Everyone has once encountered a cough in one form or another. In most cases, pathology can be managed at home with the help of folk recipes. But it so happens that a strong cough can not be overcome for several weeks. In this case, you should start to sound the alarm. Such a symptom may indicate a serious illness.
Before treating a strong cough with sputum, it is worth figuring out what it can cause. Consider the most common diseases that provoke this symptom.
Acute Respiratory Viral Infection
A sputum cough in an adult or child is most often caused by a simple viral infection. At the initial stage of the disease, the throat begins to tickle. In some cases, the symptoms of a cold are generally absent. Body temperature may rise to subfebrile indicators. Initially, a strong dry cough may be present, which prevents the patient from sleeping normally. This symptom develops due to irritation of the mucosa. The fact that I had to face ARVI will also be evidenced by the accompanying symptoms: aches in the joints, headache, sleep disturbances.
Depending on the location of the inflammation, a strong cough with sputum in a child or adult may differ. If the infection touches the trachea, the cough will be loud and painful. Unpleasant symptoms, as a rule, develop sharply when inhaling cool or too hot air. Against a cold, bronchitis can also develop. The patient may experience cough with sputum before vomiting. Acute bronchitis is always accompanied by an increase in body temperature, a deterioration in overall health.
Untimely or improper treatment of the common cold can lead to serious complications. One of the most dangerous is pneumonia. The patient is disturbed by severe coughing attacks. In this case, severe chest pain occurs, the body temperature rises significantly. If the patient is not provided with qualified medical care, a fatal outcome is possible.
Bronchial asthma
Chronic non-infectious respiratory disease can also develop with a strong cough. Due to an allergen or other irritant, the patient instantly develops obstruction of the bronchi. As a result, a strong cough appears, then the patient begins to suffocate. During such attacks, the patient should be provided with proper medical care, otherwise the consequences can be fatal.
Most often, patients have allergic bronchial asthma. Initially, upon contact with household dust, animal hair or other irritants, the patient begins to cough. If the appropriate therapy is not timely administered, asthma develops. Treatment of severe cough in this case is aimed at identifying and eliminating the allergen.
Bronchial asthma is a disease that requires increased attention from the patient. In the most severe cases, life-threatening complications may develop. Many patients suffer from cardiopulmonary failure. In addition, asthmatic status may occur when attacks of suffocation go one after another, it is almost impossible to stop them. This condition often ends in death.
Asthma usually begins with a dry cough. But if the patient is not provided with timely assistance, a secondary infection may join. In this case, a cough with sputum and with temperature in an adult (or a child) will already appear.
Bronchial asthma is a chronic pathology. It is impossible to completely cure the disease. However, if the patient has a severe cough, you should immediately call an ambulance. It is important to prevent the development of a serious attack.
Tuberculosis
One of the signs of this chronic bacterial infection is a strong cough with sputum. After all, it is the respiratory organs most often suffer from pathogenic microflora. Bacteria are very resistant to environmental factors. They perish only under the influence of direct ultraviolet rays. Therefore, in the winter period, exacerbation is often observed. Sick people can serve as a source of infection. The risk of getting sick increases with contact with a patient with an open form of tuberculosis, when pathogenic bacteria are excreted along with sputum.
Pulmonary tuberculosis usually begins with a strong, dry cough. When the patient is in a horizontal position, the symptoms worsen. Especially painful coughing can be at night. The existence of a strong cough with sputum for three weeks or more is an occasion to undergo an additional examination of the lungs. Untimely therapy can lead to pulmonary hemorrhage. This poses a serious threat to the patient's life.
In addition to coughing, the following symptoms develop with tuberculosis : a significant decrease in working capacity, weakness, tachycardia, intoxication of the body. Patients lose weight, facial features are sharpened, a painful blush appears.
The most dangerous symptom is sputum with blood when coughing. This symptom indicates serious lung damage. Untimely therapy can lead to death of the patient.
Treatment of severe cough with tuberculosis can not do without antibiotics. Therapy of the disease is necessarily carried out in a hospital. The patient is also prescribed symptomatic drugs, as well as drugs aimed at healing the foci of inflammation. After stopping the acute period, the patient is discharged, further treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. Patients with tuberculosis are shown spa treatment. If cough with sputum does not go away for a year, the doctor reviews the treatment method.
Severe cough with ascariasis
Few people know that coughing attacks can be associated with the multiplication of parasites in the body. Ascaridosis is a common disease caused by roundworms. The eggs of the parasites are in the ground. Therefore, children, as well as people involved in agricultural activities, are at risk.
In the process of reproduction, larvae with blood flow can spread throughout the body. A strong cough occurs when the eggs enter the lungs. Larvae can accumulate in soft tissues, injuring them. In the most difficult cases, pneumonia develops with sputum discharge.
Symptoms of helminthic invasion in the lungs are very similar to acute bronchitis or pneumonia. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination of the body in a timely manner. Many patients are not even aware of the existence of parasites and perceive coughing as another symptom of a cold. The disease can be suspected only in the case when the larvae go out together with sputum. In this case, we can already talk about the complicated form of ascariasis.
