Dry coughing can last a long time, severely exhausting the patient with regular attacks. To treat this form of cough, for starters it is important to establish the main causes of its appearance in order to act on them comprehensively. Antitussive drugs and folk recipes will help suppress some of the symptoms and improve the patient's condition.
The clinical picture of the disease
To determine what an annoying cough is, and in what cases it appears, it is important to understand its structure.
Cough is a reflex process in which they are actively involved:
- receptors that determine the presence of a foreign body in the airways (dust or sputum);
- muscles that are actively contracted during this process (here include the diaphragm and intercostal);
- the center of the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for the coordinated work of all muscles.
With the formation of a harsh cough, the main role is given to receptors. Such a cough is also called paroxysmal. With the appearance of an annoying cough for a certain reason, there is a strong stimulation of the receptors. This leads to a prolonged attack of productive cough, which does not in any way alleviate the patient's condition.
In addition, if, when there is a feeling of perspiration in the airways, one does not try to stop the dry coughing cough, then it will result in the onset of an asthma attack. This type of cough is called horseman for the reason that the patient "sits up" in an attempt to cough, but nothing comes of it.
The main danger of the condition
Dry coughing in an adult, even if you do not take into account the main causes of its appearance, in itself negatively affects human health.
As a result, it can provoke the following serious complications:
- Damage to the vocal cords with subsequent hemorrhage in the mucous membrane. This is due to the fact that the vocal cords during coughing are excessively tense. Strong stress during the passage of the air flow as a result can lead to micro-fractures. In most cases, vocal cord injury completely resolves with proper treatment, but sometimes it provokes a chronic form of laryngitis with loss of voice. This is especially dangerous when the patient continues to cough after hemorrhage in the ligament.
- The appearance of emphysema. When coughing, the lungs fill with air, after which pressure rises in them. With a prolonged attack of harsh cough (this happens in smokers), the alveoli stretch, followed by the formation of emphysema.
- Spontaneous pneumothorax. This condition occurs when the lung tissue is torn, followed by air entering the pleural cavity. Most often, this happens in the presence of an initial predisposition, but an onset of cough due to an increased load on the lungs can easily provoke this.
- The appearance of a hernia with subsequent pinching. This is especially true for children who suffer from such a cough. The muscles of the abdominal wall of a young child are weak, and in the process of coughing tremors, pressure increases not only intrathoracic, but also intraperitoneal.
- The development of complications of the cardiovascular system. In this case, a cough is dangerous by raising blood pressure to a critical state, the appearance of interruptions in the cardiovascular system (in some cases, a heart attack occurs).
- complications in the functioning of the nervous system. As a result of a prolonged paroxysmal nasal cough, intracranial pressure rises and severe headaches appear.
If there is a cough, it is important to immediately consult a doctor and receive instructions on how to eliminate not only the disease, but also the most unpleasant symptom.
Complicating diseases
The reasons for the appearance of an annoying cough are in most cases not dangerous, but in some cases they can indicate the presence of serious problems with the patient's health.
Most often, a cough appears in the presence of the following diseases:
- ARI in the form of tracheitis. With such a lesion, at the initial stage, an inflammatory process develops in the mucous membrane of the trachea without the formation of sputum. Cough receptors respond to various substances that form during inflammation. As a result, the sensitivity of the receptors increases, and the patient begins to experience unpleasant pain. Even with ordinary breathing, there is a burning sensation in the chest, a strong desire to cough. In this case, an unproductive cough of a paroxysmal type often occurs.
- False croup or sublingual laryngitis. With such a disease in the larynx, the process of inflammation begins with further swelling of the soft tissues. In some cases, spasms of the larynx muscles are added to the edema, which manifest themselves in the form of a barking cough with shortness of breath and hoarseness. In this case, the patient has an annoying cough at night.
- Chronical bronchitis. Such a disease occurs in most cases when exposed to negative external factors (smoking, work in unhealthy positions, poor environmental conditions in the place of residence). Microparticles of smoke and dust when ingested in the bronchi provoke an inflammatory process. The body in attempts to get rid of allergens produces thick sputum, which accumulates in the lumen of the bronchi. In such patients, an onset of coughing manifests itself more in the morning - thick sputum hardly leaves (or does not stand out at all), leading to damage to the mucous membrane.
- Bronchial asthma. Such a disease is in most cases allergic in nature. Upon contact with the allergen in the mucosa, the process of immune inflammation begins. All this leads to swelling of the mucosa and the onset of bronchospasm. With such a disease, sputum, as a rule, does not occur or it is, but in a minimal amount. Allergic edema of the mucosa leads to paroxysmal unproductive cough. If you do not get rid of it, then choking will occur.
- Cystic fibrosis. With such a lesion, due to a genetic defect, the produced mucus is particularly dense, so it is very difficult to leave. In this case, a negative reaction is spread to all human organs. The disease of this form is usually determined in childhood. With lung damage, the main symptom is shortness of breath and an annoying cough.
- Dry pleurisy. Pleural inflammation also occurs in conjunction with an annoying cough. The reason for this cough is reflexive - there are many nerve endings in the pleura. In the process of breathing, the pleura rub against each other, which leads to the onset of a prolonged cough. When liquid exudate occurs, the symptomatology quickly disappears.
- Tuberculosis. When tuberculosis occurs, cough syndrome is an accompanying symptom. As a rule, a cough is not strong, rarely goes away with seizures, but when the disease spreads to the intrathoracic lymph nodes or pleura, it sometimes also goes away with attacks of coughing.
- Tumor masses. With the growth of the tumor and damage to the nerve endings, an insufferable cough may also occur.
- Foreign body. If a foreign body enters the respiratory tract, a strong cough of a paroxysmal nature may begin.
