What is Cough?
As a result of our body’s defense against unwanted external agents, our respiratory system, along with our immune system, produces a cough. A movement that produces a sound, with the intention of clearing the lungs, airways and throat, eliminating mucus and secretions. The cough is usually associated with an infectious disease or allergies, but it is not always serious or needs treatment with medication.
Other symptoms that accompany the cough are used to identify which illness the child or adult has. Some symptoms such as fever, body aches, difficulty breathing, headaches, nasal congestion, etc. can help the doctor confirm a diagnosis of flu, cold, or other infection.
Coughing may produce a wetter, drier or harsher sound. There are several types of cough. The acute cough, for example, is eliminated in less than two weeks. Chronic cough is considered when it does not end in less than four weeks.
Types
Dry cough: it is one of the most troublesome to the patient, it is not accompanied by secretion. The sensation is as if the body wants to eliminate something, but it cannot. This cough usually occurs in causes of allergic rhinitis, acute irritant pharyngitis, viral, bacterial and fungal infections. Also tonsillitis; irritative, viral and bacterial laryngitis; tracheitis or laryngotracheitis; asthma; acute bronchitis; infectious pneumonia; or even pulmonary embolism (in which case it can lead to death if not treated in time and correctly); etc.
Productive cough: in this type of cough, unlike dry cough, mucus (phlegm) is produced and eliminated. This mucus can have different colors and this color is usually used to aid in the diagnosis – it can be colorless, whitish, yellowish, greenish, grayish, reddish, thick, thin, etc.
The mucus produced by the productive cough is made in glands that are below the mucosa of the inner lining of the airways, as a means of defense against external agents (which can be pathogenic).
Man With Cough
Acute cough: Acute cough is when the symptom starts suddenly, it is usually accompanied by other symptoms of a flu or a cold. OR also any allergies, such as rhinitis. It is considered acute when it persists for less than three weeks.
Subacute cough: when the symptom (whether productive or not) lasts between three and six weeks.
Chronic cough: in this case, the cough persists for more than eight weeks.
Cough And Coronavirus
Cough is one of the main symptoms of the disease that is causing the current Pandemic. People infected with the new coronavirus (the SARS-CoV-2 virus) have several symptoms, coughing is one of the main early symptoms. For this reason, health agencies warn against the use of a protective mask, especially if you have a cough, since it is the main form of spread of viruses and other microorganisms.
Causes of Cough
- Infections by microorganisms in the airways
- Entry of external agents (dust, mites, etc.) through the airways
- Use of blood pressure-controlling drugs
- Rhinitis and allergic sinusitis
- Asthma
- Pulmonary emphysema
- Chronic bronchitis
- Smoking (including passive smokers)
- Exophageal reflux disease
- Interstitial lung disease
- Lung or airway tumors
- Lung infections
- Tuberculosis
Serious Signs – See A Doctor Immediately In These Cases
- Cough with greenish or reddish pulmonary secretion (blood)
- Bleeding cough
- Sudden weight loss accompanying cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever for more than three days
- Cough lasting more than two weeks
Cough Treatments
The treatment for cough can vary widely. It can only be defined and objective for a cure if the doctor knows the exact cause of the cough. Therefore, treatment is directly linked to its cause. It may be through the administration of antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, scarring, syrups, etc.
Coughing Woman
However, some precautions are basic and common to all types of cough:
Body rest
Hydration (ingest more than half a liter to the recommended amount for your weight)
Inhalation
Nasal and airway lavage with pure saline
Effective Homemade Solutions to Minimize Cough
Thyme
Thyme is an herb commonly used to flavor food. However, it has long been used to cure coughs, infections, among others. In Germany it is considered an approved treatment for cough, respiratory infections, bronchitis, whooping cough, etc.
It has many compounds that relieve the discomfort of cough, such as flavonoids, which have the ability to relax the muscles of the trachea and larynx. To use, you can prepare an infusion with boiling water and two teaspoons of the leaves, leaving for 10 minutes in a covered cup.
Flaxseed, honey and lemon
Another home remedy that can cure a cough for good is flaxseed tea, lemon and honey. To do this, simply boil the flaxseed until a sticky gel is obtained and add, after cooling, the lemon and honey (half a squeezed lemon and three tablespoons of honey). To make it a more powerful shot against coughing, you can add twenty drops of propolis (non-alcoholic, if it is for children) and a little ginger (you can boil a piece with the flaxseed). This mixture will form a syrup that you can keep in the fridge for a day and take a tablespoon (at room temperature or slightly cold) whenever your throat is dry (or hourly).
Black pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a powerful remedy against cough. It has very different origins in medicines from different parts of the world. In New England and Chinese medicine this is a food widely used to treat coughs of various causes. What explains this fact is that the pepper stimulates the circulation and also the flow of mucus. This speeds up the process of eliminating mucus and along with it the agents that cause cough, such as microorganisms.
To use black pepper, just make an infusion. Prepare a teaspoon for each cup, add two teaspoons of honey and add boiling water. Cover completely and wait for the infusion for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain before taking. Remembering that this tea is more suitable for productive cough, since it works by eliminating mucus and has no positive effect on dry cough.
