There is no person who has not suffered an acute respiratory illness at least once. Cough, like a runny nose, is a frequent companion to most of these diseases. Some immediately go to the nearest pharmacy for cough medicine, while others prefer to use grandmother's proven recipes in the fight against the disease.
Cough function
The task of coughing is to rid the body of foreign substances. A person takes about 22 thousand breaths per day, with each of which an average of 55 thousand dust particles, pollen grains and particles of cigarette smoke enter the body. As a result, almost 2 tablespoons of dust enter the respiratory system per day! To prevent their penetration into the lungs, nature supplied the cells of the mucous membrane of the respiratory system with special cilia, which sweep out all particles larger than 3 microns in diameter. Anything smaller is deposited in the lungs. Various adverse situations, smoking, dry air, poplar fluff, car exhausts, industrial emissions and also weakened immunity - all this does not allow the respiratory system to cope with the increased load, and such an unpleasant symptom as a cough arises. With the help of mucus, protective antibodies and features of the bronchial mucosa, the body gradually gets rid of them. The bronchi of a healthy person every day produce mucus in the amount of 50-150 ml. When a person is sick, more mucus is produced, while lung ventilation is impaired, and coughing helps to remove it and cleanse the respiratory organs. Mucus congestion leads to pneumonia - pneumonia. But coughing does not always provide relief; it often disturbs sleep and well-being. In addition, it can be a sign of diseases more dangerous than acute respiratory infections, and the use of a variety of medicines can not only not help, but also harm health.
Cough Reasons
Coughing can be a manifestation of inflammation of any part of the respiratory system of the body, as well as a symptom of the following diseases and conditions:
- laryngitis;
- tracheitis;
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- whooping cough and pertussis;
- allergic diseases;
- pulmonary tuberculosis;
- asthma;
- pleurisy;
- respiratory discomfort;
- obsessive state syndrome.
How to alleviate the condition of a person who coughs? What can I use from a cough? It depends on what symptoms, that is, what kind of cough he has.
What happens
Cough is divided into dry and wet. Dry cough most often bothers at the onset of the disease due to irritation of the upper respiratory tract, when mucus is still not produced enough. Dry cough does not provide relief to the body, but on the contrary, sometimes it simply depletes a person. Wet is called as productive, that is, one that produces a lot of mucus, it is removed from the body when a person coughs. Such a cough should not be suppressed, since it cleanses the body.
How to moisturize
The main goal in the treatment of cough is to translate dry into wet, less irritating. Then the affected mucous membranes of the trachea or bronchi will be most naturally cleansed of the products of inflammation. And when they are completely cleansed, then the cough will stop bothering.
When the cough becomes wet, it already bothers the patient less. In order for it to become wet and less disturbed, drugs are usually prescribed that increase the amount of mucus and dilute sputum. These usually include a variety of herbal-based extracts and potions, as well as synthetic products that help cough up phlegm. In order for it to separate quickly, it should not be thick and viscous. From a wet cough, there are many potions, infusions, herbal syrups. In fact, in most cases, the course of any acute respiratory infections is subject to certain laws, and if it is ordinary acute respiratory infections or bronchitis, with sufficient drinking and the necessary moisturizing of the air, the cough gradually moistens. Therefore, it is not always necessary to recruit a bunch of the most effective medicines in a pharmacy, because even the most expensive remedy will not do it with lightning speed. You can always pick up a cough for an inexpensive effective tool in the form of decoctions of pharmaceutical herbs. If the patient has a wet cough and sputum is easily removed, giving him an expectorant is not at all advisable, since almost all of them contribute to an increase in the amount of mucus in the airways. Moreover, you can’t take medications without a doctor’s prescription, especially for children for whom they are dangerous for sputum stagnation and the development of complications. If the cough does not go away, the doctor should prescribe an effective cough remedy, examining the patient.
The centuries-old history of medicine knows a huge number of recipes from this ailment, which are transmitted from generation to generation and are still used by mankind, and some new drugs are created on the basis of some.
Origin of the disease
The fact that the cough is aggravated in wet weather is due to the fact that its origin may not be microbial, but fungal. Such bronchitis does not respond to the usual antibiotic treatment and always turn into chronic. In addition, dampness is the best suited for intensive reproduction of mold fungi, their smallest spores get into the respiratory tract along with dust. Harmless to a person with strong immunity, they are waiting in the wings, so that the first weakening of the body's natural defenses goes on the attack. Therefore, for reliability, you need to brew antifungal herbs.
Herbal Antifungal Teas
For example, fragrant creeping thyme tea, which is active against pathogenic fungi. It has a disinfectant, anti-inflammatory, calming, expectorant effect.
Thyme possesses the same properties, which very well warms up the body. Broth do so: 1 tbsp. l Thyme pour boiling water in an amount of 200 ml and wrap for several hours. Drink 2 tbsp. l 4 times a day with bronchitis, whooping cough, dry spastic cough, bronchial asthma.
Nowadays, treatment without medications, using the gifts of nature is gaining more and more popularity. Herbal medicines are well tolerated, they have rare and mild side effects compared to synthetic analogues. They include a whole range of biologically active substances that provide a complex effect on the body.
Folk recipes
Many people help from coughing for adults, for example:
- Grind a clove of garlic, put in a container with 2 cups of milk. Boil, remove from heat, cool and add 30 g of honey. Use throughout the day.
- Boil a chicken egg, chop, mix thoroughly with a tablespoon of honey and eat.