- Rare diseases. Coughing in some cases provokes diseases in which the lesion extends to the respiratory system. Most often, such diseases pass without sputum. Such diseases include: histiocytosis, sarcoidosis, as well as idiopathic pneumofibrosis.
Diagnostic measures
If a paroxysmal nasal cough arose as a result of hypothermia and goes away with a runny nose, fever, unpleasant sensations in the throat, then in most cases the doctor makes a diagnosis of SARS.
The disease is determined on the basis of information from the patient, history and examination, diagnostic tests are not carried out. But even with acute respiratory infections in some cases, the doctor recommends that the patient undergo fluorography and donate blood to the laboratory.
Additional studies are important in the following cases:
- severe shortness of breath, as well as characteristic wheezing;
- pain in the chest during breathing;
- in the presence of blood clots in the excreted sputum;
- prolonged elevated body temperature when taking antibiotics and antiviral agents - more than 4 days;
- cough lasting longer than four days;
- if there was contact with patients with tuberculosis;
- if during the last year FOG was not carried out.
Additional research
Also, if the cause of the onset of coughing was not established, then for an accurate diagnosis, the specialist will prescribe additional examinations of the patient:
- if a tumor has been detected in the body;
- with a repeated increase in temperature after normalization of the patient's condition during treatment;
- examination of the function of external respiration;
- breath tests
- visit to the ENT;
- installation of allergic reactions;
- sputum collection for bacteriological as well as microscopic examination.
The described diagnostic measures may not be enough to make an accurate diagnosis. If necessary, the patient can be sent to other doctors for consultation.
Lesion treatment
How to treat an annoying cough? Treatment measures must necessarily treat the root causes of the disease. Chronic forms of damage should be treated by a doctor with a specific profile. In the presence of asthma, the patient is prescribed bronchodilators, with tuberculosis - special antibiotics. In the case of a tumor, surgery may be required.
When treating an annoying cough in an adult, if it is unproductive and harmful to health, the attending specialist prescribes antitussive drugs.
With an annoying cough, which is a symptom of acute respiratory infections, treatment will include the following measures: bed rest, airing the room and humidifying the air in it, drinking plenty of water, taking vitamin complexes, antipyretic drugs, and drawing up a proper diet. It is also important to start taking antivirals and antibiotics.
Compliance with the rules
When treating a dry coughing cough in an adult, it is important to follow some rules. This includes:
- choosing the right drugs in accordance with the main cause of the disease (antibiotic prescribing should be prescribed by the attending specialist on the basis of identifying signs of infection);
- strict adherence to the prescribed dosage of the drug and the duration of its administration (when a course of antimicrobial agents it is forbidden to independently stop taking it);
- identification of possible contraindications - it is forbidden to prescribe some funds to children;
- checking the effectiveness of the drug after a couple of days of treatment;
- taking additional medications to maintain microflora during antibiotic therapy.
Main drugs
To eliminate cough, antitussive drugs are used. In acute respiratory infections, such drugs are allowed to be taken only in the first few days, until sputum begins to flow away.
After this, the administration of antitussive drugs is stopped, and the doctor prescribes funds to thin the sputum and facilitate its release.
Antitussive drugs can be of two varieties, depending on the effect exerted:
- Cough suppressants are drugs that include butamirate, codeine, oxeladine and similar components. They negatively affect the nervous system.
- Suppressive sensitivity of cough receptors. Most often, doctors prescribe Libexin, since it does not affect the central nervous system.
When taking antitussive drugs, it is important to remember that they are prohibited in the presence of sputum, severe shortness of breath and cramping in the bronchi.
A coughing fit in a child
If there is a cough in the child, it must be explained to him that there is nothing to worry about. Children under the age of 5 are very scared when they have a severe cough. When a paroxysmal cough appears at night, the baby should be given something warm (tea with raspberries or honey). A positive effect is the reception of alkaline mineral water without gases. A particularly effective remedy in the presence of dry cough is considered warmed milk, in which soda and honey are added.
If dry coughing in children is repeated and does not go away for a long time, it is important to seek medical help as soon as possible.
Conducting treatment for a child
When treating a cough, it is important to identify the main cause of its appearance, since in each case the treatment will be different. If the cough is allergic, it is important to stop the allergen and visit a doctor who will choose an antihistamine. If a bacterial infection leads to a cough, special antibiotics are prescribed for the child.
Medicines that are used in the treatment of dry nasal cough in a child can affect:
- Cough center in the brain, suppressing the reflex.
- The muscles of the bronchi. Such medicines help to expand the bronchi and facilitate the breathing process.
- Mucous membranes. The drugs have a moisturizing effect, eliminate the inflammatory process and provoke sputum production.
- The formation of sputum in the bronchi. Such medicines thin the mucus, which helps it to move away.
Such medications should be prescribed only by the attending physician, since with the wrong selection of funds you can only worsen the condition of the baby, some of them are forbidden to combine with each other.
Pediatricians note that the treatment of nasal cough in a child should be carried out in the complex therapy of eliminating the underlying disease. In the presence of paroxysmal cough, it is very important to ventilate the room well, to be often on the street and to drink plenty.
Folk recipes
The main goal in the treatment of nasal cough during acute respiratory infections is to quickly alleviate its symptoms and translate into a productive form. The best tool in this case is inhalation. It is allowed to use simple steam inhalation, as well as add soda, essential oils, other medicines and decoctions of herbs to it.
Inhalations have a special effect on potatoes boiled in a peel. For this, the tubers need to be boiled and mashed together with the skin. You need to breathe over the potatoes by covering your head with a cloth on top to increase the concentration of steam.
It is possible to independently treat a cough only if its cause of appearance is precisely defined - a mild catarrhal disease. In the absence of improvement over three days, as well as with a deterioration in the general well-being of the patient, it is important to consult a doctor.