Cough or tussis is the arbitrary or due to a cough stimulus via the cough reflex triggered explosive expulsion of air, which thereby opens the glottis with. As a rule, there is a foreign body in the throat that triggers this coughing stimulus. Coughing is a normal reaction of the human body to clear the throat, trachea, bronchi and lungs of foreign substances.
What is cough?
Cough appears as a symptom in a whole range of diseases, such as respiratory tract infections, colds and various lung diseases. Coughing is not an independent disease, but always a symptom of one. On the one hand, affected persons cough because a stimulus triggers the cough reflex. On the other hand, coughing can also occur voluntarily, for example to loosen mucus when it is present or to provide relief when scratching. This occurs through the contraction of muscles after appropriate signals have been transmitted to the brain. The task of this disease symptom is to clear the respiratory tract of those affected by foreign substances. Therefore, there is a possibility of expectoration of mucus (sputum) during coughing. At a duration of three weeks, the cough is already categorized as chronic.
Causes
The causes of cough are initially found in the inhaled or self-formed foreign substances. These include dust, smoke or food residues. These irritate the receptors of the mucous membranes in the trachea and bronchi. The resulting cough reflex is an involuntary reaction. However, one can also cough consciously in order to expel foreign substances via the respiratory tract. In addition to these harmless causes of coughing, there are also a number of diseases in which coughing is a symptom. These are well-known respiratory infections, such as colds and various lung diseases. The cough itself can be divided into sudden cough (acute cough) and chronic cough. Chronic cough is the cough that occurs for more than three weeks. Mostly smokers have this type of cough. In this case, sputum (cough mucus) may be excreted through the respiratory tract. If the sputum is of a purulent yellow nature, the cause of the cough is usually a bacterial infection. If bloody cough mucus is coughed up or if the cough is even bloody, one can assume hemoptysis (coughing up blood).
Diseases with this symptom
- Common cold
- Pleurisy
- Allergy
- Cystic fibrosis
- Tuberculosis
- Reflux disease
- Sinusitis
- Pneumonia
- Bronchial asthma
- COPD
- Diphtheria
- Bronchiectasis
- Flu
- Bronchitis
- Pneumothorax
- Idiopathic interstitial pneumonia
- Whooping cough
- Pseudocroup
Diagnosis and course
Cough, as is known, is not a disease, but always a symptom of other diseases. In order to properly classify the cough, doctors usually ask the affected person about their lifestyle – such as their diet or their usual places of residence. X-rays of the lungs or blood tests clarify the cause of the cough and at the same time define its severity. The course of the cough varies depending on the cause and the disease. For example, in the case of a cold, the cough is usually dry at the beginning and at the end, but during those it tends to be moist in combination with mucus. As with other symptoms/diseases, after an initial scratchy throat, the cough becomes more intense over time.
Complications
Cough can be acute or chronic. Accordingly, complications also vary. On the one hand, constant coughing can lead to stinging in the chest region, as well as headaches, since coughing causes repeated great pressure that compresses vessels and thus reduces blood flow, as well as stresses the chest and diaphragm. In rather rare cases, this can cause the diaphragm to rupture and internal organs to leak through this hernia. Likewise, hernias can occur in the groin, a typical inguinal hernia is the result. In addition, spasms can also occur in the diaphragm, the blood flow is inhibited as the vessels are compressed, which can lead to a brief fainting spell.Hoarseness and voice loss can also result from coughing, as the vocal cords are constantly stressed by coughing. For incontinent individuals, urine may flow with each coughing episode. In addition, coughing can cause an asthma attack with shortness of breath. In addition, constant coughing can injure internal organs such as the lungs. When coughing, similar to belching, stomach acid can flow along, irritating the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and esophagus. Social life is also affected by chronic coughing. Close people feel disturbed by the coughing and keep their distance from the affected person.
When should you see a doctor?
Because coughing can be a sign of a normal cold, it is not necessary to see a doctor immediately. However, if other symptoms are added, it may be necessary. If the cough is accompanied by fever or a general feeling of weakness, it may be a serious infection. In this case, the family doctor should be consulted first. He can decide whether it is necessary to take a cough suppressant or even an antibiotic. Chronic cough, especially if it is particularly persistent, should also be clarified by a doctor. This is the case after a period of about two weeks. After this time, chronic symptoms such as bronchitis may develop. Also cough with yellowish-purulent sputum or even blood admixture should be clarified by the doctor. Depending on what cause the family doctor suspects behind the cough, he will recommend further examination by a specialist. A chronic cough can be clarified by an allergist to rule out an allergy. A particularly persistent cough that is accompanied by shortness of breath, on the other hand, should be examined by a pulmonary specialist. This can test whether an underlying disease such as asthma or croup cough is hidden behind the symptoms. In most cases, these underlying diseases require in-depth therapy. In children, the doctor should be consulted if the cough leads to shortness of breath, if not enough fluid is absorbed or if a fever occurs at the same time.
