Cough, one of the most important defense mechanisms in the respiratory system of the human body, protects the lungs against external influences and occurs as a reflex. There are many causes of cough, mostly caused by viruses, and in order to find the most accurate answer, other symptoms such as fever should be taken into account and a doctor's examination should be consulted. In addition to medication, there are also natural remedies for cough relief. The most common and effective of these is a mixture of honey and ginger. A mixture of black pepper and honey, milk with honey, many herbal teas and plenty of water consumption are also effective methods to relieve cough.
What is a cough?
Cough is the most important defense mechanism in the respiratory system of the human body. It protects the lungs against all kinds of influences and occurs reflexively. With cough, unwanted substances coming from outside are prevented from entering the respiratory tract of the human body and all kinds of secretions in the respiratory tract are expelled. It also cleans the phlegm in the throat.
How does a cough occur?
When all kinds of dirt, dust and allergens that can itch the throat enter the airways of the human body, the nerves in the brain are stimulated. With this warning, the brain sends the command to expel this substance that harms the body. With this command, the abdominal muscles tense and the air in the lungs comes out quickly with a cough.
What Causes a Cough?
In order to properly understand the cause of a cough, which is often caused by viruses, it is important to pay attention to how long the cough lasts, whether other substances such as blood are present with the cough, and whether other symptoms begin in the body.
When the cough is short-lived, it is usually natural and harmless, but a prolonged cough that does not subside is a sign that something is wrong in the body.
Types of cough
Acute Cough
Coughs that persist for less than 3-4 weeks. It occurs with periodic disorders. It is usually caused by respiratory tract infections. Conditions that affect the respiratory tract and cause coughing;
- Influenza
- Pharyngitis
- Spring Allergy
- Bronchitis
- Pneumonia
- Whooping cough
- Inhalation of throat irritant
- Acute Sinusitis
Chronic Cough
Coughs that persist for 8-9 weeks or more. The symptoms of a chronic cough begin when the throat first becomes dry and starts to hurt. Chronic coughs are mostly caused by nasal discharge, asthma and reflux. In addition to these diseases, it can also be caused by lung cancer, bronchial enlargement and lung diseases. Therefore, it is very important to get an examination and get the correct diagnosis in such long-lasting coughs. Sputum test, methacholine test, chest x-ray and computed tomography scan can be applied to diagnose chronic cough. Cough, allergy and asthma medications can be used to treat chronic cough, as well as surgery for tumors and obstructions that may occur. In addition to these, increasing water consumption, further humidifying the air in the environment and completely eliminating smoking from life also help in the treatment of chronic cough. Other things that cause chronic cough;
- Intensive Smoking
- Nasal discharge
- Dryness of the mucous membrane lining the upper and lower respiratory tract
- Reflux
- Asthma
- Upper and Lower Respiratory Allergy
- COPD
- Tuberculosis (Tuberculosis)
- Lung Fungal Infections
Dry Cough
Coughs that are not accompanied by phlegm are called dry coughs. Dry coughs are caused by excessive dust, poorly ventilated environments and cigarette smoke. A dry cough can also be caused by an infection in the respiratory tract caused by viruses. Dry cough can also be caused by certain medications. It mostly occurs in the winter season and when the cold increases.
Allergic cough
Coughs that occur when the human body reacts to something it is allergic to are called allergic coughs. Getting treatment for the allergy causing the cough will also stop the cough.
Cough with phlegm
Cough with phlegm, also known as wet cough, occurs when a thick yellow and green liquid comes from the throat during coughing. It has a slimy consistency. It occurs mostly in winter and fall. If the cough with phlegm is caused by a cold, medication and rest are sufficient to relieve the cough with phlegm. If the sputum has a bad odor, the person may have a lung abscess. Lung abscess occurs when microorganisms in the mouth and throat are inhaled and travel to the lungs.
Cough in infants and children
Coughing in infants and children greatly affects and disrupts both the sleep and non-sleeping life of the child. Coughing is one of the main reasons why children are taken to hospital. Sometimes this is a sign of a serious problem and sometimes it is a simple condition. In order to understand this, the child should definitely be taken to a doctor's examination.
The most common causes of coughing in infants and children are as follows;
- Influenza
- Tonsillitis (tonsillitis)
- Sinusitis
- Bronchitis
- Asthma
- Allergic Cough
- Pneumonia
- Ingress of a foreign body
Viruses are the most common cause of cough. On average, a child can have up to 12 viral infections a year, especially in children who interact a lot with other children. Viruses can cause children to cough several times a day for several weeks. If these coughs have lasted for more than 4 weeks, the child should be seen by a doctor.
When should children who cough be examined?
