Chronic cough after treatment and causes of its occurrence

Cough is one of the main symptoms of respiratory diseases. And this is a completely normal process that helps free the bronchi and lungs from viruses, bacteria and other pathogens.

But in some situations, the cough does not disappear after recovery. It can last several weeks or more than six months.

How to cure an old cough? Why does this phenomenon occur? What symptoms does it accompany? The answers to all these questions will be discussed below.

Causes

Correctly identifying the cause of a chronic cough can guarantee complete recovery. Most often the phenomenon occurs as a result of:

• bronchial asthma;
• bronchiectasis;
• postnasal drip syndrome;
• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD);
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
• chronic bronchitis;
• side effect from taking certain medications, particularly those that lower blood pressure.

But in 5% of cases of chronic cough, the causes will be as follows:

• pneumonia;
• tuberculosis;
• scleroderma;
• oncological diseases of the respiratory system;
• lung abscess;
• sarcoidosis;
• lupus erythematosus;
• left ventricular heart failure;
• pathology of the thyroid gland.

We must not lose sight of the likelihood of an allergic, psychogenic and even idiopathic (causeless) cough. Smoking (including passive smoking) and weakened immunity can also contribute to the process.

Due to the large number of causes of chronic dry cough, the diagnostic process can be somewhat difficult.

Symptoms

Chronic cough itself in adults is a separate symptom of a certain disease. But it, depending on the disease, can be accompanied by various manifestations:

• bitter taste in the mouth;
• wheezing;
• shortness of breath;
• wheezing;
• sputum mixed with blood;
• rhinitis.

With prolonged chronic cough, the patient may begin to experience headaches, dizziness, excessive sweating, severe malaise, urinary incontinence, and even broken ribs.

Diagnostics

Before starting treatment for an old cough, it is very important to understand the causes of its occurrence. For this purpose the following may be carried out:

• X-ray examinations;
• CT scan;
• spirometry;
• laboratory tests of sputum, which will determine the presence of pathogens in it;
• bronchoscopy.

It was previously mentioned that a prolonged cough can be a symptom of diseases not only of the respiratory tract, but also occur as a result of some other ailments. In such cases, there is a need for additional research. For example, if you suspect acid reflux, you will need pH testing or endoscopy.

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Drug therapy

How to cure a chronic cough that lasts, although not six months, but for quite a long time? The answer to this question must be sought from a doctor.

In the case of an old cough, treatment should be carried out only after consultation with a doctor!

First of all, the cause of the phenomenon is taken into account. Based on this, the necessary medications for chronic cough are prescribed to adults.

Postnasal drip

Depending on the presence of certain symptoms, as well as the medical history, the patient may be prescribed antihistamines, fluoroquinolones or ipratropium spray, nasal glucocorticoids. The latter are able to reduce postnasal drip, with only two applications per day being sufficient.

Antihistamine tablets and syrups are also quite effective, but may cause some side effects (dry eyes, nose, mouth, drowsiness, and so on). The safest drugs among them for postnasal drip are Cetirizine and Loratadine. However, they are less effective in treating chronic cough.

Decongestants can relieve swelling and relieve nasal congestion. They also relieve some other symptoms of postnasal drip, such as sneezing and runny nose.

You can get rid of chronic cough caused by asthma using inhalations. In this case, adrinomimetics and corticosteroids will be added to the solution. Such substances can relieve inflammation and swelling, increase the clearance in the bronchi.

Acid reflux

In this case, to eliminate an old cough, you will need to reconsider your diet and exclude from it foods that promote the secretion of excess acid. In addition, the doctor may prescribe the use of other drugs in the form of tablets, syrups, wafers, gels (Ranitidine, Famotidine, Maalox, Rennie, Almagel, Omeprazole, Rabeprazole, Lansoprazole).

In this case, the use of antitussives will not bring any results at all. Usually, for allergies, antihistamines for internal use (syrups, tablets) are prescribed. Additionally, the doctor can include various wraps, massage, inhalations, physiotherapy, and so on in the therapy.

Bacterial infection

If this is the cause of the problem, antitussive and antibacterial drugs will come to the rescue. In this case, the latter should be selected based on the test results, from which it was possible to determine the exact type of pathogen. The effectiveness of the prescribed therapy will depend on this.

Helpful advice! When selecting a drug, in no case should you pay attention to whether it is expensive or cheap. This is not an indicator of its effectiveness!

There are also situations when there are no other symptoms other than cough and the cause of its occurrence still cannot be identified. In this case, as prescribed by your doctor, you can start taking special combination medications.

Such remedies can help even with intense coughing by influencing certain centers of the brain and suppressing the corresponding reflex.

