscous, difficult-to-discharge sputum may be discharged.
• Tracheitis and bronchitis in chronic form are accompanied by a dry, constant or periodic cough. The patient often complains of chest pain.

When using folk remedies, you need to be careful not to aggravate the existing problem. It is not recommended to experiment with traditional recipes when treating chronic cough in children and adults prone to allergies. To diagnose the cause of this symptom, the patient must be examined by an ENT specialist and a therapist. X-ray helps to clarify the data of a visual examination, as well as a smear for flora and sensitivity.

Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs are used for treatment. Among various groups of antibiotics, drugs with a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity are selected.

Alkaline inhalations, sprays and absorbable lozenges are prescribed locally. To eliminate the cough reflex caused by inflammation, you can use proven folk remedies: warm milk with honey and garlic, steam inhalation, radish juice, etc.

Cough caused by allergies

The techno-industrial development of the world leads to an increase in the number of patients with allergies and sensitization (hypersensitivity) to air allergens. The main manifestation of an allergic reaction is a persistent, dry, irritating cough.

Allergy symptoms appear almost immediately after contact with the causative allergen. In addition to coughing, patients may complain of itching, watery eyes, and nasal discharge.

Long-term allergization of the body is one of the risk factors for the development of bronchial asthma.

In treating this problem, the key aspect is to eliminate contact with the causative allergen. To do this, you must first recognize it. Skin tests and immunoblotting are used to diagnose allergies.

The immunoblotting method is a method for determining sensitivity to allergens using polymerase chain reaction. Allows you to test for several (10 or more) most common airborne and other allergens at once.

To eliminate allergy symptoms, the patient is prescribed antiallergic drugs of different generations, such as:

• Erius,
• Loratadine,
• Zodak,
• Suprastin et al.

In severe cases, local and systemic hormones (Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone) are used.

Postnasal drip syndrome

Recently, a theory has begun to be actively developed that the cause of cough, in the absence of inflammation in the lungs and bronchi, may be mucus that flows from the nasopharynx (Drip syndrome).

Normally, a small amount of mucus always flows down the back wall of the throat of a healthy person, which moisturizes and protects the mucous membrane.

If you have problems with the nose (rhinosinusitis, deviated septum, chronic rhinitis), the amount of this mucus increases. It enters the respiratory tract and causes a protective cough reflex.

In his complaints to the doctor, the patient focuses on the constant flow of mucus down the back wall of the throat, and upon examination, the doctor may reveal chronic sinusitis or a violation of the normal anatomical structure of the nose. An x-ray of the paranasal sinuses or a CT scan helps determine the diagnosis.

Antibacterial drugs are used for treatment if the disease is of a bacterial nature. Other patients are offered surgical treatment for chronic rhinitis or a deviated septum. The third one chooses antihistamines and local hormonal sprays if the cause of the disease is an allergy.

Washing and irrigating the nose with saline solutions has a good effect. They help remove excess mucus, improve the functioning of the nasal mucosa and remove dust particles and allergens from the surface of the mucous membrane. You can purchase such products at a pharmacy or prepare them yourself at home.

Bronchial asthma and cough

Bronchial asthma is a severe systemic disease that can occur in various forms. In addition to nightly attacks of suffocation, the patient is often bothered by a dry cough with difficult to separate sputum. Such coughing attacks, like choking, often bother the patient at night, and also intensify after physical strain.

A feature of the diagnosis of bronchial asthma is that it is a diagnosis of exclusion.

Those. First, the patient is tested for most of the most likely lung diseases and only then is a diagnosis of asthma made. Specific research methods, such as spirography, peak flowmetry, etc., help in diagnosis.

Therapy depends on the form and stage of the disease; it is selected by a specialist depending on the severity of the symptoms. For treatment, inhaled and systemic hormones, cromones, bronchodilators, mucolytics and other drugs are used.

Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

A pathology such as gastroesophageal reflux (or GERD) can cause the patient to suffer from a constant dry cough. The reason for this is irritation of the mucous membrane of the larynx and pharynx by the acidic contents of the stomach.

With GERD, due to insufficiency of the esophageal sphincter, hydrochloric acid backflows into the pharyngeal mucosa. This acid leads to the development of mucosal atrophy and causes persistent chronic pharyngitis or laryngitis.

In addition to coughing, the patient complains of heartburn, belching, and an unpleasant taste and odor in the mouth. This cough provokes overeating, disruption of the usual diet, and most often it occurs immediately after eating. For diagnosis, the patient is recommended to undergo fibrogastroduodenoscopy, as well as 24-hour pH-metry. These methods make it possible to diagnose GERD and establish its connection with cough.

Medications that help cope with the disease include:

1. Antacids (Almagel).
2. Proton pump inhibitors (Omeprazole).
3. Drugs that enhance intestinal motility (Cerucal).
4. Among alternative medicine, herbal preparations based on chamomile, marshmallow, calamus, plantain, etc. are widely used.

Cough as a side effect of medications

Many patients suffering from arterial hypertension and constantly taking medications to normalize blood pressure complain of a feeling of tickling and coughing. This is a common side effect of taking blood pressure medications.

According to statistics, 70% of patients taking ACE inhibitors (Enalapril, Ramipril) experience side effects in the form of a constant dry cough and sore throat. In some patients, this effect is observed on the first day of use, while in others it can be registered after months or even years of taking the medication. How to cure this type of chronic cough? Unfortunately, no way. Taking blood pressure medications is much more important for the body than this side effect.

What can be done to reduce its irritating effect:

• Try changing the drug. Some patients react to a specific medication, and changing tablets will help eliminate the cough.
• Stop smoking to reduce the irritating effect on the mucous membrane.
• Take a regular course of physiotherapy and distracting symptomatic procedures (inhalations, gargling, moisturizing the mucous membranes with vitamin A or E oil).

Oncological pathology

This symptom may be one of the first signs of cancer of the larynx, trachea or bronchi. What you need to pay attention to:

• A cough that lasts more than a month and is not associated with a cold or allergies. An alarming symptom is the appearance of fresh or old blood.
• Unexplained weight loss with normal diet.
• Enlargement of axillary, supraclavicular and other groups of lymph nodes.
• A change in voice or unexplained hoarseness may indicate manifestations of laryngeal cancer.
• Unmotivated fatigue, weakness and increased drowsiness.

Visual examination (for laryngeal cancer), bronchoscopy, and X-ray or CT scan of the chest organs help in diagnosing this pathology. The final diagnosis is made only on the basis of a pathological examination, for which a piece of altered tissue or lymph node is taken from the patient (biopsy).

Treatment is selected by the oncologist, taking into account the extent of the process, the type of tumor and the presence of concomitant pathology. Chemoradiation, surgical and palliative therapy are used.

What other diseases cause prolonged cough?

In addition to the above problems, chronic cough in adults is provoked by other reasons:

An infectious disease that affects many organs, but most often the lungs. The key symptom is a prolonged cough with viscous sputum; in the later stages, hemoptysis appears.

The disease is diagnosed using CT, X-ray, and microbiological examination of sputum. Therapy lasts six months or more.

A systemic disease in which specific granulomas appear in the lungs and lymph nodes become enlarged. In this case, an adult has a constant cough, fatigue and chest pain. The disease aggravates existing concomitant diseases and is capable of regressing on its own within a year.

• Systemic connective tissue diseases (lupus).

Thus, there are more than a dozen different reasons why patients develop chronic cough. Diagnosis and treatment are carried out by a specialist based on accompanying complaints and clinical picture data.

Prevention of this symptom is aimed at early diagnosis and elimination of acute forms of diseases, as well as reducing the irritating effect of pathogens on the airways (smoking cessation, protective equipment in hazardous production conditions, etc.).