- If the cough has lasted 4 weeks or more
- If it always increases more
- If it negatively affects the child's life
- If cough is accompanied by bloody sputum
- Babies younger than 3 months have a cough
- If the child turns blue during a cough
- If the cough is enough to suffocate the child
- If the child vomits after a cough
What does a dry cough indicate?
The most common causes of dry cough are asthma, reflux, lung diseases, sinusitis, allergies, thyroid inflammation, laryngeal cancer, hypertension medications, lack of moisture and psychological reasons.
- Asthma: If the dry cough is caused by asthma, the cough is accompanied by symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing and tightness in the chest. It occurs more frequently at night and becomes chronic.
- Reflux When the person lies on his/her back
- Lung Diseases: Cough may be caused by diseases such as tuberculosis, emphysema, pneumonia, sarcoidosis, nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis. In order to be able to say that dry cough is caused by these diseases, symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, sweating, constant fatigue and rapid weight loss should be present in addition to the cough.
- Sinusitis Sinusitis is one of the causes of dry cough and is accompanied by nasal discharge.
- Allergies: Allergies can cause sneezing, itchy and stuffy nose. By finding out the root cause of the allergy through an allergy test, the cough can be stopped with appropriate treatment.
- Thyroid Gland Inflammation: If the cough is caused by inflammation of the thyroid gland, it is wheezy.
- Larynx Cancer: In people who consume too much cigarettes, if there is phlegm along with coughing, this is most likely a symptom of laryngeal cancer.
- Hypertension Drugs: The most common side effect of hypertension medications is dry cough. In order to prevent this situation, a separate medication that can stop coughing can be started under the supervision of a doctor.
- Lack of Moisture: During the winter months, appliances such as radiators, stoves and electric heaters used in homes and workplaces dry the air in the room. Decreased humidity in the room also causes the throat to dry out and coughing begins to occur. A humidifier can be used to increase the humidity in the room or half a bowl of water can be placed on the heater core.
Why does a cough occur when lying down?
A cough that increases at night when you go to bed or after eating is usually a sign of reflux. However, a night cough can also be a sign of heart failure. In order to get rid of the cough and lead a healthy life, you should consult a doctor, get the right diagnosis and the right treatment. Drops and moisturizers are also effective to reduce this cough. At the same time, fluid consumption is also effective in reducing cough.
When is a cough dangerous?
- If the cough lasts longer than 2 weeks and does not go away with medical treatments
- If the cough is accompanied by high fever and shortness of breath
- If bloody sputum comes with coughing
When these situations occur, the person should definitely go to a doctor and determine what is causing the cough.
What is metallic cough and vomiting cough?
Metallic cough: It occurs in diseases related to the trachea and large bronchi. This cough is high-pitched and has a metallic sound.
Vomiting cough: Vomiting occurs when the cough is severe and occurs in bouts. This cough is usually more common in children.
What is a reflux cough?
Cough caused by reflux causes chronic infections in the lower and upper respiratory tract of the human body. If reflux is diagnosed and treated before it is too late, the reflux cough will heal along with the disease. If reflux is not diagnosed on time, symptoms of reflux include hoarseness, polyp and nodule formation in the vocal cords, pharyngitis, a feeling of fullness in the throat, asthma that does not heal, recurrent pneumonia and breathing interruptions during sleep.
What is Psychogenic Cough?
This cough, also known as psychogenic cough, is essentially similar to a dry cough. Psychogenic cough affects the daily functioning of people's lives and starts to disappear when the person is happy. In the face of unfavorable situations, the person is triggered and psychogenic cough starts or increases. Although it is mostly not seen during sleep, there are cases where it occurs during sleep. It is known that psychogenic coughing in children is more common in the presence of a parent or doctor. It has also been observed that psychogenic coughing increases when children refuse to go to school or when they want their parents to pay attention to them. People with psychogenic cough often need to clear their throat.
If psychogenic cough is left untreated, the person will have to deal with this cough for almost the rest of their life. Medicines that are good for other coughs are ineffective against psychogenic cough. When a person with a psychogenic cough is listened to, a negative event that happened to the person is often revealed. There are some ways to treat psychogenic cough;
Suggestion Therapy: It is a treatment method that aims to cure people from health problems with the power of suggestion.
Hypnosis Method: This method, also called hypnotherapy, is a scientific technique that aims to apply treatment using suggestion.
Smoking and Cough
One of the biggest causes of coughing is smoking. As smoking increases, sputum production in the bronchi starts to increase more and more. If this increase continues continuously and becomes a routine, it increases the cough even more and causes chronic cough. Smokers usually do not take their coughs seriously by attributing them to smoking, but even if the cough is caused by smoking, it can be a trigger for lung cancer and COPD. Therefore, people with cough should visit a doctor as soon as possible, get a diagnosis and start treatment under the supervision of a doctor according to the diagnosis.