Traditional methods

How can you treat an old cough with folk remedies without using tablets, syrups and other medications? There are many different recipes. But before using them, you should still consult with your doctor, who will help you choose the best option.

Often, for long-term coughs, goat fat is used in combination with honey. To prepare the product, simply melt these two ingredients in a 1:1 ratio and use it for rubbing. To enhance the effect, you need to wrap your chest in paper and tie it with a woolen scarf.

Another simple but effective recipe for a remedy for an old cough consists of onions, garlic and honey. All components have antiseptic properties, which helps destroy pathogens.

To prepare this folk remedy, you need to chop 1 head of garlic and 10 onions, pour unpasteurized milk over them and cook over low heat until softened. After this, add a little honey to the mixture. It is necessary to use the prepared medicine every hour, 1 tablespoon.

It can soften a cough and promote the removal of sputum, so in some cases you can even do without taking pills and other medications.

Many people treat coughs at home using the white part of leeks. There are several effective recipes for preparing medicines based on this product. For example, the white part of a chopped leek can be simmered in a glass of milk. After this, wrap the mixture and leave for 4 hours. The resulting syrup should be taken every 120 minutes, 1 teaspoon.

Another option for preparing a product based on leeks is the following. You need to grind the white part of this plant (it is best to take 2-3 pieces), pour in 250 g of water and add half a glass of sugar.

You need to cook the medicine until it thickens. This is done under a closed lid. This cough remedy is inexpensive, but very effective.

You need to take it one tablespoon every 2 hours.

Treatment with folk remedies cannot do without preparing herbal decoctions. To get rid of an annoying cough, you can mix:

• 30 g licorice root;
• 40 g coltsfoot;
• 30 g plantain leaves.

All of the above components need to be poured with 500 mg of boiling water and left for 40 minutes. The resulting infusion should be taken 100 ml three times a day.

There are other herbs that relieve swelling of the respiratory tract and help thin mucus. These include lungwort, mint, oregano, thyme, calendula, linden, and pine buds.

In fact, there are many more folk recipes than were discussed above. Many of them have been tested for more than one generation, while others were invented quite recently. Be that as it may, you should never self-medicate. And the question “How to get rid of a lingering cough? It’s better to ask not to familiar grandmothers or the Internet, but to experienced specialists.

Chronic cough

Constant coughing can be either a symptom of a certain pathology or a complication after an illness, and also indicate the presence of an irritant (for example, in smokers). A constant cough in most cases bothers adults, while in childhood it is a rare occurrence.

Causes of cough (more than two months) may be:

• asthma;
• smoking;
• postnasal drip;
• heartburn;
• allergic reaction;
• irritation of the respiratory tract due to an infection or cold;
• influence of external factors (polluted air, strong odors, working with acids and chemicals);
• taking specific medications;
• Chronical bronchitis;
• tuberculosis;
• eosinophilic bronchitis;
• chronic laryngitis;
• chronic tonsillitis;
• disturbances in the functioning of the cardiac and vascular systems (especially in men after fifty years of age);
• neoplasms;
• foreign objects and scars;
• psychological reasons;

Source: https://lor-bolezni.ru/kashel/kak-vylechit-hronicheskij-kashel.html

Causes and treatment of chronic cough

All materials on the site are published under the authorship or editorship of medical professionals, but are not a prescription for treatment. Contact the specialists!

Chronic cough does not occur without a reason. Bronchospasm often occurs against the background of a cold; it is the body’s protective reflex to the entry of dust particles and harmful microorganisms into the respiratory system.

Therapists name various factors for the occurrence of such a reaction. In fact, constant spasm is considered a sign of serious diseases that require competent therapy and a thorough examination by a specialist.

Features of the appearance of chronic cough

Many people choose home treatment. They do not find time to visit a medical facility and prefer to indiscriminately take popular drugs from pharmacies. This is why a chronic cough occurs, which can last from two months or longer.

Dealing with this type of spasm is problematic, since it is necessary to establish exactly why it occurs. Practice shows that pathologies of the upper respiratory tract develop not only against the background of colds, but also due to allergic reactions, poor ecology and nicotine abuse.

Coughing in an adult or child causes discomfort.

A feeling of constant tickling, a sore throat and lack of air during a conversation are just a minimum of reasons why you should go to the clinic and find out the cause of the disease.

There are a number of diseases that accompany chronic dry cough. Among which there are diagnoses that require immediate treatment or even hospitalization.

Why does chronic bronchospasm occur?