- Boil half a liter of milk, remove the dishes from the stove and pour 1 tbsp. l buds of pine. Wrap well, insist on a slightly warm broth. Use it for a day, if the cough does not go away at a time, repeat the procedure.
- For coughing for adults, folk remedies are prepared on the basis of vodka. Grind a glass of pine nuts, add a glass of sugar and half a liter of vodka to them. Withstand 2 weeks and take 5 ml three times a day.
- 2 tbsp. l seeds of ordinary carrots for half a liter of vodka, withstand 7 days. Use 1 tbsp. l after a couple of hours after eating, without washing down.
Prescriptions for a long form of the disease
If a lingering cough does not go away, the following is an effective cough suppressant:
- Take raw yolk, 100 g of sugar, 30 g of butter and grind everything well.
- Add boiled milk to this mixture. Drink hot in bed, well wrapped up. The cough passes after 3-4 such procedures.
- It will help if the cough does not go away , an effective cough suppressant. To grind the flesh of one grapefruit add 120 g of cahors and 200 g of honey. Take a tablespoon of the product every hour.
Lung tuberculosis medicine :
- 1 tbsp. l chicory combine with 1 tbsp. l motherwort, pour in a thermos in the evening and pour 400 ml of boiling water.
- Strained infusion to drink throughout the day. In the evening, again lay the grass in a thermos and in the morning take a new infusion.
- Two months of taking the infusion destroy the Koch wand.
Grinding also helps when the cough persists.
An effective cough remedy is obtained if you carefully mix one glass of honey, vodka and fried sunflower oil. Moisten cotton napkins in this composition, and wring it out, put it on the chest and back. Cover with compress paper, cotton and wrap well. Keep the compress for an hour and a half. In this case, you need to wrap yourself so that you sweat until sweat drops on your forehead. The recipe is proven, it helps with bronchitis and pneumonia.
Cough in children
The most effective cough remedy for children is anise oil. You should buy aniseed oil to make a healthy and tasty remedy for your child at home. In 1 tsp. drip honey, 1 drop of oil, mix, drink with warm tea. Drink 4 times a day a quarter of an hour before meals. A sweet medicine treats bronchitis, laryngitis, any cough and cold.
Another recipe for the little ones. Take equal amounts of mustard, honey, flour and vegetable oil. All combine and apply for compresses. This recipe helps, even if antibiotics are powerless.
You can calm the cough with the help of aromas of medicinal plants. To do this, drop 1-2 drops of peppermint, anise or lavender essential oil into a glass of hot water and place the dishes next to the child’s bed.
Coughing during pregnancy
Pregnant women need to be treated, otherwise a neglected disease can adversely affect the well-being of the mother and harm the baby. Treatment depends on the duration of pregnancy, because, as you know, in the first trimester almost all medicines are contraindicated. What can pregnant women cough is a variety of herbal inhalations, drinking hot milk with honey or tea with lemon.
Pharmaceutical medicines should be treated with great care at this time so that the chemistry does not harm the baby. If it is impossible to do without pills, the observing doctor individually selects a cough remedy with minimal risk for the developing fetus. Such a remedy may be cough tablets "Mukaltin", made on the basis of plant materials.
The active components of the drug - marshmallow extract and soda - do not have a dangerous effect on the unborn child, marshmallow improves the function of the respiratory tract, thereby increasing sputum formation. Soda contained in the preparation dilutes sputum. All this makes the cough productive and accelerates the recovery of the future mother.
"Herbion" - a natural healer
"Herbion" - a pharmacy cough syrup, which is a medicinal fluid with bronchodilator and antispasmodic properties. The syrup contains a natural ingredient - dried ivy extract, which enriches the body with healing components.
To properly use the "Herbion" from a cough, the instructions for use describe the dose of the drug as follows:
- adults and children from 6 years old - 5-7.5 ml three times a day;
- children from 2 to 6 years old - 2.5 ml three times a day;
- younger than 2 years - only if prescribed by a doctor.
There are also contraindications - the medicine should not be taken by patients with intolerance to the components of the drug, as well as fructose. "Herbion" also can not be used during pregnancy and lactation.
Cough Ointments
The main ingredients of such ointments are animal fats and essential oils. In the process of their contact with the skin, the following processes occur:
- blood circulation improves;
- beneficial vapors of essential oils have beneficial effects on the airways;
- the body warms up.
Ointment rubs the chest - this helps to relieve inflammation, the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms. With the help of warming, the bronchi expand, coughing and sputum production are facilitated. In addition to this effect, the components, getting through the skin, enhance the immune system. Ointment is one of those few remedies that pregnant women can use for cough and colds without risking harm to the child. It is also possible to use for young children.
Cough ointment with propolis is also a very effective remedy. She successfully treats cough in adults and children, suitable for pregnant women.
Rub a small amount of propolis ointment into the chest, except for the area of the heart.
Warnings
In order to prevent complications of the disease, and correctly diagnose, you should consult a doctor in a timely manner. With a protracted cough that lasts up to a month, if blood or chest pain appears, breathing is difficult and quickened, constant fatigue, weight loss sharply, chills or fever above 38.3 C are observed, it is simply necessary to see a doctor. These symptoms cannot be ignored: they may indicate more serious illnesses.
Diagnosing is not so easy, sometimes it is not easy to do, even if you have a medical background. Coughing can be caused by inflammation of any of the airways and treatment should be carried out depending on the diagnosis. Modern medicine does not contradict the treatment of cough with folk remedies, a real doctor always has several recipes for this ailment in his reserve. It is necessary to adhere to the middle ground between traditional and traditional methods of treatment, so that they complement each other, because to maintain health any of them are good.