Treatment and therapy
First, it should be considered whether the cough requires treatment at all. As a rule, sudden cough in the course of a cold is harmless and subsides after about a week. However, if the cough lasts longer or is accompanied by hemoptysis, a doctor should be consulted immediately. A possible disease such as pneumonia or lung cancer should now be ruled out by the doctor. The doctor will inquire about the nature of the cough and what complaints (hoarseness, headache, cold, sore throat) accompany it. Information about the type of cough mucus (sputum) and the time of day of the cough is also important. Also possible previous diseases and allergies and intolerances should be clarified. Lifestyle habits such as smoking and working conditions should also be mentioned. Then an examination of the throat, neck and upper body is performed. The lungs and heart are listened to with a stethoscope. If an infection is suspected, the physician will also have blood drawn to examine the levels of inflammation. The cough mucus is also examined for germs. An X-ray examination is also possible in case of suspicion. If there is still uncertainty about the cause of the cough or if the doctor wants to examine the results in more detail, further examinations are useful. Possible further measures could be: Tissue examination (biopsy), laryngeal endoscopy, bronchial endoscopy, bronchial lavage, computed tomography, and others.
Depending on the conclusive cause, the cough or the disease leading to the cough is treated. For the harmless cough of a cold, the well-known cough tablets (lozenges) or cough syrup are the classics. Of these medicines, there are both over-the-counter remedies in pharmacies and prescription drugs. The cough medicines themselves are divided into cough expectorants and cough suppressants. Cough expectorants are expectorants and promote the expectoration of cough mucus. In addition, they make the mucus more fluid, which can then be coughed up more easily. Herbal alternatives here are fechnel and anise oil. The cough-suppressing drugs are primarily intended to suppress the cough reflex, which are particularly helpful in dry irritable cough. Natural alternatives are sufficient drinks in the form of water and teas (chamomile tea, fennel tea, anise tea and sage tea). Furthermore, one should keep warm and take it easy.Smoking should also be completely stopped. Dry and dusty air should be avoided.
Outlook and prognosis
Cough generally promises a positive prognosis with few accompanying symptoms. Affected persons often experience severe pain and suffer from sputum and shortness of breath, especially in the case of allergic cough, but by means of effective medication the symptoms can be quickly alleviated. The prognosis is more negative if the cough “migrates”, i.e. spreads from the upper respiratory tract to the bronchi. Such a floor change can subsequently lead to allergic asthma or even bronchitis. Nevertheless, the cough can be quickly cured by comprehensive treatment. The prospect of a rapid recovery is therefore high in the case of a cough, although the possible secondary diseases and concomitant symptoms must always be taken into account. If the cough is accompanied by influenza, for example, the cough will probably take a more severe course with accompanying symptoms such as sputum and sore throat. In the case of a cough resulting from pneumonia or a similarly severe illness, the prognosis also depends on the stage of the disease in question. With early diagnosis, cough can be treated efficiently and is usually completely resolved after a few days to a week.
Prevention
Coughs that are not pathological can be well prevented by living a healthy life with plenty of exercise, fresh air, a healthy diet, and not smoking. Furthermore, if possible, one should not work or live in air-polluted rooms or areas. A mouth guard can be preventive in the short term, if necessary.
Home remedies and herbs against cough
- Aniseed helps against flatulence, cough mucus, asthma and white flux, and provides a good night’s sleep.
- Prepare cough tea as follows: 5 grams each of ribwort, lungwort, coltsfoot, woolly flower, anise seeds, licorice, hibiscus roots and 10 grams of Icelandic moss.
- Another cough tea they make from half a tablespoon of licorice, half a tablespoon of violet roots, a tablespoon of marshmallow roots, half a tablespoon of coltsfoot leaves, half a tablespoon of woolly flowers and as much anise seeds. From this mixture, they then make a cup of tea from a teaspoon. It is best to sweeten with honey.
- Against cough helps regular consumption of apple cider: boil the juice of sour apples with sugar and fennel and take slowly.
- For coughs, honey milk works very well in mild cases. You dissolve a tablespoon of honey or fennel honey in a cup of hot milk. Drink one cup each morning and evening as hot as possible.
- Spruce needle honey is a good expectorant cough remedy. The flowers of the spruce are prepared for this purpose with sugar.
- Lilac flowers are very diaphoretic, antipyretic and are effective for coughs and colds.
- Mallow tea is a good remedy for colds and coughs.
- Coltsfoot has an appetizing effect and helps with cough, phlegm and hoarseness.
- For persistent coughs, boiled marjoram tea sweetened with honey and drink in sips in the morning, at noon and in the evening. This is especially suitable for children.
What you can do yourself
An ideal measure to counteract coughing is to hang damp cloths in the apartment. These can be optimally placed on the heater to humidify the air you breathe. It is also advisable to avoid contact with dust. Drinking plenty of water is a good way to relieve a cough. Those affected should avoid dairy products in order to prevent mucus build-up. In the first few days, it is helpful to consume only liquid food. This includes soups and tea fasting. Coughs can also be treated with herbs. Of particular note is marshmallow. It has a soothing effect on inflamed mucous membranes. In addition, it has a cool as well as moist quality, which is why it is particularly suitable for dry irritating cough. For its application, one tablespoon of cut marshmallow root with 150 milliliters of water is needed. To relieve cough, Schüßler salts are excellent. Here, one tablet per hour of Ferrum phos. D 12 (No. 3) should be taken every hour. If the cough is already advanced, potassium chlor. D 6 (No. 4) works extremely well. If it is a dry and spasmodic cough, it can be treated with Magnesium phos. (No. 7) can treat it.