Diagnosis and treatment should only be carried out in a specialist’s office. Adults should make an appointment with a GP, and children can get help from a pediatrician. The symptoms of chronic cough are easy to recognize:

• sore throat due to constant irritation during spasm;
• duration from two months;
• The cough is most often unproductive, there is no sputum;
• medications do not help;
• shortness of breath or belching occurs after eating or exercising;
• at night the spasm does not bother you, it appears only during the day;
• discomfort is felt in the lung area.

After studying the symptoms by the attending physician, a diagnosis is made:

1. Postnasal drip syndrome. An excess of mucus at the back of the throat provokes a spasm. The increase occurs due to a viral disease or during an allergic reaction.
2. Asthma – in these cases, chronic cough can develop at any age. Often attacks occur when inhaling cool air or when there is an irritating element in the air - sprays, perfume, exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke or food flavoring. Asthma is also accompanied by the following symptoms: discomfort in the chest, a feeling of lack of air and shortness of breath during an attack.
3. Reverse reflux of acid from the stomach (Reflux esophagitis) is an unpleasant disease that requires therapy. This process causes irritation of the esophagus, respiratory organs and pharynx. Another symptom of the disease is heartburn.
4. A protracted cold - a spasm occurs in everyone who suffers from an illness on the legs.
5. The development of chronic bronchitis - in this case, spasm is accompanied by sputum production.
6. Lung cancer, tuberculosis - in addition to the main symptoms, a person notices that he is losing weight and bloody streaks are visible in the sputum.
7. Alzheimer's disease - most often occurs in old age.

Smoker's cough or bronchitis, how to get rid of it and symptoms

Any lung disease is accompanied by spasm. That is why the doctor will prescribe fluorography to see if there are visual changes in the structure of the lower respiratory organs.

Diagnostic measures

The diagnosis of chronic cough is made only after a thorough examination of the patient. If the cause of the spasm is established, then therapy can be selected without any problems.

Diagnostic methods:

1. Radiography. An important procedure that every adult undergoes every year. If indicated, the general practitioner will prescribe a repeat scan, so you should not resist. Even the slightest changes in the structure of the lungs will be visible.
2. Computed tomography. Treatment of chronic cough in adults can often begin only after studying the data obtained by this diagnostic method. The respiratory system is clearly visible, so even cancer in the early stages can be detected if you undergo a computed tomography scan.
3. Lung volume measurement - this data is needed to detect asthma in a timely manner.
4. Endoscopic examinations are necessary to visually examine the upper respiratory organs.
5. Bronchoscopy and gastroscopy - these medical procedures are aimed at studying the condition of the trachea and gastrointestinal tract.

Often people do not want to waste time going through these procedures. That is why neglect of health is the main reason that therapy did not begin at earlier stages.

How to treat chronic cough

Before prescribing medications, the condition of the patients is taken into account. Sometimes therapy is carried out in an inpatient setting. Chronic cough in a child should not be ignored. Pediatricians are required to prescribe a full diagnosis to identify the causes and prescribe the correct therapy.

Drugs are prescribed carefully, taking into account the patient's age. If swelling is detected, then you cannot do without antihistamines. During an exacerbation of allergies, you need to regularly use such medications to avoid suffocation. Asthma is also treated with special inhalations.

Viral and bacterial chronic cough, the causes of which are microorganisms that have entered the respiratory tract, is treated with tablets or syrups.

Any infections will go away if the course of therapy and dosage prescribed by the therapist is followed.

If the illness occurs due to a disease of the esophagus or due to heart problems, the patient is sent to a highly specialized specialist. A cardiologist and gastroenterologist may also prescribe diagnostic procedures. Based on these data, the correct treatment will be selected.

If the patient is only bothered by a cough, and the doctor cannot determine the underlying cause, then medications are prescribed that block the cough center. Medicines can alleviate the condition, but they do not cure. Reception should not exceed 5 days.

Typically, proper therapy gives results within 10-14 days. If the disease is neglected, the following complications may occur:

• severe headaches;
• insomnia;
• displacement or violation of the integrity of the ribs;
• urinary incontinence;
• increased sweating;
• dizziness due to lack of air.

For bronchial asthma in the later stages, people are prescribed inhalers. The slightest experience or the presence of an irritant in the air provokes an attack. Living with such a disease is difficult, especially when a person smokes excessively and is overweight.

How to cure chronic cough using traditional methods

Self-administration of medications is prohibited. Incorrectly selected medications can only worsen the condition. At the first manifestations, you should see a doctor. If the spasm does not go away for more than four weeks, then you need to go to an appointment.

Cough can also be treated at home, but only after consultation with a therapist or pediatrician. Expectorant decoctions, tinctures or rubs should be prepared only from those products to which there is no allergic reaction.

