Some people are unstable before the onset of allergens, when the immune system begins to react sensitively to the penetration of foreign objects into the body, even in small quantities. Side effects are manifested in the form of dry cough, sore throat, lacrimation, runny nose.
Allergy can not be considered a separate pathology. Rather, it is a sign of upper respiratory tract irritation. What is allergic pathogenesis? Why is a dry allergic cough in an adult worried, how to treat it and how to protect yourself from it?
Allergy - what is it? Features
Allergy is a response of the immune system to the ingestion of foreign agents. The mediator of allergic reactions is histamine, which begins to produce the body in an enhanced mode, releasing from the cells.
The entire inflammatory process occurs in a chain, leading to various manifestations in patients. These may be physiological or biochemical manifestations.
Histamine is rapidly activated, begins to bind in the bronchi (intestines) with H1 receptors. As a result, the lumen of the bronchi narrows. Mucus accumulates in the cavity. The mucous membrane of the bronchial tree begins to swell. In this case, patients may have:
- labored breathing;
- dry allergic cough.
If you do not take therapeutic measures, then the reaction described above, with new releases of histamine into the blood vessels, will be periodically repeated again, and so on in a vicious circle.
Allergy Cough: Varieties
Dry allergic cough is one of the main symptoms, as a reaction from the immune system to the penetration of allergens into the body.
Do not confuse it with a viral, colds. Features of the appearance - suddenness (usually at night), accompanied by itching on the skin, sore throat. However, sputum production is absent.
By type, it happens:
- dry with the onset at the initial stage, without sputum discharge from the bronchi;
- wet with sputum during coughing.
What treatment is needed? It will completely depend on the type of cough, since the symptoms of dry allergic cough and wet are very specific.
Why does it occur in humans?
Allergy is not a disease, but only an excessive susceptibility of the body, a reaction to the ingestion of foreign bodies. How is this manifested? Dry allergic cough is manifested by seizures, can be triggered by factors leading to negative reactions in the respiratory organs. It can be:
- various household chemicals (washing powders, preparations for cleaning dishes, air freshener);
- moldy yeast-like fungi (spores) with prolonged exposure to humid places - they cause severe coughing attacks in predisposed people;
- household dust, which is abundant in the house on the floor, cabinets, furniture, shelves;
- pollen during the flowering period of plants (sunflower, wormwood, birch, ragweed, poplar);
- domestic animals (wool, feed);
- some foods with dyes, additives and flavorings in the composition (fruits, berries, vegetables, herbs);
- drug abuse;
- excessive sterility in the room (excessive hygiene) - infants under 1 year old often suffer from the efforts of mothers to cleanliness, the immune system weakens and the body stops fighting dangerous foreign bodies.
Diathesis, a genetic predisposition, living in adverse contaminated areas, and drug abuse can provoke the appearance of an allergic cough in children and adults.
To prevent the development of relapses, to get rid of the pathological condition when coughing is possible only after identifying the true pathogens. It is important to be able to distinguish a cough from a cold (onset of infection) in order to direct treatment in the right direction.
Why does the cough intensify at night?
At night, a person is in a supine position, so mucus begins to accumulate in the respiratory organs due to the impossibility of rapid resorption. As a result, sputum accumulates in the nasopharynx, interfering with normal breathing, causing a cough reflex. Blood circulation is disturbed as sputum accumulates.
Air changes in the room can cause seizures: dryness - during the day, coolness - at night.
Additional signs
Dry allergic cough usually begins to appear instantly (in seizures), immediately after body contact with allergens (lasting up to five to six hours). It gives people a lot of inconvenience.
Unlike the common cold, a cough with an allergy can occur for more than three consecutive weeks, usually does not lead to fever, aching bones.
What other symptoms does an allergic dry cough have? Additional possible signs that you should pay attention to:
- separation of colorless sputum as it accumulates in the bronchi with long bouts of coughing, but without the presence of blood clots, pus;
- transparent discharge from the nasal cavity;
- sneezing
- lacrimation
- pressing pain in the forehead;
- rash on the body;
- swelling of the bronchial mucosa (lungs as the smells are inhaled);
- difficulty breathing
- possible development of the gag reflex;
- chest pain.
