In medicine, two types of cough are considered - dry and wet. A dry cough is a cough in which sputum is not secreted, it can be excreted, but in a very small amount, which is not enough for recovery. How and what to treat dry cough, consider below. But first you need to determine the causes of dry cough. Firstly, the initial stage of acute respiratory infections is the cause of this cough. Secondly, an allergic exacerbation and thirdly, other diseases, for example, whooping cough, measles, tuberculosis and sinusitis. Coughing may be accompanied by fever and a runny nose. It is not worth waiting for the cough itself to transfer to the stage of “wet cough”, as this can lead to bleeding. Dry cough keeps you awake, causes discomfort, prevents breathing calmly. That is why it is worth treating such a cough than treating a dry cough - we will consider in more detail.
When a person begins to dry cough, he should consult a doctor who will prescribe an anesthetic for him, which can soften the mucous membrane. Any remedy for dry cough can be bought at a pharmacy without a doctor’s prescription. Many anxious mothers ask - how to treat a dry cough in a child? There is a definite answer to this question - the pediatrician should prescribe the remedy, only he will recommend the correct remedy for coughing. The most common cough remedies that children can use are ACC, Herbion, Ambrobene, Sinecode and licorice root. All these funds are sold in the pharmacy in the form of potions. They cope with a dry cough in a child in a few days, and transfer the cough to the “wet cough” stage. Also, during a dry cough, the child needs to be given more drink, it can be fruit drinks, juices, fruit drinks and herbal teas. To treat cough, chamomile will help, it will not only cure the cough, but also the throat. Chamomile must be brewed and drunk throughout the day. You can also drink tea with honey and lemon.
How to cure dry cough for pregnant and lactating women? In this case, the same antitussive drugs that are sold in the pharmacy can help. But it is worth carefully reading the instructions, but it is better to consult a doctor, narcotic substances should not be present in the medicine. It is best for pregnant women to treat dry cough with the same means that children under three are given. You can do inhalation - breathe over a decoction of potatoes, mineral water or baking soda. Decoctions of chamomile, plantain, St. John's wort, sage and linden blossom will also help.
There is probably no definite answer to the question - how to quickly cure a dry cough, but if you only use antitussive drugs, gargle, make inhalations, drink herbal decoctions, and also do chest massage during the day. If you treat well all day, alternating these funds, you can get rid of dry cough within one to two days.
The causes of dry cough may be as follows:
- smoking;
- inflammation of the mucous membrane of either the pulmonary trachea or larynx;
- bronchial asthma and bronchitis;
- food ingestion, more often in infants and young children, into the respiratory tract;
- pleurisy;
- inhalation of various harmful substances;
- whooping cough;
- infectious diseases;
- a tumor of the lung.
It is possible to be treated independently only at the stage of bronchitis and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx, but in other cases, it is still worth consulting a specialist. For children, only the consultation and referral of a pediatrician should be given.
In no case should the child be forbidden to cough, because he still cannot expectorate sputum, and the words of the parents - “do not cough, calm down, stop” can complicate things. Let the child cough and, at the same time, need to cough. So, we found out how to treat a dry cough, its causes and symptoms.