Treatment with folk remedies for chronic bronchospasm can be carried out in the following ways:

1. Rubbing with honey and goat fat. These ingredients are taken in equal parts. You need to get a thick mixture that is applied to the chest area. After application, it is necessary to wrap the area with cling film, and the person is asked to put on a warm sweater. The procedure is best done before bedtime. Do not smear the heart area.
2. Milk with onions and garlic. Some even treat bronchitis with this folk method. The drink softens spasms and helps remove phlegm. To prepare, you need to take 10 onions and one head of garlic per liter of milk. Vegetables are chopped. They must be boiled in milk until completely softened. After cooling, the drink is filtered. You need to consume a tablespoon of the mixture every hour.
3. Leek syrup. You only need to take the white part of the onion, which is chopped and placed in a pan. A glass of sugar and water is added there. The syrup is boiled until completely thickened. You need to take it every 120 minutes, a tablespoon.

How and what to treat a severe cough in a child

When choosing traditional therapy, we must not forget about contraindications and products that cause allergies. Only then can you count on a positive result.

Constant bronchospasm is not the norm. It is possible that the attacks are provoked by tobacco smoke or compounds contained in cigarettes. Smokers often come to the doctor for medications to get rid of this ailment. But therapy will not give results if a person does not give up the bad habit.

In children, cough can become chronic if parents choose the wrong medications. This is the main danger of self-medication. You should never risk your baby's health. Only a slight spasm that occurs in infants due to the fact that they are always in a horizontal position is considered normal.

Source: https://sukhoikashel.ru/vidy-kashlya/hronichesky-kashel

Chronic cough: causes and treatment

A cough that lasts without stopping for more than 2 months is called chronic. This symptom cannot be ignored - it should be alarming.

Chronic cough with or without sputum usually annoys a person at any time of the day and prevents him from getting enough sleep. In addition, it is responsible for feelings of weakness around the clock.

In some cases, it can provoke dizziness, vomiting, and in severe cases, lead to rib fractures.

Sometimes diagnosing chronic cough turns out to be very difficult. Even if a person is examined by several doctors of different profiles.

However, the most common causes of this symptom are considered to be postnasal drip syndrome, bronchial asthma, smoking, and acid reflux (irritation of the throat by stomach juices that flow into the esophagus). Usually, after eliminating the identified cause, a chronic cough immediately disappears.    

Reasons for appearance

We list the causes of chronic cough that doctors encounter most often:

• Postnasal drip syndrome. It is observed when the mucous membrane lining the nasal cavity produces an excessively large volume of secretions. Mucus gets into the throat and the person begins to cough. This syndrome is characteristic of a runny nose caused by allergies and chronic respiratory tract infections.
• Chronical bronchitis. We can talk about it if the bronchi remain inflamed for a long time. Accompanied by shortness of breath, wheezing and expectoration of colorless sputum. The vast majority of those who suffer from this disease are long-term smokers.
• Eosinophilic bronchitis is a special type of inflammation affecting the airways. This diagnosis is made if asthma has not been confirmed, but there is sputum in the respiratory tract or, according to the results of a biopsy, eosinophil cells are detected. It is recorded by doctors much less frequently than bronchial asthma.
• Bronchial asthma. It can worsen during unfavorable seasons for the patient, appear after a cold, or get worse when exposed to aggressive chemicals or cold.
• Gastroesophageal reflux. This is a common condition that occurs when acidic stomach contents back up into the esophagus. Consequences of reflux: an unpleasant taste in the mouth and the same smell from it, a burning sensation in the esophagus, as well as a chronic cough.
• Infections. A cough may well persist for several weeks if a person has had a cold, flu, bronchitis or pneumonia. In adults, a persistent cough can be caused by whooping cough. True, this happens quite rarely. But in a child, whooping cough usually causes a very strong, prolonged cough that sounds like barking. By the way, children suffer this disease more severely.
• Medicines for high blood pressure. Some medications (for example, Perindopril, Ramipril, Captopril, Enalapril) can cause chronic cough. It is necessary to pay attention to the side effects indicated in the instructions.

There are some people who are more likely to develop a chronic cough than others. This risk group includes smokers (not only active, but also passive) and people with weakened immunity for various reasons.

It should also be noted that women exhibit higher sensitivity to the cough reflex than men. Therefore, they experience this symptom more often.

Costs of the profession

Many years in hazardous work can pass without any symptoms at all. At an early stage, pathological changes can be detected during a preventive examination (as a rule, this happens during an X-ray examination - fluorography).

