Coughing is an innate human reflex, and not just a respiratory symptom of the disease. When a person coughs, he cleanses his respiratory tract from foreign bodies that interfere with breathing - food, dust, and when he gets sick - from sputum, mucus, blood, pus. If the cough does not stop for more than two months, the condition is usually called chronic. After eight weeks of chronic cough, you should definitely consult a doctor for examination, since this condition can be an indicator of many serious diseases.
Comparison criterion 1 - quality and quantity of sputum
Dry (non-productive) cough
It is not accompanied by sputum production and does not bring relief.
This cough can be a symptom of the following diseases:
- pharyngitis,
- laryngitis,
- "lecturer's" laryngitis,
- tracheitis,
- bronchitis.
Sometimes, depending on how a dry cough sounds, you can determine which disease it is a symptom of. In the case of the diseases mentioned above, the doctor may prescribe the use of a syrup that can transform a dry cough into a wet one. A not too intrusive dry cough caused by drying out of the pharyngeal mucosa or accumulation of mucus at the entrance to the larynx most likely indicates a disease such as pharyngitis. With this, the doctor may prescribe inhalations, warm drinks and lozenges and lozenges to soothe a sore throat.
Wet (productive) cough
Accompanied by sputum production. This is a viscous liquid that is produced by the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract: lungs, bronchi, throat, nasopharynx. Microbes and their metabolic products are removed from the human body with sputum.
- Yellow discharge can be a symptom of sinusitis, bronchitis or pneumonia. Sometimes a yellow tint is given by pus, which is mixed with sputum.
- White, curd-like sputum may indicate fungal diseases in the respiratory tract.
- Sputum that is white but watery in appearance indicates a viral infection or chronic respiratory disease.
- Brown discharge is a symptom of viral or bacterial diseases accompanied by inflammation. It can appear with pneumonia, bronchitis and even with a common cold.
To cure a wet cough, it is necessary to remove accumulated phlegm from the lungs and bronchi. In this case, doctors prescribe expectorant or sputum-thinning syrups and tinctures for adults.
It is important to know!
It is contraindicated to treat a wet (productive) cough with antitussive drugs, that is, those that suppress the cough reflex.
Causes of chronic cough
Together with the head of the service Doctor Q Serezhina Vera Viktorovna, we will consider the seven most common causes of chronic cough
.
No. 1: Bronchial asthma
Bronchial asthma is considered the most common cause of chronic cough among non-smokers. With the development of this disease, a person may experience either only prolonged coughing attacks, or the cough will be accompanied by other symptoms - shortness of breath, wheezing, difficulty breathing and attacks of suffocation.
#2: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
The second reason for a person to have a chronic cough is considered to be gastroesophageal reflux, when the contents of the stomach are “thrown” into the esophagus. In addition to cough, symptoms of GERD also include heartburn, hoarseness, and a “lump” in the throat. However, in some patients, this disease may only manifest itself as a chronic cough.
No. 3: Chronic rhinitis
With chronic rhinitis, a person experiences the so-called postnasal drip syndrome, when mucus from the paranasal sinuses flows down the wall of the pharynx and thereby irritates its receptors, causing a cough. With proper treatment, chronic cough should stop.
No. 4: Tuberculosis
When you have a chronic cough, doctors usually first try to rule out tuberculosis, a common infectious disease that can be cured if detected early. In the early stages, tuberculosis is asymptomatic, but in its acute form a person experiences a chronic cough with sputum or blood, chest pain, fever, increased night sweats and weight loss.
#5: Cancer
Lung tumor remains the leading cancer in the world. Active and former smokers, as well as people with a hereditary predisposition to chronic cough, must first rule out lung cancer. People exposed to second-hand smoke or exposure to toxic substances are also at increased risk for lung cancer.
Symptoms of a lung tumor include cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss, and weakness. The cough may produce blood or phlegm, and if the episode lasts, it may worsen the chest pain.
There are no specific symptoms of lung cancer, however, if the above-mentioned signs are present, it is necessary to be examined. They may indicate other problems in the body.
#6: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is characterized by inflammation of the bronchi. With COPD, a person experiences a prolonged cough with sputum, shortness of breath, and difficulty breathing. The cough usually gets worse in the morning. As the condition progresses, the disease may manifest itself as a cough with purulent sputum, wheezing in the lungs, and a feeling of heaviness in the chest area.
No. 7: Cough hypersensitivity syndrome
Research in recent years has shown that chronic cough is not always a symptom of any disease, but can be an independent disease. Then scientists formulated this condition as cough hypersensitivity syndrome, when a person without pathologies in the respiratory tract has a chronic cough. This is explained by the increased sensitivity of receptors located in the mucous membrane of the upper and lower respiratory tract
This condition is manifested by coughing, tickling in the throat, and hoarseness of the voice. The causes of cough hypersensitivity syndrome may be exposure to tobacco smoke or strong odors, prolonged speech stress, too dry food, and changes in ambient temperature.