The appointment is conducted by a pulmonologist. Chronic cough – Fadeev Clinic

Source: https://pneumoniae.net/postoyannyj-kashel-u-vzroslogo/

Cough: types, causes, symptoms, how to cure, how to treat

Cough is a natural reflex phenomenon that occurs when the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract is irritated by vapors of substances or foreign bodies. The symptom appears as a defensive reaction in which the respiratory tract is rid of sputum or dust in order to achieve normal breathing.

The symptom manifests itself not only in the form of a dry or wet cough. It also has other characteristics that affect the patient’s condition. A persistent cough can occur during pathological processes (pneumonia, acute respiratory viral infections, bronchitis, etc.) and mechanical damage to the tract from food, dust or foreign bodies.

Many people are interested in the question of how to treat a cough in a child or adult patient. But before looking for therapy, the doctor and the patient need to understand why the symptom arose. A sore throat and cough occur under the influence of various factors, which in medicine are divided into several categories:

• mechanical - foreign bodies in the respiratory tract, ear canal, enlarged lymph nodes, inflammation of the trachea and bronchi;
• allergic;
• chemical – exposure to chemical vapors;
• thermal - at low temperature.

Often, a cough does not go away and may appear again due to the fact that it irritates the cough areas - the posterior wall of the larynx, pleura, branching of the trachea and bronchi.

Cough in children and adults cannot be ignored, since the symptom may manifest itself in a more severe form, when the symptom already indicates chronic or serious health problems. Before starting treatment with folk remedies and medications, doctors need to understand what ailment the symptom indicates.

A cough that is wet, dry or of any other nature indicates the following pathologies:

• influenza - manifested by a dry cough that develops into a wet one;
• parainfluenza – barking cough, hoarseness of voice;
• tracheitis - rough, severe pain is felt when coughing;
• acute bronchitis - severe cough with sputum production;
• pneumonia - a painful attack of cough, first dry, and then wet with sputum;
• ARVI;
• sinusitis and rhinitis - attacks at night, when discharge from the nose irritates the back wall of the pharynx.

As for newborns, the reasons for the appearance of symptoms in them differ from adults. Often, a baby’s cough appears after feeding, when milk enters the respiratory tract. It also appears during strong salivation during teething. Coughing after eating and with excessive salivation is not a pathological process and therefore does not require treatment.

Cough mechanism

Based on the nature of cough, clinicians have identified two types of symptoms:

• dry cough - without sputum. It is divided into two forms - barking, accompanied by painful attacks or sore throat, decreased voice volume. And also paroxysmal - characteristic of tracheitis and bronchitis;
• wet cough - accompanied by expectoration, wheezing, heaviness and an unpleasant sensation in the chest. It is noted in bronchitis and pneumonia.

Depending on the duration of the course, a severe cough in a child and an adult can take the following forms:

• acute – lasts no more than three weeks for infectious diseases;
• chronic - exceeds the duration of the acute form by several weeks. This type of cough occurs with pathology of the bronchi and lungs, with the accumulation of mucus in the nasopharynx, with mental disorders and frequent use of medications.

By frequency we identified:

• regular - manifests itself in severe attacks during which a person cannot breathe normally. In a child and an adult, such a cough can lead to vomiting, respiratory arrest and fainting;
• temporary - a single coughing attack without side effects.

Many people believe that if a cough does not go away for a long time, then this already indicates a pathology, but this is not so. This symptom is a protective reflex in response to various stimuli.

In medicine, it is believed that the dry type of cough is the safest and can be quickly cured. The cough does not manifest itself in the release of mucus or sputum from the lungs. The patient feels only a slight sore throat, as well as other symptoms:

These unpleasant manifestations not only indicate a developed illness in the body, but also lead to insomnia, headaches and nervous breakdowns. Clinicians argue that a non-productive, that is, dry, attack is more exhausting for the body than the other type.