Quite obvious symptoms (including chronic cough) and complaints appear in a person only after several years. Such diseases are treated by eliminating the factor that provokes the cough (you will need to change the type of activity) and long-term therapy with special medications.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Most often, chronic cough is not an isolated symptom. It may be supplemented by other signs (one or more) indicating obvious health problems. This cough comes with:

• constant runny nose;
• hoarseness and change in voice timbre;
• frequent colds;
• shortness of breath;
• wheezing;
• frequent coughing up sputum;
• feeling of mucus running down the throat;
• heartburn;
• sour taste in the mouth;
• coughing up blood (if it is severe).

Lung function is examined when there is even the slightest suspicion of bronchial asthma (despite the fact that it has not been confirmed by the results of examinations already performed). The peculiarity of this study is to measure the air flow that enters and exits the lungs.

To confirm or deny acid reflux (commonly called heartburn), your doctor may suggest pH testing, a test that measures the amount of acid entering the esophagus. In addition, an endoscopic examination will most likely be prescribed. It will be needed to determine what exactly is irritating the esophagus, and at the same time to obtain material for a biopsy.

What to use for treatment

If a persistent cough is due to postnasal drip, it is usually treated with antihistamines and decongestants. These drugs effectively relieve swelling of the mucous membrane, due to which mucus production decreases and the cough subsides.

Bronchial asthma can be fought with inhalations. For such procedures, adrenergic agonists and corticosteroids are usually prescribed. These medications eliminate the inflammatory process well and help increase the lumen in the bronchi.

If the cause of a chronic cough is determined to be a bacterial infection, the doctor will prescribe antitussives in combination with antibiotics. It is extremely important to select the appropriate antibiotic through laboratory testing and not at random. Then the treatment will be as effective as possible.

For acid reflux, the doctor prescribes a special diet. However, if it is unsuccessful, he prescribes medications to block the secretion of excess stomach acid.

The problem is resolved:

• ordinary antacids (“Almagel”, “Maalox”, “Rennie”);
• proton pump blockers (Omeprazole, Lansoprazole, Rabeprazole)
• H2-histamine blockers (“Ranitidine” and “Famotidine”).

If a person has an extremely severe chronic cough or the cause has not been determined, a specialist will prescribe medications to suppress the cough reflex. These include drugs with two active ingredients - dextramethorphan (Kofex, Tussin Plus) and glaucine (Glauvent and Bronholitin), as well as drugs with combined action.

How to cure a cough with folk remedies

First of all, efforts should be aimed at combating the underlying disease. Only after this can you begin local therapy aimed at eliminating chronic cough. At the same time, traditional medicine has a number of recipes that (if used with medications prescribed by a doctor) can significantly alleviate the course of the underlying illness.

For example, for a prolonged cough, a medicine made from goat fat and natural honey is very effective. To prepare it, you need to heat it a little and melt the fat and honey in equal parts. Rub the prepared product onto the chest. Please note that after applying the medicine to the skin, you need to put a piece of paper on top and wrap it with a warm scarf.

To prepare another onion medicine, you will need to take half a kilogram of onion, peel it, add 0.4 kg of sugar to it, add a liter of clean water and put it on low heat.

The drug should be brewed for 3 hours. When it cools down a little, you should add 2-3 teaspoons of natural honey to it. You need to take the prepared decoction one tablespoon 4 to 6 times a day.

This remedy works well for intense coughs.

Leeks also help eliminate annoying chronic coughs. You will need to take the white part of 2-3 plants.

It needs to be crushed, covered with sugar (0.5 cups), filled with clean water (250 ml) and put on low heat. Cook with the lid closed until thickened.

The finished medicine should be viscous. You need to take a tablespoon every couple of hours.

There is another option for preparing medicine with leeks. The white part of this plant must be cut and boiled in milk (250 ml). When the onion milk is ready, cover the pan with it for 4 hours. Then the pre-strained broth is taken every couple of hours, a teaspoon.

Onion inhalations help a lot. For this procedure, the onions are peeled and finely chopped, after which they are laid out on a plate. Now you can cover your head with a blanket or a warm towel and inhale the healing aroma.

After the fact

To summarize all of the above, we note that chronic cough is much easier to prevent than to treat. But if, after all, you are not protected and this symptom is quite annoying to you, it is recommended to act as follows:

• exclude the influence of irritant substances on the respiratory system (this could be dust, nicotine or industrial toxins);
• eliminate the cause that provoked the cough - engage in pathogenetic therapy of the underlying disease;
• Pay enough attention to symptomatic therapy - take medications that directly affect the cough, as well as other symptoms associated with it.

