Introduction
The so-called allergic cough can occur as an accompanying symptom in certain allergies. It is often difficult to distinguish such an allergic cough from a cough that occurs, for example, in the context of a cold or flu. It is important to distinguish the allergic cough from the cough that can occur as an accompanying symptom in bronchial asthma. Both the cause, diagnosis and therapy of these two types of cough differ significantly.
What to do against allergic cough?
Coughing, which occurs in the context of an allergy, is treated with the same measures as the other allergy symptoms.
- In the acute phase, so-called antihistamines are used. These are medications that contain the histamine effect in the body and thus alleviate the allergic symptoms.
They are taken in tablet form.
- For local symptoms such as a cold and itchy, watery eyes, local application of cortisone preparations can also be helpful.
- Inhalations with common salt can have a soothing effect on coughs. However, essential oils should not be used as additives, as they can additionally irritate the already irritated mucous membranes.
- In the case of allergic bronchial asthma, drugs are often used to dilate the narrowed airways. These can be used as a spray or as an additive to inhalation.
This often leads to an improvement of the cough that occurs in the context of asthma.
- In addition to the active ingredients that dilate the airways, there are also preparations containing cortisone that have an anti-inflammatory effect when used over a longer period of time.
- As a long-term therapy of allergic cough there is the possibility of hyposensitization. Here, smallest doses of allergens are injected under the skin at regular intervals. The allergen doses are slowly increased until the body is at some point “immune” to the allergen and no longer reacts so strongly.
- Hyposensitization
- Home remedy against cough
Preparations containing cortisone are rarely used for allergic coughs because they are usually unnecessary.
However, they can be very helpful in some forms of allergic cough, especially in coughs that occur in the context of bronchial asthma. Cortisone is then used not in tablet form but as a spray or as an additive to an inhalation. If it is necessary to use a cortisone preparation, it is important that the preparation is used regularly.
Because inhalative cortisone preparations do not develop their effect immediately but only with regular application. The treating physician decides whether with allergic cough the application of a Cortison preparation is necessary. In order to avoid an allergic cough, contact with the allergy-causing substance must be consistently prevented.
With some allergies such avoidance is possible, for example with well-known food allergies, animal hair allergies or a well-known house dust allergy. With a pollen allergy however, such an avoidance is usually not possible. Here, only the regular seasonal intake of medication or a hyposensitization can provide relief.
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