Any cough, including asthma, can accompany many diseases as a symptom. In some cases, it acts as the only sign of serious ailments, for example, tuberculosis, lung cancer, bronchial asthma. For a quick recovery, it is first necessary to find out the cause of the cough. If the doctor knows some of his characteristics (strength, the presence of sputum and associated secretions, time of manifestation, etc.), it will be easier for him to make the correct diagnosis.
What is an asthmatic cough?
Bronchial asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract, characterized by asthma attacks, shortness of breath, severe coughing. It should be noted that from the point of view of an inflammatory disease, doctors began to consider this pathology only a little more than 15 years ago. It was this step that made it possible to achieve a breakthrough in the treatment of the disease.
An asthma attack is often accompanied by a strong cough with wheezing. In this condition, many patients feel pressure in the chest. As a rule, at night the situation worsens. This is because in the supine position, sputum begins to accumulate rapidly in the respiratory tract, and this provokes a strong cough.
Many patients are often unaware of the disease. Most believe that a person with asthma should constantly use a special spray bottle and suffocate. In fact, this ailment is very often manifested precisely by attacks of the so-called asthmatic cough.
Why does it arise?
If a person suffers from an atopic disease, a cough can be triggered by a variety of allergens (contact with animals, fungi, flowering plants).
In addition to the above allergens, asthmatic coughing attacks can provoke pollutants, physical activity, loud laughter, and pungent odors. In such situations, the bronchi show hyperactivity to various stimuli. The role of the latter is often played by the most common colds. If the attacks do not subside after treatment, it can be considered that coughing is a symptom of asthma.
Key features
Coughing with bronchial asthma, as a rule, causes a lot of discomfort. Modern medicine offers several options for the treatment of pathology. It is very important to seek medical attention in a timely manner when signs such as:
- sore throat;
- cough, worse at night and having a paroxysmal character;
- malaise;
- sudden nasal congestion;
- wheezing in the bronchi;
- irritability;
- decreased appetite.
Shortness of breath is another symptom that accompanies asthmatic coughing attacks. This phenomenon occurs due to narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi, which complicates the flow of air directly into the lungs, causing suffocation. According to experts, half of asthmatic patients experience this symptom.
Clinical picture
An asthmatic cough has its own characteristic features, which is why it is not much like a cough for colds. Another attack may look like this: a quick breath, followed by a heavy exhalation, but at the same time the chest cage rises, as if by inspiration. Exacerbation of this problem can cause wheezing, sputum production.
Diagnostics
Very often, patients are sent for a special examination if they suspect a disease such as bronchial asthma. This is understandable and does not require much time. The thing is that it is cough that is the primary symptom of this ailment.
Examination involves conducting skin allergy tests, in some cases, special inhalation tests are used.
The appointment of a chest x-ray is considered erroneous, since with asthmatic cough, no changes in the picture appear. After the allergen is established, therapy is prescribed.
The basic principles of treatment
First of all, it is recommended to remember a number of important points that are the basis of therapy for a problem such as coughing for asthma:
- Mustard plasters and baths with them are under the strictest ban, since they only increase the allergic reaction.
- Warming up the chest with a pepper patch is not recommended. Tinctures or any other means, which include pepper, only increase allergies.
- With nasal congestion and swelling, it is important to choose the right nasal drops, take into account their composition. An ideal option is an anti-allergic effect.
- It is necessary with special care to resort to the help of herbal medicine, and it is better to completely abandon it. Some injuries may result in the opposite expected reaction. In this case, it is advisable to first consult an allergist.
Remember that in any case, it is better to abandon self-medication and the use of recipes of our grandmothers. The thing is that herbal medicine or mustard is unlikely to relieve symptoms, and the problem will only progress. In this matter, the only right decision is to apply for qualified help to a specialist.
Drug treatment
First of all, it should be noted that only a doctor can prescribe therapy. To relieve bronchial spasm, as a rule, drugs are prescribed that expand the bronchi themselves. Currently, the following drugs are most prevalent: Fenoterol, Salbutamol.
In the presence of concomitant allergic manifestations, antihistamines are prescribed (Suprastin, Tavegil, Diazolin). In case of bronchial infection, antibiotics are used for treatment. If you suspect the viral nature of the disease, the following drugs are recommended: Genferon, Kipferon, Viferon.
How else can you overcome another asthma attack? A reduction in the existing inflammatory process is facilitated by chest massage and special breathing exercises. In addition, special physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed (drug electrophoresis, ultraviolet radiation).
A variety of inhalations are also widely used, which contribute to moisturizing the respiratory tract and thinning sputum, as a result - its rapid withdrawal directly from the body. We have listed only the most common ways to defeat an asthmatic cough.
The treatment of this problem today does not go unnoticed. So, doctors are actively using the technique of introducing microdoses of an allergen. The thing is that when a minimal amount of an allergic substance enters the body, it gradually begins to get used to it. As a result, such a protective reaction as asthmatic coughing attacks disappears over time. However, it may take about two years to achieve an effective and lasting result. Unfortunately, today not all patients agree to this type of therapy. According to studies, patients who underwent treatment to the end were able to avoid the transition of pathology to chronic asthma. Of course, you should not assume that in this case, patients literally suffer bouts of severe coughing. Mucolytic and restorative agents are prescribed as additional symptomatic therapy.
Effects
As a rule, the prognosis for asthmatic cough is favorable. Only in some cases (28-30%) does transformation into bronchial asthma occur.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be noted once again that one should not disregard an asthmatic cough, the symptoms of which often resemble the symptoms of the most common cold. Only with proper treatment and compliance with all the recommendations described in this article can this problem be overcome.
We hope that all the information presented here will be really useful for you. Be healthy!