As for the prevention of chronic cough, we emphasize that it consists of:

• timely diagnosis and adequate treatment of exacerbations;
• minimizing exposure to respiratory irritants;
• regular medical examinations, which make it possible to detect the disease that provoked the cough at a very early stage.

Yulia Zablotskaya

Sources: medscape.com, health.harvard.edu, medicalnewstoday.com.

Source: https://globalmedclub.ru/kashel/vidy/zatyazhnoj.html

Causes and treatment of chronic cough

Such reasons may well cause a chronic cough, even with sputum. In smokers, such manifestations are also characterized as an old cough, for which there is almost no treatment. For smokers, there is only one type of treatment - quitting smoking. In this article we will talk about what needs to be done to try to get rid of an old and annoying symptom. What treatment is right for you and how can you understand your symptoms?

Symptoms and possible complications

Chronic cough may have some other manifestations. These are corresponding symptoms that should not normally be present.

You need to go to the hospital and find out the reasons if a child or adult experiences the following symptoms:

• constantly stuffy nose and possibly sneezing with an allergic cough;
• frequent expectoration with sputum;
• hoarseness as a consequence of smoking;
• wheezing and shortness of breath usually occur with bronchial asthma; heartburn and sour taste in the mouth – often accompanied by a chronic cough due to problems with the gastrointestinal tract (gastrointestinal tract);
• a feeling of frequent fluid flowing down the back of the throat.

If a chronic cough, especially with sputum, is not treated, some complications may occur in both children and adults:

• frequent headache and dizziness;
• excessive sweating during sleep;
• urinary incontinence during symptom onset;
• rarely, but it happens - fractured ribs and abdominal tears.

How to identify and treat it?

The reasons for this may vary. To accurately determine why this happens, you need to understand your symptom and direct treatment directly to it.

If a chronic cough occurs due to allergies in a child or adult, then in this case it will be necessary to take antihistamines. But at the same time, it is worth saying that it is impossible to completely get rid of allergies.

This antihistamine treatment is intended to maintain the person's condition. As a rule, these can be special nasal drops, tablets and even inhalations. In this case, it is still very important to know what exactly you are allergic to and what additional measures can be taken.

As for other diseases, against the background of which a cough with or without sputum may occur in a child or adult, then a doctor’s examination is required. Only he will be able to prescribe special medications and correctly determine how to cure a chronic cough and help the patient. You definitely need to know the reasons for its appearance, and then think about how to get rid of such a disease.

In addition, some other auxiliary treatment measures can be taken:

• if you have a productive chronic symptom, then drink more fluids to better thin the mucus;
• Inhalation and frequent rinsing with salted water will help deal with phlegm;
• You can suck on lollipops several times every day to soothe your throat; it will even be tasty for your child. You can make sugar candies at home to get rid of cough;
• Do not smoke under any circumstances, and do not eat food that irritates the throat - peppery, salty and bitter;
• Ginger tea helps a lot, which can also be made for a child;
• Baths with chamomile, mint and eucalyptus will also help get rid of an annoying constant cough.

How to prevent the disease?

To avoid the need for complex and lengthy treatment, it is enough to follow simple rules. This primarily concerns smokers, because they may first develop a chronic cough with sputum production or a completely dry symptom.

It is also very important to complete each treatment, since a persistent symptom can rightfully be considered a complication. So, to prevent this from happening, you don’t need to self-medicate ineptly and be sure to undergo a doctor’s examination at the end of each illness to ensure a complete recovery.

As for allergic cough, unfortunately, it is really very difficult to predict. It is enough not to provoke it, avoiding irritants and being sure to take all necessary antihistamines.

Be especially attentive to your child, because only periodic coughing during the day is considered normal. If a symptom recurs all the time, it’s worth thinking about the possible consequences.

Even the most basic cold can develop into a complicated problem with subsequent chronic forms. Therefore, do not be lazy to go to the hospital and always pay attention to your general well-being.

Source: https://kashelproch.ru/vidy/khronicheskiy-kashel-prichiny-i-lechenie

Chronic cough: differentiated approach to diagnosis and treatment

Cough is one of the most important symptoms and is characteristic of almost all pulmonary diseases. About a third of patients suffering from diseases of the lungs and bronchi and seeking help in specialized outpatient clinics complain of chronic cough.

Physiologically, coughing is a protective reflex aimed at removing excess secretions, dust or smoke from the respiratory tract. This is a quick, strong exhalation, as a result of which the tracheobronchial tree is cleared of foreign bodies.

Despite the fact that cough is often associated in patients with pathology of the bronchopulmonary system, it can occur in a number of diseases, varied in their pathogenesis and location of damage. In 1998, the American College of Chest Physicians developed criteria for the diagnosis and treatment of cough [1].

