Coughs - Causes,Symptoms And Treatments

Coughs - Causes Symptoms Treatments What is a cough? There are three phrases to a cough reflex: - An inhalation (breathing in) - An increased pressure in the throat and lungs with the vocal cords closed - An explosive release of air when the vocal cords open, giving a cough its characteristic sound If someone coughs a lot, it can be a sign of a disease. Many coughs are caused by infectious diseases, like the common cold, but there are also non-infectious causes. Coughs can be due to pollution / irritation, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), choking, chronic bronchitis, asthma or emphysema, a tumor in the lung, heart failure, some drugs (eg, ACE inhibitors), post-nasal drip, and smoking . --Classification of coughs-- - Acute cough - has a sudden onset and lasts up to 3 weeks - Subacute cough - persists for 3-8 weeks - Chronic cough - persists for over 8 weeks - Productive cough - a cough that brings stuff up, such as sputum - Dry cough - a cough that brings nothing up - Nocturnal cough - only occurs at night Causes of coughs The majority of coughs are caused by viruses and clear up without treatment. Causes of acute (short-term) cough - in most cases, the infection is in the upper respiratory tract and affects the throat, this is known as a URTI/URI (upper respiratory tract infection). Examples include flu, the common cold, and laryngitis. If it is an LRTI (lower respiratory tract infection), the lungs are infected, and/or the airways lower down from the throat (windpipe). Examples include bronchitis and pneumonia. An acute cough can also be caused by hay fever. Causes of chronic (long-term) cough - a chronic cough may be caused by smoking, mucus dripping down the throat from the back of the nose (nasal drip), GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease), asthma, and some medications . --Treatments and home remedies for coughs-- The best way to treat a cough caused by a viral infection is to let the immune system deal with it - generally, such coughs clear up on their own. According to the National Health Service, United Kingdom, a homemade remedy with honey and lemon is as good, if not better than most OTC products sold in pharmacies. Treatments are mostly aimed at making the patient feel a little bit better and generally do not decrease the length of the cough. Honey - it coats the throat, resulting in less irritation and possibly less coughing. Honey is a demulcent (something that soothes). Cough medications - some may help associated symptoms, such as fever or a stuffy nose. However, there is no compelling evidence that cough medicines are effective in making the cough go away faster. For small children, it is a good idea to talk to a doctor before giving OTC cough medicine. Some ingredients in cough medicines can be dangerous for small children. Cough suppressants - these suppress the cough reflex and are generally only prescribed for a dry cough. Examples include pholcodine, dextromethorphan, and antihistamines. Expectorants - these help bring up mucus and other material from the trachea, bronchi, and lungs. An example is guaifenesin (guaiphenesin), which thins the mucus and also lubricates the irritated respiratory tract, helping to drain the airways.