Many diseases of the respiratory system have a cough among the symptoms.
If you treat them incorrectly, do not go to the doctor, refuse hospitalization, you can get a chronic cough.
The reasons
Frequent urge to cough can indicate a disease or the consequences of a previous illness, as well as signal an allergy or permanent injury to the mucous membranes.
Most often, adults have this symptom, children are less susceptible to it.
If the cough does not go away for more than two months, the reasons may include:
- constant smoking;
- allergy;
- ecological situation;
- irritation of the mucous membrane after illness;
- heartburn;
- asthma;
- chronic respiratory diseases;
- oncology;
- tuberculosis;
- side effects of drugs;
- heart disease;
- formation on the lung tissue;
- psyche;
- other factors that affect the condition of the throat and airways.
Most often, patients are faced with asthma, poor environmental conditions, smoking, allergies and chronic forms of disease.
Symptoms
Chronic cough differs depending on the underlying cause. Its long-term presence indicates the transition of the disease into a chronic course.
Smokers always have phlegm during attacks, they cough especially strongly in the morning, and this happens regardless of gender.
If the cough comes more often at night, it is dry, then this indicates the development of asthma. Also, the patient has shortness of breath, wheezing, chest pain. But this is not the final diagnosis yet.
If fever, sweating, and weakness are added to a persistent chronic cough, it may be untreated bronchitis, oncology or tuberculosis.
With the simultaneous presence of spit congestion and coughing, the doctor may suspect postnasal syndrome. Cough appears due to irritation of the nasopharynx, that is, it is a consequence of rhinitis.
If a person’s work is connected with chemicals, harmful production, his respiratory tract is constantly irritated, hence a dry cough with a small amount of secretion appears. The same character of cough is observed with allergies.
Diagnostics
To determine the exact diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe several procedures. To know about the condition of a person as a whole, a specialist collects an anamnesis and prescribes tests and studies that will confirm or deny the assumptions.
Their set will differ depending on age, gender and other parameters.
Postnasal syndrome is determined only by the history and listening of the patient. A runny nose is determined without further research, as is throat irritation.
To find bronchitis, the doctor will order a complete blood count and X-ray examination. In the picture, he can find the lesion. A smoker undergoes the same examination.
Problems can be in the case when the same symptoms can accompany different pathologies. Then they take a swab from the throat, sputum, can conduct a biochemical blood test, endoscopy and other research methods.
Treatment
Chronic cough is treated for a long time, success is possible only if the diagnosis is correct, and the patient fulfills all the prescriptions of a specialist. For each patient, his own tactics are selected, because all people are individual.
In order for an adult to cope with a symptom faster, he must adhere to these rules:
- If the cough does not go away for a long time, you should be examined by a doctor. Some of the diseases that cause this symptom progress rapidly.
- A cough that does not disappear for a long time indicates the presence of an illness. It is impossible to get rid of the symptom without eliminating the original source. Smokers are advised to quit their addiction.
- You cannot go through self-medication without consulting a specialist.
- If the cough does not go away after the course of treatment, it is necessary to undergo the diagnosis again.
- Some illnesses do not go away for a very long time, but you cannot quit therapy because of this. With a disciplined approach, you can get rid of any disease, or at least stop it.
You cannot take only drugs that suppress coughs. This will only worsen the situation, because a neglected disease always leads to serious consequences.
To avoid an asthma attack, the patient must stop smoking, be careful at home and not come into contact with an irritating substance. For treatment, antihistamines, corticosteroids are prescribed.
Postnasal syndrome implies the earliest possible elimination of the common cold, which leads to a persistent cough.
This can be done with antibiotics, medication for nasal congestion, and antiviral drugs. You can also use drugs for allergies and to increase immunity.
Bronchitis is treated only with antibiotics, in order to help coughing up, you must also take mucolytics and drugs to raise immunity, vitamins.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend folk remedies that have proven effective. For example, pharmacies sell herbal preparations that help remove phlegm and soothe irritated mucous throats.
Some are helped by propolis, it has an antimicrobial effect. This component is used in pharmacology for the production of drugs.
Prevention
In order not to develop a chronic cough, it is necessary to follow simple recommendations – to prevent colds and other diseases, and if they appear, to treat them promptly.
Also, experts recommend:
- do not delay going to the clinic if a person feels bad, no matter what symptoms are observed;
- do not miss the annual checkups at the place of residence;
- be vaccinated so as not to suffer from dangerous diseases;
- avoid contact with irritants that lead to coughing;
- do not smoke, use personal protective equipment when working in hazardous production;
- eat right, temper, play sports, be outdoors more often, observe the ventilation regime.
Chronic cough is not a disease, but it can indicate a problem in the past or present.
In any case, if it has been going on for several months, you should seek the advice of a doctor in order to determine the exact cause of its appearance.