This document outlines the main causes of cough, methods of their diagnosis and treatment.

According to the authors of the document, cough, which is a protective reflex, is also a factor in the spread of airborne infection, restoration or disturbance of heart rhythm due to arrhythmias, as well as a symptom that forces the patient to seek help from a doctor.

Depending on the duration, cough is divided into two categories: acute cough, lasting less than three weeks, and chronic cough, lasting more than three weeks.

Irvin expanded the classification of cough duration and introduced the concept of subacute cough, lasting more than three weeks but less than eight weeks, while chronic cough, according to his classification, lasting more than eight weeks.

Richard S. Irvin conducted a prospective study of the causes of chronic cough in 1990 [2–4]. As a result, several diseases were identified that are characterized by chronic cough.

Of those examined, 54% had postnasal drip syndrome (Drip syndrome), 28% had gastroesophageal reflux, 7% had chronic bronchitis, 31% had bronchial hyperreactivity, 12% had other causes of cough, and almost 1% had the cause could not be determined.

Moreover, almost a quarter of those examined had two causes of cough, and 3% had three causes.

A number of authors indicate that in a group of non-smoking patients of all ages who do not take ACE inhibitors for antihypertensive purposes and have a normal chest x-ray, chronic cough in 93.6% of cases develops against the background of three existing diseases [8]: postnasal drip syndrome syndrom), bronchial asthma, gastroesophageal reflux.

The basis of postnasal drip syndrome (Drip-syndrome) is secretion that flows into the laryngeal part of the pharynx when mechanical stimulation of the afferent part of the cough reflex arc causes a cough.

The diagnosis of this disease is based on medical history (when the patient describes a characteristic sensation of secretion in the back of the throat), physical findings and laboratory test results. A positive result of therapy with cough relief is a key point in the diagnosis of this disease.

Among the first generation antihistamines, the main ones are clemastine, chloropyramine (Suprastin), dimethindene (Fenistil), mebhydrolin (Diazolin), hifenadine (Fenkarol), which has virtually no sedative effect. The mechanism of action of first generation antihistamines in non-allergic rhinitis is associated with their anticholinergic properties.

In most patients, improvement occurs within a few days to two weeks from the start of therapy. New generation antihistamines (terfenadine and loratadine) are ineffective in the treatment of postnasal drip syndrome caused by colds.

Decongestants include ephedrine, xylometazoline (galazolin), naphazoline (naphthyzin, sanorin). In the case of allergic rhinitis, the use of nasal corticosteroids and/or cromones is indicated, which are the drugs of choice for the initial treatment of Drip syndrome.

Of the nasal corticosteroids, mention should be made of beclomethasone (Beconase) and triamcinolone (Nasacort), and in the group of cromones - cromoglycic acid (cromosol, cromoglycine). New antihistamines (terfenadine and loratadine) have proven to be more effective for allergic rather than non-allergic rhinitis. First-generation antihistamines and decongestants are used for allergic rhinitis if the first-line remedies mentioned above are ineffective.

Bronchial asthma (cough variant of bronchial asthma) is one of the most common causes of chronic cough. The basis for diagnosing this disease is bronchial hyperreactivity, detected in bronchoprovocation tests.

Cough with this variant of bronchial asthma may be its only manifestation and be regarded as an analogue of an attack of suffocation, and a decrease in cough during anti-asthma therapy confirms the diagnosis.

Therapy consists of prescribing basic drugs, in the form of inhaled corticosteroids and sympathomimetics.

Among sympathomimetics, it is necessary to note short-acting drugs - salbutamol (Ventolin), terbutaline, fenoterol (Berotec), and drugs with a long period of action - salmeterol (Serevent), formoterol (Foradil). Combination drugs are also used that combine a prolonged sympathomimetic and an inhaled corticosteroid: seretide (salmeterol + fluticasone) and symbicort (formoterol + budesonide).

Gastroesophageal reflux, found in the practice of general practitioners and gastroenterologists, is the third most common cause of cough. The cough mechanism in this case is the vagus-mediated esophageal tracheobronchial reflex.

Two-thirds of patients may have no other gastrointestinal symptoms, although these patients may complain of postprandial heartburn in the setting of a chronic cough.

Increased acidity in the lower esophagus is a prerequisite for the development of chronic cough, and the most sensitive and specific test is 24-hour esophageal pH-metry. In this case, it is important to assess the duration and frequency of reflux episodes, as well as establish the relationship with cough episodes.