The treating doctor, before determining how to quickly cure a cough, must determine the cause of the symptom. Quite often, this symptom appears in heavy smokers, but there are other root causes for the appearance of the symptom:

• respiratory tract infections;
• tuberculosis;
• allergies;
• inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa;
• pneumonia;
• inflammation in the trachea;
• bronchial asthma;
• whooping cough;
• pleurisy;
• tumors.

Causes of dry cough

A child's cough without fever may manifest itself as a consequence of passive smoking. Doctors have long been saying that a person who stands next to a smoker is also exposed to smoke. Therefore, a child may develop a cough that does not go away for a long time and does not indicate the development of pathologies.

Before starting treatment for cough in an adult or child, the patient needs to undergo a series of examinations to establish the exact cause of the appearance of such a symptom. After conducting diagnostics and establishing an accurate diagnosis, the doctor can decide how to quickly cure a cough at home.

With timely initiation of therapy, the patient’s condition immediately improves and obvious symptoms subside. To eliminate cough, various treatment methods are prescribed:

• use of medications;
• physiotherapy;
• inhalation therapy.

As part of drug treatment, the following drugs are prescribed:

• antispasmodics;
• thinning phlegm;
• dilating bronchi;
• decongestants;
• sedatives;
• antitussives;
• antibacterial.

Fluifort (syrup and granules) has proven itself well. The carbocysteine ​​lysine salt in the composition, unlike acetylcysteine ​​preparations, not only promotes liquefaction, but also the removal of sputum.

That is why Fluifort stimulates the restoration of the structure of the mucous membranes of the respiratory system, reduces the intensity of cough and makes breathing easier. The effect of the drug begins in the first hour after administration and lasts up to 8 hours. Due to its neutral pH, the drug does not cause stomach irritation.

Fluifort is prescribed for rhinosinusitis, adenoiditis, otitis media, laryngotracheitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia.

To answer the question of how to treat a wet cough in a child, the doctor first needs to diagnose this illness in the person. It may be accompanied by the appearance of such a clinic:

• sudden attacks of coughing;
• dyspnea;
• heat;
• loss of appetite;
• wheezing;
• blood in sputum;
• greenish sputum;
• chest pain;
• night cough.

Cough and sniffles, which occur with other symptoms, are characteristic symptoms of such pathologies:

• acute respiratory infections and acute respiratory viral infections;
• bronchitis;
• pneumonia;
• bronchial asthma;
• allergies.

Sputum with this symptom is detected in different types. Clinicians have identified 6 main types of mucus:

• abundant;
• with a rusty tint;
• watery;
• viscous;
• mixed with blood;
• purulent.

When a patient has a cough with sputum, the question arises how to cure the cough at home. Only a doctor can give an answer, since treatment for a symptom directly depends on the intensity of the manifestation and type.

During treatment, the patient is allowed to adhere to the following measures:

• The use of folk remedies is allowed, namely hot tea with lemon, raspberries, honey, lingonberry syrup or hot milk. Each remedy is aimed at thinning sputum;
• humidify the air regularly.

As for medications, doctors prescribe medications that improve the expectorant effect and thin the mucus.

Choosing cough medications

To cure a cough in a 1-year-old child, parents are allowed to massage the chest and back. This effect on the lungs and bronchi improves the discharge of sputum. A coughing baby can also clear his throat on his own during active play. This therapy process is considered much better than taking medications.

It is recommended to treat cough in a child over 3 years old with inhalations. Preference is given to inhalation through a nebulizer.

This device sprays the medicinal substance with which it is filled and facilitates the delivery of the drug directly to the bronchi.

However, before treating children, you should consult a doctor, especially if the child is 2 years old. Otherwise, the child may continue to cough until he vomits for a long time.