Treatment of the disease is necessarily carried out using anthelmintic drugs. The medication should be prescribed by a doctor in accordance with the type of pathological process, the stage of ascariasis.
Sputum without cough in an adult
With some pathological processes, exudate in the throat can appear without coughing. Most often, this condition is observed with pharyngitis. The mucous membrane of the pharynx becomes inflamed, as a result, a protective reaction of the body is triggered - transparent or yellowish mucus is secreted. The patient complains of a sore throat. Other cold symptoms (fever, signs of intoxication) may be present.
Often, thick mucus in the throat accumulates with sinusitis. Most often, such a symptom is encountered by patients with a chronic form of the disease. A person can feel absolutely normal, while exudate from the nasopharynx will drain into the throat.
Wet cough antibiotics
Means from this category are prescribed when it is possible to find out that the disease has a bacterial nature. If cough with sputum is observed for a year, it is possible that we had to face tuberculosis. Therapy in this case will be longer. Aminoglycoside agents may be prescribed. With tuberculosis, the drug Streptomycin is widely used. A potent broad-spectrum antibiotic helps clear up symptoms for several weeks. A remedy is not prescribed for severe renal failure.
With pneumonia and bronchitis, antibacterial agents from the macrolide group are widely used - Azithromycin, Clarithromycin. Cough with sputum in a child can be overcome with the help of the drug "Sumamed" in the form of a suspension. The medicine has a pleasant aroma, children take it with pleasure.
Mucolytic agents
How to beat a cough with sputum? Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the secreted mucus. This problem can be dealt with with the help of mucolytics. This is a group of drugs that thin the sputum, make it less viscous. Thanks to this, the exudate easily goes outside, does not linger in the bronchi. Mucolytics are available in various dosage forms. If a cough with sputum without fever occurs in an adult, you can use Mukaltin tablets. The drug is prescribed for children over 12 years old. Pills not only remove sputum, but also help to stop the inflammatory process.
With a wet cough in a child, Ambrobene syrup can be used. Ambroxol hydrochloride acts as an active ingredient. The medicine has a pleasant raspberry flavor. Therefore, it is not difficult to administer therapy to a small patient. A measuring spoon is included with the medicine. Take the drug three times a day. The duration of the course of therapy is determined by the doctor.
Means “Mucosolvan”, “ACC”, “Herbion”, “Sinupret”, etc. also possess good mucolytic properties.
Expectorant
Medicines in this category also reduce the viscosity of mucus secreted. If green sputum appears when coughing, expectorants are prescribed in combination with antibiotics. The main goal is to clear the lungs and bronchi from sputum. After all, it is this mucus that is an excellent environment for the development of pathogenic microflora. "Pertusin" - a popular tool, familiar to many since childhood. The low price of the medicine attracts patients. In addition, Pertusin shows a good result in the treatment of wet cough.
The active ingredients are thyme and potassium bromide extract. Additionally, ethanol and sugar syrup are used in the preparation. The medication can be used to treat children over 6 years old. Although some pediatricians prescribe syrup to young children. To cope with a wet cough, it is enough to take Pertusin, one teaspoon three times a day for a week.
Stoptusin is another popular expectorant. The drug is available in the form of drops and tablets. The medication has a combined effect. With its help, it is possible not only to remove phlegm, but also to reduce the number of coughing attacks.
Folk remedies against cough
If the patient has a cough with sputum without fever, home inhalations can be performed. Such procedures help reduce the viscosity of sputum, contribute to the restoration of damaged mucous membranes. The plus is that inhalations do not have age restrictions. Such treatment can also be carried out during pregnancy or lactation. Babies under three years of age should not be inhaled over steam. Safe procedures can be performed using a nebulizer.
In bronchitis and pneumonia, inhalations with soda and decoction of herbs are useful. Chamomile shows good results. Two tablespoons of raw materials are poured with a liter of water and simmer for 15 minutes. Then the product is filtered and diluted with a pan of boiling water. A tablespoon of soda is also added here. It is necessary to bend over the steam, cover with a thick towel. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes.
For home inhalation, you can also use a sage broth, calendula tincture. The therapeutic effect can be improved by adding a little essential oils (tea tree or cloves) to hot water.
General recommendations
The body needs a lot of energy in order to recover. Therefore, even if a wet cough is observed without fever, it is worth observing bed rest. It will also have to pay attention to the indoor microclimate. Of great importance is humidity. In the heating season, wet diapers should be hung on the batteries to make the air softer. Every hour it is necessary to ventilate the room.
Do not forget about proper nutrition. During the illness, the diet should be full. Along with this, it is impossible to overload the stomach. Light vegetable soups, steamed white meat, salads are ideal. To restore immunity, it is worth eating more citrus fruits. It is also important to observe the correct drinking regimen. An adult patient should drink at least one and a half liters of pure water per day.