Often, a dry allergic cough in an adult takes a lingering character. It can last up to several months. This is a danger, since the pathology becomes chronic, can cause the development of pharyngitis, chronic rhinitis, stenosis of the larynx, uncontrolled urination, loss of consciousness, swelling of the throat mucosa.
How to understand what an allergic cough is?
It is impossible to identify allergens on their own, because a cough is similar to signs of a cold. Also observed in the case of the development of the inflammatory process in the respiratory system.
It is important for allergy sufferers to constantly monitor situations as they stay in that other place, write down in a diary, at what hours attacks occur and after which contacts.
Only allergy tests, a phased examination will help to identify the problem.
The difference between an allergic reaction and a cold cough
Allergens when ingested and accumulated in the body lead to severe irritation of the bronchial mucosa, the appearance of debilitating paroxysmal coughing. The main differences between an allergic cough and a cold:
- Attacks accompanied by panic attacks.
- Seasonality, since exacerbations and unpleasant symptoms of allergic dry cough more often appear in the off-season (spring-autumn), less often in the winter.
- Increased cough on contact with allergens, sources of irritation.
Can an allergy appear spontaneously?
The peculiarity of coughing with allergies is a spontaneous manifestation, immediately after contact with irritants, when the immune system immediately begins to respond. A person coughs as he breathes in. It can be the smell of perfume, cosmetics, carpet products when shopping.
Cough in children
Allergies are age independent. Violent reactions often occur in infants when it appears:
- dry cough;
- transparent snot;
- rash on the body;
- lacrimation.
What to do if there is a dry allergic cough in a child? Experts give the following answer. If a dry allergic cough in a child is concerned, the main treatment is antihistamines, taking into account the weight and age of the child. Additionally, vitamins are needed to stimulate the immune system. In severe allergies - saline with glucose (intravenous administration) to cleanse the blood of accumulations of allergens.
Antihistamines are prescribed exclusively with the permission of specialists and small courses. Long-term use is addictive, side effects.
It is important for mothers to monitor the well-being of the kids. At the first manifestations of diathesis on the cheeks, a rash on the body, you should consult a pediatrician, an allergist.
If the child is an allergic person, then you need to know the rules that are extremely important to observe:
- daily wet cleaning in the room;
- ventilate the room in which the child is;
- isolate from contact with animals in case of increased coughing at night as the inhalation of wool;
- rinse the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity immediately after accidental contact with allergens.
The following drugs will help reduce histamine levels, relieve swelling and cough:
- "Fenistil" with the use of children from one month.
- "Tavegil", "Suprastin", although they can cause weakness, drowsiness.
- Expectorants, mucolytics ("Mukaltin", "Bromhexine", "Ambroxol", "Lazolvan") for liquefaction of sputum, excretion.
- Natural preparations (syrups) based on medicinal herbs.
Diagnostic measures
It is not difficult for doctors to identify an allergic cough when patients have swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx, lacrimation, and sore throat.
You can talk about the allergic nature of cough if patients have already been diagnosed with asthmatic bronchitis, obstructive tracheitis, rhinitis, hay fever, bronchial asthma.
Diagnostics is differential to exclude other diseases of ENT organs. The basis is scarification tests with the application of an allergen to damaged areas of the skin, identifying further reactions.
Allergy tests have contraindications for: pregnancy, acute respiratory viral infections, colds, flu.
Additional examination procedures:
- blood test for biochemistry;
- Analysis of urine;
- scarification test with the product of 2-3 scratches on the skin;
- prik test.
When choosing a diagnostic technique, the doctor takes into account the degree of manifestation of the disease, seasonality of the year, the duration and nature of the signs. If an allergen is detected, then an allergist will advise:
- how to act in emergency cases with exacerbations;
- what measures to take to relieve the attack.
