Dry cough in adults without fever

Cough is a protective reaction of the body in response to irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. It can appear due to various reasons: viral and bacterial diseases, smoking, taking medications.

Cough is a physiological mechanism that ensures that the airways are cleared of mucous secretions, irritants and foreign particles.

Causes of dry cough in adults without fever

Cough is the most common reason for visiting a therapist. With the help of examination and X-ray and laboratory data, the doctor can determine the causes of dry cough in adults without fever and choose a treatment. Most often, a dry cough, not accompanied by fever, manifests itself against the background of certain diseases and conditions.¹.

Cold

The common cold is characterized by a paroxysmal, obsessive cough. A person cannot cough completely due to the unproductive urge. Cough will be frequent due to perspiration and sore throat, shortness of breath may occur. The cough is aggravated when the patient assumes a horizontal position. The exacerbation often manifests itself at night, causing sleep disorders.

Bronchitis

Dry cough at normal temperature often manifests itself against the background of bronchitis. The mucus secreted during the inflammatory process accumulates on the walls of the mucous membranes and provokes irritation, resulting in a cough. Initially, coughing with bronchitis is painful, relief does not come even after an attack. The average duration of the disease is 10 days, with proper treatment after this period, the cough will become productive.

Pneumonia

With pneumonia, a dry cough is the result of a bacterial or viral damage to the tissues of the lungs. Urges arise due to local irritation of the bronchi, sputum is not formed. The cough becomes productive on the 7-10th day, at first a small amount of sputum is released, possibly with streaks of blood.

Coronavirus infection

In 20-50% of cases, the course of a coronovirus infection begins with a dry cough. Its intensity gradually increases, weakness joins, shortness of breath may appear with little physical exertion. It is extremely important to consult a doctor in time and start treatment, since the infection is dangerous with many complications.².

Exogenous allergic alveolitis

The second name of the disease is hypersensitivity pneumonitis. This pathology is characterized by the manifestation of a dry paroxysmal cough that occurs due to the ingestion of an allergen into the lungs. The disease can be acute, subacute and chronic. For treatment, glucocorticosteroids are used, which are taken for a long course.

Tuberculosis

Chronic cough is the main symptom of pulmonary tuberculosis. At the initial stage of the development of a dangerous disease, the patient develops a dry obsessive paroxysmal cough, which manifests itself most intensely at night and in the morning, immediately after waking up. As the disease progresses, the cough changes, after attacks, sputum is often released with impurities of pus or blood.

Tumors of the lungs

An unproductive cough is also characteristic of malignant and benign tumors in the lungs at an early stage of their development. The cough will be obsessive but not debilitating, and there is no fever in most cases. As the lesion develops, whitish sputum is formed, which then becomes purulent. In advanced cases, hemoptysis appears.

Laryngitis

Acute laryngitis is characterized by a dry, barking, hacking cough, which eventually turns into a wet one. A characteristic symptom of the disease is a change in the timbre of the voice and its volume. Often the voice becomes quieter and rougher, seems hoarse and may disappear altogether.

Tonsillitis

With tonsillitis, or sore throat, a cough can also appear. It will be unproductive, suffocating. If the infection enters the bronchi or sinuses, sputum will appear. The manifestation of a productive cough with tonsillitis is a dangerous symptom. It indicates that the infectious process is running and requires intensive treatment.

Pharyngitis

Pharyngitis is a chronic or acute inflammatory disease of the mucous membranes and tonsils of the pharynx. Against the background of this pathology, an unproductive dry cough appears, which has an exhausting character. After attacks, nausea and vomiting, headache are possible.

Pharyngitis is characterized by the sensation of a foreign body in the throat.

Rhinitis

With rhinitis, in particular, with its allergic course, bouts of dry cough are possible. They appear due to microcracks in the respiratory tract. Attacks are usually prolonged, may resemble the symptoms of bronchial asthma. In some cases, shortness of breath occurs with significant physical activity.³.

Allergic reaction

The cough may be allergic in nature. Attacks occur as a result of contact with allergens, if they affect the upper respiratory tract.

Bronchial asthma

Cough asthma is a separate type of disease in which the main symptom is a dry, annoying cough without sputum. Urges are completely unproductive, they do not get rid of the mucus that collects in the upper respiratory tract. Cough asthma may not have other characteristic symptoms, such as wheezing or shortness of breath.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

It is a dry, long-term persistent cough that is the main sign of the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cough with such a disease worries the patient literally constantly. As the disease progresses, it becomes moist, accompanied by copious secretion of mucus and pus.

Thyroid disease

Not with all diseases of the thyroid gland, patients are bothered by a dry cough. Such a symptom often manifests itself in compression syndrome, if the gland compresses adjacent tissues. Thyroid diseases are not accompanied by hypersecretion of bronchial mucus. The cough in this case will be dry and constant, it seems that the person is just coughing. In some cases, this greatly affects the patient’s well-being, his condition is accompanied by difficulty breathing, asthma attacks are not ruled out.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease

Symptoms of bronchial obstruction, such as chronic dry cough, often provoke gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is characterized by periodic reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. In addition to a dry cough without fever, it is manifested by problems with swallowing and a feeling that food is stuck in the throat.