If pH testing confirms gastroesophageal reflux as the cause of chronic cough, treatment can be considered using proton pump blockers, for example omeprazole (Losec, Omez) at a dose of 20-40 mg once a day simultaneously or immediately after meals to reduce the acidity of gastric juice .

If 24-hour pH monitoring is not available in a given health care setting, empirical antireflux therapy is prescribed. However, it should be noted that if empirical antireflux therapy is ineffective, this does not exclude the diagnosis of reflux as the cause of cough.

Postnasal drip syndrome, bronchial asthma and gastroesophageal reflux are the most common causes of chronic cough, but these diseases do not limit the range of diseases in which cough develops.

According to the WHO classification, chronic bronchitis is a disease in which, for two years, at least three months a year, the patient is bothered by a cough with sputum without specific causative diseases, such as bronchiectasis, bronchial asthma or tuberculosis [8].

Therapeutic tactics are aimed at reducing sputum production, improving its discharge, and reducing inflammation in the respiratory tract. It is extremely important that the patient stops smoking. The administration of inhaled M-anticholinergics (ipratropium bromide) reduces bronchospasm, sputum production and cough.

Among M-anticholinergics, the main place belongs to ipratropium bromide (Atrovent). It is also possible to use a combination drug berodual, which includes a sympathomimetic (fenoterol) and an M-anticholinergic blocker (ipratropium bromide).

Among the agents that improve sputum discharge, it is necessary to note acetylcysteine ​​(fluimucil, ACC, ACC Long), as well as ambroxol (lazolvan). These drugs reduce the viscosity of sputum and improve its discharge from the bronchial tree. In case of exacerbation of the disease and the development of a purulent process in the bronchi, the prescription of antibacterial agents is indicated, the choice of which is determined by the data of bacteriological analysis of sputum and analysis of the sensitivity of microflora to antibiotics.

Bronchiectasis, characterized by gross disturbances of mucociliary clearance and stagnation of bronchial secretions with the development of bronchial dilatation, is clinically manifested by a chronic cough.

The diagnosis is made on the basis of anamnesis data on the duration and nature of the disease, chest radiography, bronchography, as well as high-resolution computed tomography data.

It should be noted that cough with bronchiectasis is a factor that contributes to the discharge of a large amount of sputum that accumulates in the bronchi, so this symptom requires treatment only during an exacerbation of the disease.

It should be noted that a number of diseases accompanied by cough are a diagnosis of exclusion, which is made only after all other causes have been refuted. These are post-infectious cough and psychogenic cough.

Post-infectious cough, also called post-viral cough, appears after a viral infection of the respiratory tract. This type of cough is characterized by a normal chest x-ray. This cough can stop on its own. If the cough is protracted, inhaled ipratropium bromide (Atrovent), discussed above, is prescribed.

Psychogenic cough is mainly characteristic of children and adolescents: this diagnosis is rarely given to adult patients.

If a psychogenic cough is suspected, consultation with a psychiatrist is necessary, and treatment consists of the recommendations of this specialist and the prescription of short courses of nonspecific antitussive therapy, however, the effectiveness of the use of such drugs has not been proven in large randomized trials.

Bronchogenic carcinoma is an infrequent cause of chronic cough (0-2%). A history of a patient with many years of smoking history should be collected taking into account the possibility of a malignant tumor of the bronchopulmonary system. The diagnosis is confirmed by X-ray examination of the chest, cytological examination of sputum and fiber-optic bronchoscopy data.

In cardiological practice, patients who are prescribed ACE inhibitors for antihypertensive purposes may experience cough associated with taking this group of drugs. This cough is usually unproductive, accompanied by a sore throat and has no dose dependence.

Cough appears several hours or even months after starting therapy with ACE inhibitors, and a decrease or disappearance of cough occurs four weeks after cessation of therapy.

Interstitial lung disease is not a common cause of chronic cough. The cough is non-productive. Treatment of the underlying disease is carried out. If the prescribed treatment does not lead to relief of cough, before prescribing nonspecific antitussive therapy, it is necessary to look for another, more common cause of cough.

Thus, cough is characteristic of diseases with different etiologies and prognosis, and for proper treatment, an accurate assessment of the causes and mechanisms of formation of this symptom is necessary.

In clinical practice, it is often necessary to classify cough depending on the causative factor or etiology. Information about the time of cough onset, its duration, productivity, as well as accompanying symptoms is of great diagnostic importance.

Because cough is caused by exposure to thermal, chemical, and physical irritants, Irwin et al. proposed in 1977 to look for the cause of the disease, manifested by cough, based on the localization of cough receptors [4].

Source: https://www.lvrach.ru/2003/08/4530640/