An annoying and debilitating cough accompanies many ailments. Most often it is… our savior, but sometimes it indicates the presence of a dangerous disease.
Why is cough called a “protector”?
Cough, which causes so much trouble, actually prevents unwanted microbes and small foreign bodies from entering the body, and also helps remove mucus from the bronchopulmonary system. This is an uncontrollable action that occurs in response to irritation by smoke or a strong odor, or a piece of food entering the respiratory tract. In such a case, a cough should not cause concern; it is not a symptom of an illness. However, most often the appearance of a cough indicates the onset of a respiratory viral disease, or is even a sign of a more dangerous disease. To understand the cause of a cough, it is necessary to take into account its nature, intensity and duration.
Types of cough
There are different types of cough, which can be divided into two main groups – dry, or unproductive, and wet, productive. The first, which occurs when the respiratory tract is irritated, does not give rest either day or night. It is typical of a cold and is characterized by painful attacks at the slightest provocation. This is one of the symptoms of pharyngitis, laryngitis, pneumonia, dry bronchitis.
A productive cough is characterized by the formation of a large amount of sputum, which is typical for pneumonia and bronchitis. The nature of the sputum produced may indicate the presence of a certain disease and helps to make the correct diagnosis. According to temporary characteristics, cough can be divided into four groups:
- acute – often dry at the beginning of the disease, later wet. Characteristic of ARVI, bronchitis, pneumonia, tracheitis and laryngitis;
- protracted – lasts more than two weeks, which is typical for bronchitis, tracheitis and tracheobronchitis;
- long-term – accompanies chronic diseases of the respiratory system, laryngeal papillomatosis;
- recurrent – often a sign of the presence of bronchial asthma and chronic bronchitis.
Causes of cough
Cough can be caused by many reasons. In its acute form, it most often occurs with upper respiratory tract infections. The chronic form may indicate the presence of bronchial asthma or many years of smoking, and a sudden attack indicates a foreign body entering the respiratory tract.
A cough without signs of a cold can be the first sign of many dangerous diseases, the presence of which can only be determined by the totality of all symptoms. Allergies, heart failure, tuberculosis, lung cancer, diseases of the nervous system – all these and many other diseases are accompanied by cough. In such cases, it is necessary first of all to treat not the cough itself, but the diseases that cause it. It is worth mentioning night cough in adults, which can be caused by a number of factors. For example:
- The horizontal position of the body causes stagnation of mucus in the nasopharynx, and this can provoke a night coughing attack.
- Cold, dry night air promotes coughing.
- It is night cough that is inherent in various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and cardiovascular system.
- You may have asthma or whooping cough.
A glass of warm milk with honey can relieve a night attack and alleviate the condition. Taking a vertical position and then stretching with your right arm raised will help.
Treatment of cough with folk remedies
Despite the abundance of domestic and imported remedies that promise to relieve a painful cough almost instantly, good old grandmother’s remedies help to do this much more effectively and quickly:
- Take a tablespoon of vodka, butter, honey and milk. Add one egg and a teaspoon of soda. Stir thoroughly and drink on an empty stomach. Sometimes once is enough.
- Mix oil, honey and cognac in equal quantities, take a homogeneous mixture by teaspoon 4-6 times a day. For children, exclude the cognac component.
- Inhalations with essential oils – 3-4 drops of oil per half liter of hot water.
- Hot milk and mineral water in a 1:1 ratio.
- Boil grated carrots in milk, add a little butter and honey.
- Combine lemon juice with 3 teaspoons of honey, drink 5-7 times a day.
- Chop and mix a head of garlic, 2-3 lemons with peel, add one and a half glasses of sugar and half a liter of beer. Keep in a water bath for half an hour and take 4-5 times a day on an empty stomach.
- Finely chop a large onion, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, and leave overnight. Eat in small doses throughout the day.
- Eggnog with hot milk at night.
- Mix fresh carrot juice with warm milk in a 1:1 ratio and drink throughout the day.
Antibiotics and cough, doctor’s recommendations
Folk remedies are good, but ignoring the doctor’s prescriptions is unacceptable. Treatment must be comprehensive, only then can an excellent result be achieved. As for cough medicines, for dry annoying coughs, drugs that suppress the occurrence of cough are used. To thin and remove sputum, the doctor prescribes mucolytics.
Sometimes patients, trying to quickly get rid of a hated cough, resort to taking antibiotics. This will not bring the desired result. Only in case of pneumonia or bronchitis you cannot do without antibiotics, since it is necessary to effectively influence the microbes that led to the occurrence of this disease.
Features of nutrition when coughing
A special diet for coughs is designed to help the body win the fight against viruses, improve immunity, and be filled with vitamins and minerals. A variety of milk porridges are very useful for coughs, oatmeal is especially welcome. Low-fat varieties of fish and meat, legumes, sour-milk products and as many fruits and vegetables as possible – these are the simple requirements for the menu. Grapes are very useful for coughs because they have expectorant and soothing properties. And it is very important to drink as much as possible. Warm tea with lemon, milk with a spoon of honey, fruit and vegetable juices – all these drinks will provide good support in the fight against illness. But it is advisable to give up coffee for a while; it is better to replace it with a barley drink with milk. It is also necessary to part with alcoholic beverages, spicy and salty foods, crackers and sweets.
If the cough doesn’t stop
In the event that, despite all efforts, the cough continues for more than two weeks, or the sputum has changed color and acquired an unpleasant odor, a visit to the doctor is essential. He will prescribe the necessary comprehensive examination, the results of which will confirm or deny the presence of a pathological process. Only treatment prescribed based on the tests obtained will help get rid of the annoying cough. Pregnant women, for whom many drugs are contraindicated, should be especially careful in this regard. Self-medication can lead to very unpleasant surprises that can jeopardize the health of the unborn baby.
A cough should not be considered a harmless symptom, especially when it is not a cold. Sometimes this is the first and so far only sign of a serious illness. To ensure the opposite and not expose your health to possible danger, the easiest and most acceptable way is to visit a doctor on time and follow all his instructions.
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