The therapist named the causes of the cough and talked about the treatment methods.

Cough is a natural protective reflex of the body, aimed at cleansing the respiratory tract of irritants, sputum, foreign particles or infections. However, it can be a symptom of various diseases. Natalia Matveeva, a therapist and leading specialist at the Semeynaya Clinic, told Izvestia on April 13 about the main causes of cough, its types and effective treatment methods.

According to the expert, coughing can be caused by an infection of the respiratory tract. The most common cause is viral or bacterial infections such as acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, bronchitis, pneumonia or whooping cough. In this case, there may also be other symptoms: fever, runny nose, weakness.

"An allergic reaction to pollen, dust, animal hair, or chemicals can cause a dry cough, often accompanied by sneezing, watery eyes, and itchy throat. With asthma, coughing occurs due to inflammation and narrowing of the airways, is characterized by a paroxysmal course, and may be accompanied by wheezing in the chest. He is characterized by nocturnal seizures, which often occur after physical exertion," Matveeva added.

In addition, smokers have a chronic cough due to progressive inflammation of the respiratory tract. It is more common in the morning with sputum discharge. Gradually, shortness of breath appears.

Also, in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastric juice enters the esophagus, causing irritation of the mucous membrane and coughing. This is characterized by the appearance of symptoms after eating and when taking a horizontal position. Heartburn may not always be present, the doctor explained.

The appearance of this reflex is influenced by the ingestion of small objects into the respiratory tract and the inhalation of dust, smoke, or chemicals that irritate the mucous membrane.

An acute cough lasts up to three weeks and is usually caused by infections such as colds or flu. Subacute — lasts three to eight weeks and occurs after an infection. Chronic — lasts for more than eight weeks and may be associated with asthma, GERD, or smoking.

The therapist said that drugs to suppress the reflex are used to treat dry cough. In addition, humidifiers should be used, because dry air increases irritation of the mucous membrane. It is important to drink a lot: warm drinks (tea, milk with honey) soften the throat and reduce irritation. At the same time, steam inhalations with essential oils help to moisturize the respiratory tract. The doctor recommended gargling with anti-inflammatory drugs in this situation.

Mucolytics and expectorants should be used to treat a wet cough. These drugs dilute sputum and facilitate its excretion. Bronchodilators are also used for diseases of the trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles.

"Chest massage helps to improve sputum discharge, especially in children. Decoctions of plantain, mother-and-stepmother, or thyme have an expectorant effect," Matveeva added.

At the same time, the doctor said that honey has anti-inflammatory and softening effects, and tea with ginger helps to reduce cough and strengthen the immune system. In addition, black radish with honey is a traditional remedy for such treatment.

"Despite the fact that the cough often resolves on its own, in some cases medical attention is required. Consult a doctor if: cough lasts more than two weeks; there is blood in the sputum; cough is accompanied by fever, shortness of breath or chest pain; occurs in a child under one year old," the therapist advised.

Earlier, on January 29, Andrey Isaev, the founder of the DNCOM laboratory, told Izvestia that the flu begins suddenly and abruptly, with a rapid increase in temperature to high values and accompanied by severe weakness, while the common cold develops gradually, with a slow increase in symptoms. The temperature in acute respiratory viral infections may be absent or it increases slightly, and it is also characterized by drops and rises during the day, whereas with the flu it remains consistently high.