Smoking

The so-called smoker’s bronchitis progresses immediately after a person becomes addicted to addiction. It takes 3-5 months for the cough reflex to develop. Dry cough bothers smokers periodically, several times a day, but is more pronounced in the morning. The mechanism of manifestation of such a symptom is due to the fact that the lungs of a smoker are constantly exposed to harmful nicotine effects and cannot fully work.

Taking certain medications

Taking some antihypertensive drugs, namely drugs from the group of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (Captopril, Enalapril, Enap) and beta-blockers (Propranolol, Metoprolol, Anaprilin and the like) provokes the occurrence of dry cough. The symptom completely disappears after discontinuation of drugs and does not require correction.⁴.

Symptoms of dry cough in adults without fever

Symptoms of dry cough in adults without fever can manifest themselves with different intensity, depending on the severity of the course of the disease. Often a cough attack is accompanied by such manifestations:

sore throat and sore throat;
wheezing;
lack of air;
dyspnea;
nasal congestion;
hoarseness of voice;
weakness;
soreness in the chest;
tension or feeling of a foreign object in the throat.

Methods for the treatment of dry cough in adults without fever

Methods for the treatment of dry cough without fever in adults should be selected depending on the causes that provoke it. The optimal treatment regimen includes the use of medications, inhalation⁵. For the best effect, folk remedies are added to the drug regimen.

Pills

Treatment of dry cough without fever in adults should be aimed at eliminating its cause and facilitating coughing. Preparations in the form of tablets are always selected individually by a general practitioner after a complete diagnosis with examination and analysis.

With an unproductive cough, prescribe:

Omnitus;
Libexin;
Stop it;
Rengalin⁶.

When the cough turns into a wet one, sputum thinners are shown (Ambroxol, ACC, Bromhexine). Depending on the type of pathogen (with an infectious cause of the disease), antifungal, antiviral agents or antibacterial drugs are prescribed. Such drugs in the form of tablets are selected by the doctor after clarifying the causative agent of the infection and determining its resistance to the active substance of the drug.

Syrups

Syrups have the same mechanism of action as dry cough tablets. Their main purpose is to relieve the cough reflex.

Antitussive drugs. They are prescribed to suppress the cough reflex. Butamirat, Sinekod, Omnitus and other syrups based on butamirate, geifenesin and prenoxdiazine are used.
Mucolytics, or expectorants. They are prescribed if the cough becomes productive, but sputum is secreted in small quantities. Most often, these are herbal preparations: thermopsis syrup with licorice, marshmallow syrup, thyme syrup, Glycodin.

A specific treatment regimen, including tablets and syrups for dry cough, is selected by the doctor after examining the patient.

inhalation

The most effective way to treat dry cough due to respiratory diseases is inhalation. Such therapy is indicated for colds accompanied by obstructive syndrome, pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD.

The drug suitable for treatment, doses and methods of spraying are determined by the attending physician. Errors during inhalation procedures can lead to a sharp deterioration in the patient’s well-being and the occurrence of severe side effects.

Most often, Ambroxol is recommended for inhalation. It improves the discharge of mucous secretions and allows you to translate an obsessive dry cough into a productive one. The use of this remedy is justified if the cough in an adult is the result of a chronic or acute infection.

If the cause of the cough is heart failure, inhalations using saline, chamomile, or other soothing herbs are prescribed. Before prescribing herbal preparations, they are convinced of the absence of their intolerance by the patient’s body.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies will help to alleviate the condition with a dry cough without fever. The following recipes are considered the safest and most effective:

Milk with honey. Add a teaspoon of natural honey to a glass of warm milk. If the cough is the result of laryngitis, tonsillitis or pharyngitis, it is worth adding a little butter to the drink. This ingredient will help relieve irritation from the mucous membranes of the throat.
Tea with basil. Leaves of green basil are poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for 5-10 minutes. The drink is filtered and taken 2-3 times a day.
Black radish syrup. A recess is made in the root crop and honey is put into it, put in a glass and wait (1 day) until the plant releases juice. Use the finished portion and again put honey in the radish.
Ginger tea with cinnamon. Ginger root is rubbed on a fine grater, 1-2 inflorescences of dried cloves and a pinch of cinnamon are added to it. Pour the ingredients with boiling water, insist 15 minutes. You can add lemon to the drink. It should be drunk throughout the day.

Hot water will help to significantly alleviate the course of a dry cough in adults. Drink at least 2 liters of fluid per day. This will make the cough productive faster and clear the airways in the event of an infection.

Prevention of dry cough in adults at home

Preventing a dry cough is easier than getting rid of it, which is why doctors recommend following simple preventive recommendations:

quit smoking;
timely treat respiratory diseases;
avoid hypothermia;
try to be less in dusty rooms;
minimize contact with allergens;
maintain optimal humidity in the living room (30-60%);
follow the rules of hygiene;
move more and regularly take walks in the fresh air;
increase immunity, take a complex of vitamins in autumn and spring.