The cough reflex is a process that occurs in the human body and cannot be suppressed at will. It comes into play, for example, when harmful elements are deposited in the bronchial tubes. Thus, the cough reflex is one of the body’s natural protective measures.
What is the cough reflex?
The cough reflex runs involuntarily, which means that it is not controlled from the human. The cough reflex occurs involuntarily, which means that it is not controlled from the human. It arises in a neurological way through several switching stations. The receptors for the cough reflex can be localized in the mucous membrane in the area of the upper airways. Receptors usually consist of sensory cells. They transmit information from the environment to the brain by translating it into specific stimuli and transmitting it to neurons. In the case of the cough reflex, receptors are predominantly located in the larynx, trachea, and bronchi. In addition, some can also be found in the lung pleura, but their proportion is much smaller. The signals reach the medulla oblongata via the vagus nerve, the cranial nerve. This is a part of the central nervous system in the brain. This is also where the cough center of the human body is located. In some diseases a cough reflex is typical. These include, for example, cold symptoms.
Function and task
The cough reflex is inevitable for health. It makes itself felt whenever, for example, foreign bodies have entered the bronchial tubes. Through the reflex, these are expelled so that no further complaints or diseases can follow. The cough reflex itself originates in the brain. After the brain receives information about an intruder present, it sends out certain stimuli that affect one of the laryngeal muscles. The muscles tense, causing a constriction of the glottis. The foreign body is removed from the airways via a sudden onset of breathing, which is often pressure-like. In this process, the air does not escape until the valve of the larynx opens. The respiratory air expelled during such a cough may, under certain circumstances, reach a velocity close to the sonic threshold. A pressure of about 400 mbar can be detected within the chest cavity. Thus, there is an enormous force behind the coughing stimulus. In the context of a dry cough, however, discomfort can result. The dry cough does not have a cleansing function. Instead, it cannot be ruled out that it damages the surrounding structures by its pressure. Thus, the cough reflex is not always a useful process. However, in most cases it can save the body from further problems. At the same time, coughing cannot be avoided anyway, once the signal for the process is controlled from the brain via the nerve pathways. Thus, via the stimulus of coughing, the various elements of the airways are cleansed. However, as a person ages, the excitability of the receptors may decrease, so that a cough stimulus does not start with every foreign body. As a rule, the cough stimulus performs an extremely important task. It always comes into play when foreign bodies have to be expelled from the organism. Sometimes coughing causes mucus to come out. In the course of an illness, the mucus contains the causative pathogens, among other things. Thus, the stimulus of coughing can help the disease to subside more quickly and the affected person to regain his health.
Diseases and ailments
The cough reflex is usually always accompanied by discomfort. Either it occurs when bacteria or other pathogens colonize the organism, or when, for example, during the meal leftovers have entered the respiratory tract instead of the esophagus. For example, coughing occurs as a result of influenza. Sometimes the reflex also makes itself felt when tumor cells have settled in the area of the lungs. If no other symptoms can be identified, such as fever or a cold, and if the cough reflex occurs over a long period of time without improvements being achieved with the help of medication, a doctor should be consulted. However, the cough reflex is not always accompanied by symptoms. In addition, it can cause other symptoms itself.Most people have suffered from a chesty cough during a common cold. Irritable cough often occurs in a dry form and leaves behind reddened mucous membranes that may hurt. This often results in a further incentive to cough, whereby sufferers find themselves in a kind of vicious circle. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the receptors can be reduced due to various factors. Primarily, sensitivity decreases at an older age. In addition, however, certain substances can also be responsible for the process. For example, studies have shown that sensitivity is reduced in people who frequently smoke passively. This is especially true for children who come into contact with smoke at an early age. A low cough reflex can cause symptoms later in the child’s life when foreign bodies are no longer adequately removed from the lungs. Because pollutants can accumulate more in the lung area, children who grow up in a family with high tobacco consumption suffer more often from various diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis and other complaints affecting the respiratory tract. Accordingly, it is recommended to step outside the door while smoking, so that the child’s important cough reflex can develop optimally.