What are the Diagnostic Methods for Cough?
- Sputum Test: It is done by examining the microbes found in sputum.
- Nose / Throat Swab:
- Respiratory Function Tests (Spirometry): These are tests that can determine the number of breaths a person takes and the time between breaths. Used in the suspicion and treatment of asthma.
- Peak Flow Meter: A device that measures the way air exits the person's lungs.
- Metacholine Test: A test to measure the sensitivity of a person's airways.
- Lung X-ray: Lung disorders are diagnosed with this X-ray, which is performed by taking the lungs from the front and side.
- Computerized Tomography Scan: Tomography, which means cutting in Greek, is an imaging technique that uses a special beam to produce detailed pictures of certain areas inside the human body.
- Bronchoscopy: A device that examines a person's trachea and bronchi.
What is good for wheezing?
- Steam Treatment: It cleans the sinuses and helps to open the airways by means of hot air, which has high values in terms of humidity, reaching the lungs as a result of breathing. In the application of steam treatment, mint oil can be added in warm water. In this way, peppermint oil, which has anti-inflammatory properties, has a pain relieving effect for pain in the respiratory area.
- Hot Drinks: Thanks to the consumption of beverages with a healthy level of temperature, it is possible to soften the respiratory tract. However, with the consumption of hot drinks, it is possible to reduce the obstruction in the respiratory tract.
- Breathing Exercises: Wheezing due to COPD, bronchitis, allergies and other possible factors can be eliminated thanks to breathing exercises that are recommended to be applied at certain frequencies. However, as a result of the studies, it has been determined that yoga-inspired breathing techniques can help relieve breathing difficulties caused by bronchitis, asthma and external causes, especially wheezing.
- Use of Humidifiers: As it is known, breathing humid and warm air facilitates the relief of breathing difficulties, especially wheezing. An air humidifier that can be placed in the bedroom, which is the sleeping area, can be useful in eliminating wheezing. The use of this device can minimize the severity of wheezing. It is possible to increase the effect of the device by adding oils that help to open the respiratory tract, such as peppermint oil, which can be added to the water reservoir of the device in accordance with the instructions for use of the humidifier device.
- Use of Air Filter: As a result of inhalation of bad air caused by air pollution, the contact of this air with the lungs and respiratory tract causes an increase in the wheezing level for many conditions, especially wheezing caused by allergic reactions. For this reason, wheezing and other problems in the respiratory tract can be reduced by choosing an air filter suitable for home use.
- Identifying Triggers and Solution Methods: Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and allergies, which are among the factors that cause wheezing, may increase due to certain triggers such as stress and allergens. Reducing or controlling the triggers helps to reduce the symptoms of related diseases.
- Allergy Medications: Allergy medications such as decongestants, corticosteroids, antihistamines and nasal sprays used by individuals with allergic conditions can reduce the symptoms of various respiratory diseases, especially wheezing. However, the medications required for severe allergies are prescription drugs and can only be used under the supervision and recommendation of a doctor.
- Immunotherapy: This is a type of treatment that aims to prevent the body from reacting to allergens that cause respiratory disorders by retraining the immune system. Immunotherapy greatly reduces wheezing, although the body may need other treatments. Immunotherapy is also useful for people with COPD and other chronic conditions and allergies.
- Bronchondilators Bronchondilators are medicines that can be used to prevent conditions and symptoms of conditions in the lungs and airways, and can help relieve wheezing caused by COPD and asthma.
- Other Medicines: Different medications used under the control and recommendation of a doctor treat the cause of wheezing and respiratory problems, thus eliminating the related factors.
What is good for coughing?
- Honey and ginger mixture: It is obtained by mixing 1 cup of honey with 1.5 tablespoons of powdered ginger.
- Black pepper and honey mixture: Mix 4 tablespoons of honey with 2 teaspoons of fresh black pepper and pour boiling water and let it brew. If this tea is freshly brewed and drunk while it is hot, it acts on the cough more quickly.
- Drinking plenty of water minimizes the irritating nature of the discharge and prevents dryness in the mucous membranes of the upper and lower respiratory tract.
- With the antibacterial substances they contain, lozenges activate the salivary glands and make swallowing easier. The lozenges, which are hard in appearance, are easily consumed by being absorbed in the mouth.
- Taking a warm and hot shower thins the secretions in the nose and helps to reduce coughing.
- Milk with honey
- Quince Leaf
- Molasses
- Herbal teas calm and soothe the throat and help reduce irritation. Some herbal teas that are good for coughing;
-Linden
-Ginger
-Sage
-Jasmine tea
-Echinacea tea
-Green tea