When choosing medications for a child, you need to be very careful so that they do not harm the body. In medicine, there are drugs that can treat cough in a 2-year-old child. All these medicines will be based on plant extracts and active ingredients. Also, all medications for children at this age are offered in the form of syrup, which is convenient to take several times a day.

People are accustomed to the fact that if a person gets sick, his body temperature always rises, his condition worsens, a cough, runny nose and other symptoms appear. However, doctors say that there are pathologies that manifest themselves with a slight increase in grades or, without any increase at all.

Cough without fever occurs with the same pathological processes as described above. However, the patient is not bothered by one of the many symptoms. Cough without fever manifests itself in the following pathologies:

• cold;
• allergy;
• stress;
• cancer;
• heart pathology;
• diseases of the ENT organs;
• tuberculosis;
• thyroid diseases.

Quite often, a cough without fever occurs in children who have just had an acute respiratory viral infection. This is due to the high level of vulnerability and sensitivity of the respiratory tract mucosa. What to do in this case? Doctors claim that there is nothing pathological in this process.

It is enough for the child to follow all the recommendations of doctors and continue the course of treatment. With such an illness, it is not advisable for children to go to a group, but it is better to sit at home for two or three days in order to finally recover from the infection.

Otherwise, the child may develop chronic inflammation or complications.

During pregnancy, women's bodies become very vulnerable. Therefore, even short contact with sick people can contribute to the disease. A cough is only a symptom of a particular pathology, so if such a symptom is detected, you need to look for the root cause, and not try to get rid of the unpleasant symptom.

To eliminate the symptom, the patient is prescribed gentle syrups, tablets and vitamins. Under no circumstances should a woman apply cupping or mustard plasters, take a hot bath, or steam her feet to warm up.

You also need to be careful with the dose of vitamin C.

So how to treat cough during pregnancy at home? Despite all the prohibitions that the doctor imposes on treatment, the woman is recommended to undergo simple physiotherapeutic procedures. At home, you can do inhalations with different herbs and gargling.

Doctors do not particularly recommend the use of alternative treatments, but several methods remain available and approved. At the appointment, the doctor can tell you how to treat a cough with folk remedies and how often they can be used.

For cough treatment it is recommended to use:

• honey - grind on the chest, make compresses, eat a few teaspoons, add to tea;
• milk – drink slightly warmed, you can add sage, figs;
• garlic and onion – chopped vegetables, take one spoon three times a day.

To prevent the recurrence of cough, doctors advise what can be done for prevention:

• to eat healthy food;
• do not smoke and avoid inhaling cigarette smoke;
• treat illnesses in a timely manner;
• observe the rules of hygiene;
• during the cold season, do not overcool.

Medical workers advise undergoing preventive vaccination against dangerous infections.

THERE ARE CONTRAINDICATIONS. BEFORE USE, YOU SHOULD READ THE INSTRUCTIONS/INFORMATION FOR USE AND/OR CONSULT A SPECIALIST.

Source: https://SimptoMer.ru/simptom/kashel_

Cough: Causes, risk factors, symptoms

Coughing is a spontaneous reflex. When things like mucus, germs, or dust irritate your throat and airways, your body automatically responds by coughing. Like other reflexes such as sneezing or blinking, coughing helps protect your body.

1. Coughing is an important reflex that helps protect the airways and lungs from irritants.
2. Sometimes the cough is normal. It helps clear the throat and airways of germs, mucus and dust.
3. A cough that is persistent or associated with other symptoms such as shortness of breath, mucus production, or bloody sputum may indicate a more serious medical problem.

Your throat and airways are equipped with nerves that sense irritants. Once stimulated, they send a signal to the brain.

The brain, in response, sends a signal back to the muscles of the chest wall and abdomen to quickly and vigorously inhale deeply and expel the irritant. This response is almost instantaneous and very effective.

A cough can move air and particles out of your lungs and throat at speeds of about 50 miles per hour.

How does a cough affect your body?

Occasional coughing is a normal healthy function of your body.