Principles of Cough Treatment
Do not delay the treatment and self-medicate in order to avoid deterioration of well-being. The main goal is to stop the flow of allergic reactions, since the allergy is not completely eliminated. It happens that a cough becomes protracted up to several months. And even strong medications do not help to eliminate it. What is the treatment for dry allergic cough in an adult?
Basic principles:
- Identify, eliminate allergens.
- Take a course of treatment with antihistamines, glucocorticoids.
- Take measures to remove sputum. To help - hardware techniques, folk recipes, desensitization.
Drug treatment
It is important to choose effective medicines for dry allergic cough. But first of all you need:
- Eliminate all kinds of contact with dust, animal hair, flowering plants, pollen.
- Revise nutrition when responding to certain foods.
Here's how to cure a dry allergic cough. The basis of therapy:
- antihistamines ("Loratadin", "Suprastin", "Claritin", "Zirtek", "Tsetrin") with anti-allergic effect;
- steam inhalations with the addition of medications ("Sinecode", "Libexin", "Codelac", "Dexamethasone");
- enterosorbents (Polysorb, Polyphepan, Enterosgel);
- glucocorticoids ("Ingacort", "Benacort");
- cough suppressants, stenosis prevention (laryngeal swelling).
How to suppress allergic dry cough? Treatment can be done by inhalation with the inhalation of soda vapor, for which a warm soda solution can be added to the nebulizers. Medicinal herbs in the composition with azulene will also help: yarrow, eucalyptus, chamomile, St. John's wort.
Rinsing, rinsing the mouth and nose using salt to strengthen the mucous membrane helps relieve coughing attacks.
Desensitization
This method of exposure to an allergic cough is used by doctors in a clinic. The course of desensitization with the introduction of an allergen into the body in small doses helps to minimize the manifestation of negative reactions.
The following hardware methods are applicable:
- plasmapheresis to partially remove allergens from blood plasma;
- hemosorption - a technique for removing allergens from the blood with a special apparatus.
Folk recipes
It is important to eliminate all kinds of contact with allergens, to suppress even passive smoking (especially for children, if parents smoke). When a cough occurs, it is good to immediately begin washing the nasal cavity (throat) with a saline non-concentrated solution or a decoction of chamomile. Other effective folk recipes:
- Bay leaf (prepare a decoction). Boil some leaves with boiling water (one glass), insist, take four glasses three times a day.
- Black radish. Squeeze fresh juice or insist with the addition of honey. Take one teaspoon three times a day.
- Prepare the collection: licorice (root 30 grams), calendula (flowers 50 grams each), dill (ten grams) pour boiling water (enough half a liter of liquid). Cook for 10-15 minutes on fire, strain. Take 50-60 grams after a meal in one session.
- Thyme to minimize symptoms of dry cough. Brew one teaspoon in one cup of boiling water. Drink the infusion fresh.
At the time of treatment, it is important to drink more clean water, because without it you can’t quickly recover.
Prevention
If you follow simple preventive measures, then it is quite possible to prevent the manifestation of an allergic cough. Worth:
- give up bad habits (smoking);
- review the diet, including natural products without dyes (fragrances);
- refuse to use abrasive detergents, household chemicals, artificial cosmetics;
- walk more in nature;
- do sport;
- two to three times a week to carry out wet cleaning;
- take antihistamines in case of spontaneous cough;
- visit ecologically clean zones and sanatoriums more often.
Conclusion
Allergy is a chronic disease that often haunts patients throughout their lives. Dry allergic cough in an adult and a child is the most common symptom. Implementation of the simple recommendations of doctors, maintaining a healthy lifestyle will help to alleviate symptoms and achieve a stable remission.
If seizures appear, then predisposed people need to understand how to treat a dry allergic cough or reduce unpleasant manifestations at home. It is important to know how to protect yourself, since the ongoing negative reactions in the body for a long time can lead to chronic complications (it can be rhinitis or asthma).