Comparison criterion 2 - cough character
Paroxysmal cough
most often occurs in the first days of illness, becoming more active in the evening and at night.
The attacks follow one after another, there is no way to clear the throat, and between these moments it can be difficult to take a breath. The cause of the problem is dry airways and lack of mucus. The throat becomes irritated and attacks occur again and again. A recurrent cough
can occur suddenly and persist for both short and long periods.
If you notice that you cough from time to time, but for quite some time, then you need to find the reason. It could be an allergy to animals, dust or flowers, sometimes even to the presence of a certain person or to a certain situation. This cough is usually called psychosomatic. A short or one-time cough
can occur when you inhale smoke or any other irritants or when pieces of food get into the respiratory tract.
Dynamics of cough
Daily dynamics
cough will differ for different ailments. A cough that begins after waking up and getting out of bed is characteristic of the presence of pathological cavities in the lung tissue (abscess, tuberculous cavity) and bronchiectasis, where sputum and purulent discharge accumulate during the night. When the body position changes, the contents of the cavities shift, irritating sensitive receptors.
Tuberculosis and lung tumors are more characterized by a night cough. This is explained by the effect of enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes on reflexogenic zones during the period of maximum activity of the vagus nerve.
With acute respiratory infections, bronchitis, and pneumonia, the cough is present throughout the day, but usually worsens in the evening.
A cough that has no pattern or visible basis, and sometimes appears suddenly, is often not associated with damage to the respiratory system. An example of this is a neurotic cough
. At the same time, a cough in a person suffering from diseases of the circulatory system may be a sign of the development of serious complications from the heart.
Auscultation of the lungs and analysis of the characteristics of the cough are the most important steps towards establishing a diagnosis, so if a cough has interfered with your life as an uninvited guest, do not delay a visit to the doctor. A timely diagnosis is the key to effective treatment.
Therapists at
Avenue
are always happy to help you get rid of your illness. You can make an appointment on the website avenumed.ru or by calling the branch nearest to you.
Comparison criterion 3 - cough timbre
Dry cough is called barking
, similar, as one might imagine, to the loud barking of a dog.
This situation is due to the fact that the sputum becomes viscous and is difficult or impossible to cough up. A hoarse or hoarse cough
with dull and whistling sounds indicates diseases such as laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis or pneumonia.
With laryngitis and tracheitis, the cough is accompanied by a hoarse voice, and with bronchitis and pneumonia - chest wheezing. A silent cough
may be associated with severe inflammation of the vocal cords. It sometimes occurs in patients with extreme malnutrition or heart failure.
Comparison criterion 4 - time of cough onset
Morning cough
occurs in chronic inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
It is especially common for smokers. This type is caused by the accumulation of sputum during the night, which does not clear and provokes a cough in the morning. Evening or night cough
occurs due to the fact that a person lying down accumulates phlegm, which does not clear the throat for a long time during sleep. Moreover, sputum in a horizontal position can accumulate in the larynx, provoking attacks.
Causes of cough
Cough function
is to cleanse and ensure the airway is clear for air flow.
Sensitive receptors are present throughout the respiratory tract: in the nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, pleura, so coughing is possible when the mucous membrane is irritated at all levels of the respiratory tract. When receptors in the outer ear, pericardium, and diaphragm are stimulated, a reflex cough is possible.
Different diseases may differ in the characteristics of cough and its nature
,
timbre
,
volume
,
duration
,
daily dynamics
.
Comparison criterion 5 – degree of cough exacerbation
Acute cough
usually lasts no more than three weeks.
The reasons can be varied, most often it is ARVI, that is, viral infections of the nose, nasopharynx and throat. If the cough is infectious, an important symptom is an increase in temperature. An acute cough can also accompany diseases such as bronchitis, allergies, pneumonia; it can occur due to something caught in the respiratory tract, due to dust and irritating gases. If the cough is of a cold nature, then at first it is dry, and then For several days it turns into a wet type, which is a sign of the beginning of recovery. A lingering cough
sometimes lasts for months and can become chronic.
It should seriously alert the patient, as it may indicate a serious illness. In such a situation, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. Chronic cough
can last more than 3-8 weeks, which, as a rule, is very exhausting and debilitating. Sometimes, in the chronic form, the head begins to feel dizzy or hurt, and weakness occurs. The causes may be various diseases caused by infections, for example, bronchial asthma. Chronic cough often occurs in adults who actively smoke, so it is commonly called smoker's bronchitis. The best way to cure it is to quit smoking.
How to get rid of cough using traditional methods
How to cure a cough at home? In the absence of other symptoms and complications, and after diagnosing the cough as a cold, it is important to know how to soften the cough at home. Here's what I recommend for adults and children:
Drink plenty of warm drinks
Severe dryness and discomfort in the throat indicate an insufficient amount of fluid in the body. In such a situation, I advise adding teas with lemon, raspberries, linden and chamomile flowers, fruit drinks or warm boiled water in large quantities to the menu.