The throat and lungs typically produce small amounts of mucus to keep the airways moist and have a thin coating that acts as a protective barrier against irritants and germs you may inhale.

An infrequent cough helps mobilize mucus and has no harmful effects on your body. Coughing also allows you to quickly clear out any unwanted particles you accidentally inhale.

As you get older, the muscles involved in coughing tend to lose strength, and your cough may not be as effective as it used to be. This can cause mucus to build up and ineffectively remove irritants from your throat and airways. This may put you at higher risk of lung infections, which is commonly seen in older people.

While an occasional cough is normal, a persistent cough (one that doesn't go away) is not normal and should always be diagnosed by a doctor.

A cough associated with other symptoms such as runny nose, acid reflux, shortness of breath, chest pain, increased mucus production, colored or bloody mucus is most likely an indicator of ongoing illness and requires medical attention.

How serious is the cough?

How severe a cough is depends on what is causing it. Some coughs last a very short time and go away on their own, while others may persist until the cause is identified and treated.

Cough is a common symptom of non-serious conditions such as the common cold. It's also important to know that very serious illnesses and conditions such as pneumonia, a blood clot, and fluid in your lung can also cause a cough.

People who have a history of smoking, chronic lung diseases such as COPD or asthma, seasonal allergies, acid reflux disease, lung cancer and chronic infections such as tuberculosis may have a chronic cough.

Cough is observed in many medical diseases. It is important to take into account the duration, type and characteristics of your cough, as well as any other symptoms associated with the cough. This information will be very helpful to your doctor in finding the cause of your cough budding and the most appropriate treatment.

Cough is a symptom. We can classify a cough by duration (how long it lasts) and by other special features:

• Acute cough: sudden onset and lasts up to 3 weeks.
• Subcutaneous cough: lasts from 3 to 8 weeks.
• Chronic cough: lasts more than 8 weeks.
• Productive cough: cough than inflammation of sputum.
• Dry cough: A cough that does not produce phlegm.
• Night cough: A cough that only occurs at night.
• Chemopsis: Coughing up blood.

A cough may be the only sign of illness, or it may appear with symptoms of certain diseases of the lungs, heart, stomach and nervous system. Some of the symptoms that usually occur when coughing are:

• Irregular breathing
• Decreased exercise tolerance (easy fatigue)
• Wheezing or whistling in the chest
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Heartburn
• Weight loss
• Fever and chills
• Night sweats
• Difficulty swallowing or coughing when swallowing

These are common causes of acute or short-term cough:

• Upper respiratory tract infections: This is the most common cause of acute cough. Throat infections are almost always caused by viruses. They are usually associated with fever, sore throat and runny nose. This group includes colds, viral laryngitis and influenza.
• Whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory infection that causes a cough that makes a high-pitched "scream" sound.
• Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis): This common allergic condition can mimic the symptoms of a cold. It is usually associated with a dry cough, sneezing and runny nose. Allergies usually occur in the environment.
• Inhalation of irritants: Acute exposure to some vapors can inflame the throat and airways and cause coughing.
• Lower respiratory tract infections: These are infections of the respiratory tract below the throat that usually cause cough and fever. They may affect the airways (bronchitis) or travel further into the lungs (pneumonia). Lung clot (or pulmonary embolism). This is a potentially life-threatening condition in which blood clots travel, usually from the leg veins, to the lungs, causing sudden shortness of breath and sometimes coughing.
• Collapsed lungs (or pneumothorax): It is caused by deflation of the lung. This may be spontaneous or due to chest trauma. Most often in smokers with a history of emphysema, signs of mild collapse include sudden chest pain, dry cough and shortness of breath.
• Heart failure (or pulmonary edema): A weak heart can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, causing coughing and worsening shortness of breath.
• Post-nasal drip (or upper airway cough syndrome): This condition manifests as a dry cough caused by a chronic drip of mucus from the back of the nose to the throat. This usually occurs after a recent infection or ongoing exposure to an allergic trigger.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux (or GERD): This is also commonly known as acid reflux disease. The acid in the stomach returns to the esophagus. This can potentially leak down the throat, causing irritation and a dry cough. This is usually associated with heartburn.

