When we have a persistent cough, we think about reaching for a preparation that will effectively stop it. Cough is most often a symptom accompanying a cold, but sometimes also more serious diseases for which we already use other pharmaceuticals. So how to combine cough remedies with other preparations to make it safe for us? What should you remember about?
A cough is usually associated with a cold. Not without reason – it is estimated that about 80 percent. cases of acute cough, lasting no longer than three weeks, is caused by viral infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract. A cold, however, also carries a whole range of other symptoms: fever, runny nose or sore throat are just some of them. In view of such a wide range of symptoms, it is worth knowing whether the simultaneous use of cough medications and preparations alleviating other symptoms is safe.
Types of cough
To understand how different cough medications work and what interactions they may have, it is important to understand the differences between the different types of cough itself and the underlying cause of it. Due to the nature of the cough, we can divide the cough into dry, otherwise unproductive, and wet, that is, productive or moist.
In the classic course of viral respiratory tract infection, it is initially dry cough accompanied by fever or sore throat. This type of cough is the result of irritation of the epithelium in the airways and the release of chemical mediators. A dry cough is very tiring and often causes additional irritation in the throat.
After a few days of infection, the symptom turns into a wet cough with expectoration of secretions from the lungs. This cough is not as violent and tiring as a dry cough, but its proper treatment is extremely important because the secretion in the lungs is an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. If we do not treat a wet cough in time, the likelihood of a dangerous bacterial superinfection, which will result in antibiotic therapy, increases. In turn, treatment with antibiotics significantly weakens the natural bacterial flora of the body, leading to a long-term decrease in immunity. That is why the use of appropriate medications for wet cough is so important.
Treatment of dry cough
Cough, including dry cough, is a defense mechanism and suppression should be kept to a minimum. However, due to the tiring nature, especially in children, antitussive preparations are sometimes used in cases of unproductive cough, which inhibit this natural reflex. However, it should be remembered that when a wet cough occurs, you must stop taking these agents.
Treatment of wet cough
In the case of wet cough, it is extremely important to facilitate the expectoration of secretions in the lungs. For this reason, remember to drink plenty of fluids and humidify the air. With productive cough, mucokinetic and mucolytic drugs are extremely helpful, that is, they stimulate the bronchial glands and thin the secretions.
Źródła:
1. Piotr Albrecht – © Borgis – Family Medicine 6/2004, pp. 268-277. Whether and how to symptomatically treat respiratory tract infections. Retrieved from: http://www.czytelniamedyczna.pl/558,czy-i-jak-leczyc-objawowo-zakazenia-drog-oddechowych.html
2. Piotr Albrecht, Andrzej Radzikowski – © Borgis – Nowa Medycyna 1/2009, pp. 21-26. Symptomatic treatment of respiratory tract infections. Retrieved from: http://www.czytelniamedyczna.pl/1246,leczenie-objawowe-zakaze-drlg-oddechowych.html
3. Halina Batura-Gabryel – © Borgis – Nowa Medycyna 1/2012, pp. 7-9. Cough – a difficult clinical problem. Retrieved from: http://www.czytelniamedyczna.pl/3986,kaszel-trudny-problem-kliniczny.html