Cough – when does it appear and what can it signal?

Proven content

When a cough occurs, we usually think of it as a symptom of a cold. In many cases, however, the cause of coughing are completely different ailments, so we should never underestimate it. Find out when you are coughing and what it might herald.

Coughing is an unconditional reflex, aimed at removing secretions from the respiratory tract or removing impurities that got there with the inhaled air. Coughing itself is a welcome reflex and is part of the defense mechanisms of the respiratory system. In some cases, such as choking, this reflex can even save a life. Coughing is most often caused by irritation of the cough points located in the trachea, bronchi, larynx or nasopharynx. There are two types of cough due to its nature.

The first of these is a productive cough, at the same time expelling the secretion in the airways. Non-productive cough, also known as dry, occurs without the coughing up of the mucus, and therefore also without the characteristic “wet” sound. We also divide cough according to its duration; A cough that lasts up to three weeks is acute, a cough that lasts up to eight weeks is chronic, and a cough that lasts more than eight weeks is a chronic cough. While this symptom can be extremely tiring, it is also a fairly common symptom, and we often ignore it. Meanwhile, coughing can signal a dangerous, serious ailments, so determining its cause is extremely important.

Cough and respiratory system infections

Cough is most often a symptom of respiratory system diseases, although of course it may also occur in diseases of other systems or be the result of exposure to irritating environmental factors. In upper respiratory tract infections, acute cough appears, which is usually the result of a viral infection. In the initial stage of infection, it is a non-productive cough, which gradually turns into a productive cough, which causes the expectoration of secretions remaining in the respiratory tract. Sometimes, at the end of the infection, the cough turns back into a dry cough and can last for several weeks.

1. Also read: Colds in pregnancy – how to treat? What to use, what drugs?

The time it takes to cough is important

If the cough is not related to an upper respiratory infection, care should be taken about how long it lasts. Acute cough, i.e. lasting up to three weeks, occurs not only with colds, pneumonia or bronchitis, but also with seasonal allergies or pulmonary edema, as well as with exposure to irritants such as smog or tobacco smoke. On the other hand, chronic cough, lasting up to eight weeks, most often occurs after a viral infection.

Chronic cough lasting more than eight weeks occurs in bronchial asthma, left ventricular failure, obstructive pulmonary disease, and gastrointestinal reflux.

1. In bronchial asthma, coughing attacks are provoked by contact with an allergen, exercise or low temperature.
2. In the case of heart failure, coughing is accompanied by shortness of breath and a marked crackling sound when breathing.
3. Coughing with gastro-intestinal reflux is caused by stomach acids irritating the esophagus. A non-productive cough appears most often in the supine position after eating or immediately after getting out of bed, and is often accompanied by heartburn.
4. Chronic cough also occurs with tuberculosis. At the initial stage of the disease, the cough is dry. Later, sputum is expectorated, often with visible blood.

If you want to soothe your cough, drink Cough – a herbal and fruit tea that supports the proper functioning of the upper respiratory tract.

With allergies, not only a runny nose

Although allergies are associated with runny nose, sneezing and watery eyes, an allergic cough is a common type of cough. Its severity and duration depend on the duration of exposure to the irritating factor, i.e. the allergen. The most common allergens include pollen, fungal germs, animal hair, but also food allergens. Allergic cough often occurs seasonally, for example during the pollen season of allergenic plants.

Smoker’s cough

Chronic cough also occurs in smokers. The harmful substances in tobacco smoke irritate the mucosa of the respiratory tract and damage the ciliary epithelium. Initially, the cough is dry, and later the accumulated mucus is coughed up. In extreme cases, even blood may appear in the discharge.

Cough as a side effect of medication

A dry, long-lasting cough may also be the result of taking drugs from the group of convertase inhibitors, taken in the case of heart failure and high blood pressure. In this case, the cough resolves spontaneously after discontinuation of therapy.

Cough from… stress?

Chronic cough can also be psychological. Some people experience only slight coughing under stress, while others experience violent coughing attacks. This type of cough is difficult to diagnose and other causes, such as allergies, infections, lung or heart diseases, should be ruled out in sequence.

Treatment of certain types of cough

Identifying the type of cough you are dealing with is very important in treatment. We behave differently in the case of a wet cough and differently with a tiring dry cough. A wet cough is a desirable cough which leads to the expectoration of secretions remaining in the respiratory tract. Often, however, the discharge is too thick and sticky to be easily spewed out. In this case, mucolytic agents are used to thin the secretion and facilitate its expectoration. This is very important because the secretion in the lungs is conducive to dangerous bacterial infections. It should be noted that mucolytic drugs should not be used 4-6 hours before bedtime.

In the case of dry cough, you can take measures to alleviate it. In this case, the medications can also be taken in the evening. It is worth drinking Pukka Three Licorice regularly – a tea with licorice that relieves the symptoms of both wet and dry cough. The licorice elixir can also be found in the COVID set consisting of: Coronachinin capsules, Fix Wirustop tea and the licorice elixir.

Both in the case of dry and wet cough, it will work For cough – a herbal mixture for children available in a large package with a capacity of up to 500g.

See also:

1. What is the human papillomavirus? There are many myths about him
2. These diseases make it impossible to obtain a driving license

For a long time you have not been able to find the cause of your ailments or are you still looking for it? Do you want to tell us your story or draw attention to a common health problem? Write to the address [email protected] #Together we can do more