Chronic cough

Some causes of chronic cough include:

• COPD: The air and lungs become inflamed, causing a chronic cough with phlegm and shortness of breath.
• Asthma: Asthma can cause a sporadic dry cough. This may be a sign that your asthma is not fully controlled. Sometimes coughing only occurs in certain places, such as the workplace or school.
• Medicines: ACE inhibitors (medicines for high blood pressure), may cause a dry cough.
• Chronic lung infections: Some lung infections can cause a chronic cough.
• Tuberculosis, a highly contagious infection of the lungs, can cause fevers, night sweats and coughing, sometimes with blood).
• Lung cancer: Cancer that starts in the lungs or spreads from other organs can cause coughing, sometimes with blood.

Risk factors for developing chronic cough are:

• Smoking: Current or past smoking is a major risk factor for chronic cough. It is caused by direct inhalation of cigarette toxins or secondhand smoking (breathing cigarette toxins into the air).
• Allergies: People with allergies have an increased risk of developing a cough when exposed to a specific allergic trigger.
• Environment: Some workplaces may contain irritants that can be inhaled and cause coughing. High areas of contamination or the use of coal for cooking or heating may also increase the risk of coughing.
• Chronic lung disease: People with asthma, bronchiectasis (enlarged airways), COPD, and previous scarred lung infections are at increased risk of developing a cough.
• Female gender: Women have a more sensitive cough reflex, which increases the risk of developing a chronic cough.

Most coughs go away on their own once the respiratory infection is cleared with or without special treatment. A cough that does not go away will require medical attention.

One of the most important things about a cough is to determine whether the cause is an acute illness or a more serious illness. Fortunately, the vast majority of acute causes of cough are mild upper respiratory infections, such as the common cold.

Warning signs associated with cough that may indicate a more serious illness or condition include:

• Irregular breathing
• Chest pain
• Facial swelling
• Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
• Fast breathing
• Fever

Your doctor will take a detailed history and perform a physical examination to find out the cause of your cough, order any necessary tests, and begin treatment. Be sure to record your cough and bring a list of all medications you take, including over-the-counter medications and supplements.

Your doctor will ask you questions about your cough and lifestyle:

• When did the cough start?
• Cough with phlegm?
• If there is mucus, what is the consistency and color?
• Is there blood?
• What causes a cough?
• Have you been in close contact with people with any respiratory infections such as colds, tuberculosis, pneumonia or whooping cough?
• What medical conditions do you have?
• Do you have any allergies?
• What do you do for a living? What is your workplace like?
• What do you do in your free time from work? Have you traveled recently?
• Do you smoke cigarettes or marijuana? Do you use recreational drugs?

Physical exam

At the doctor's office, they will take your vital signs, including your temperature. They can check your oxygen levels by attaching a small, painless clip to your finger. Your doctor will look at the back of your throat and ears when necessary. They will listen to your lungs and heart with a stethoscope, and may also look at your legs and skin.

Tests

Your doctor may decide to do additional tests, which may include:

• Chest X-ray: a quick and easy picture of the chest.
• Blood sample: to find out if your body has an infection.
• CT scan of the chest: a better image of the chest.
• Chest spot: Usually done with a long cotton swab.
• Phlegm sample: collected after a deep cough
• Spirometry: You will be asked to exhale heavily and quickly into a small plastic device to measure how well you exhale.
• Methacholine test: A standard asthma breath test that is often used to evaluate asthma cough.

Treatment for cough depends on its cause. For example, over-the-counter medications can help reduce symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections such as the common cold, while more serious conditions such as exacerbations of COPD or asthma usually require inhalers and other treatments.

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