Dry paroxysmal cough in an adult - what to do and how to stop the attack. Stopping a coughing attack

How to relieve a dry cough in a child? This is the question every parent asks when their child wakes up in the middle of the night and can’t stop coughing. There are many effective ways to relieve an attack, but to do this you need to know what disease caused the cough.

The reflex reaction of the body, aimed at clearing the airways, at the beginning of the disease is accompanied by attacks of dry cough, which causes a burning sensation and does not bring relief.

Causes of dry cough

The most harmless cause of a child’s cough may be low air humidity, the presence of dust in the room, or strong odors of smoke, aromatic oils, paint and other substances. The consequences in this case can be either isolated attacks or an allergic reaction of the body.

In such a situation, wet cleaning and ventilation of the room, combined with blocking the source of the unpleasant odor, can eliminate the problem.

When foreign bodies enter the upper respiratory tract, a dry cough occurs suddenly, accompanied by an attack of suffocation. It is impossible to eliminate this without the intervention of a doctor.

The most common cause of a dry cough is irritation of the receptors in the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract due to decreased secretion production or increased viscosity.

Damage to the mucous membrane can result from a number of diseases:

Bronchial asthma is characterized by a prolonged dry cough, which occurs mainly during sleep. The duration of the reflex reaction does not exceed half an hour and ends with expectoration of a viscous clot of transparent mucus. During coughing, you can observe muscle spasms in the area of the diaphragm, pain in the chest, and disturbances in the rhythm of breathing.
Whooping cough is a childhood infection accompanied by a dry, convulsive cough. A characteristic symptom is a cough during night sleep, accompanied by gagging and difficulty breathing. The disease is diagnosed with a long-term (up to 1.5 months) incessant cough, which cannot be cured with standard means.
ARVI manifests itself as a result of various viral infections that penetrate epithelial cells, causing their inflammation and death. The larynx is affected by pneumonia; nasal cavities, trachea - with tracheitis and pharynx - with pharyngitis.

Bacterial infections:

tuberculosis is accompanied by a long-term inflammatory process occurring in the lungs and lymph nodes, causing a reflex cough;
diphtheria - swelling of the larynx and throat, leading to compression of the trachea and causing coughing.

Gastroesophageal reflux is characterized by the occurrence of coughing attacks after eating, especially in a horizontal position and during sleep. The cause is inhalation of gastric acid vapors that flow into the oral cavity when the child lies down.

Bronchitis, pneumonia or pleurisy are characterized by severe, frequent attacks of dry cough, which are a complication of infections. A prolonged cough is accompanied by pain in the chest and abdominal area.

Non-traditional cough relief

As a non-drug treatment for attacks of dry cough in a child, you can use:

Inhalation of potato vapors, decoctions of medicinal herbs (licorice, wild rosemary) or essential oils (sage, cedar). For children under 3 years of age, wet steam inhalation is not recommended.
Resorption of sugar syrup obtained by boiling a sugar solution to a viscous state - for children under 3 years of age or hard caramel - for older children.
Taking decoctions of medicinal herbs such as thyme, peppermint, thermopsis, chamomile.
Prepare a decoction of milk with sage, stand and strain. Use before bed.
Resorption of buckwheat honey (1 tsp) in the absence of allergies or a piece of butter.
Prepare a decoction of a small onion in a glass of milk over low heat, then strain. Drink in small sips.
Apply a compress from a 40% alcohol solution or the same product with badger fat. The compress is applied with a rag soaked in the product on the child’s back and chest, after which it is fixed with cling film and a bandage. Leaves on all night. 3 applications are enough to treat cough.
Prepare the mixture: to a glass of milk brought to a boil, add 30 g of honey, 30 g of butter, 1 egg yolk, 1 g of soda.
A healing decoction is prepared from a glass of milk and 1 tsp. pine buds, which are placed in boiling milk, after which the medicine settles for 1 hour, take 2 sips during the day.
Viburnum decoction is a vitamin drink prepared from viburnum berries with the addition of 3 tsp. honey per 1 liter of decoction. It can be used as an antitussive and as a prophylaxis against colds and viral diseases.
Use a high pillow to ensure that mucus from the nasopharynx drains further into the stomach.

Drug treatment of dry cough

The most effective remedy for coughing is inhalation using special inhalers that produce dry steam. Saline solution is used as the active substance.

The duration of inhalation for children under 3 years of age is 3 minutes, for older children – 5 minutes. Longer inhalation is not recommended.

An alternative to saline solution is mineral water.
Treatment of cough at home in a child should be performed using various syrups, the effect of which is individual for each patient:
“Linkas” is a brown liquid consisting of extracts of medicinal herbs, has an expectorant and antitussive effect, accompanied by a bactericidal effect. It is used to treat infectious and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract, accompanied by a cough with difficult to separate sputum. Suitable for the treatment of cough in children from 6 months, a weekly course of treatment is recommended.
“Libexin” is available in tablet form and is a peripheral cough suppressant based on suppressing the sensitivity of the nerve fibers of the respiratory tract.
“Libexin muco” is used for infectious and inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract, indicated for children over 2 years of age.
“Bronholitin” is well tolerated by the body, is indicated in combined treatment with antibacterial, antipyretic drugs, vitamins, is applicable for children over 3 years old, and is characterized by a number of contraindications and side effects.
“Bithiodine” is used to calm coughs in cases of damage to the upper and lower respiratory tract; it has an antitussive effect that affects the receptors of the mucous membrane.
“Stoptussin” is available in tablet form, characterized by a good mucolytic effect, and is indicated for use from 12 years of age.

Cough sanitation rules

In addition to treating the disease, a number of measures should be taken to relieve symptoms, namely:

to soften the respiratory tract, it is necessary to increase the humidity in the room by placing containers of hot water or hanging a wet towel on the radiator;
the room temperature should not be less than 20°C and more than 22°C;
identify and eliminate sources of unpleasant and strong odors that can cause irritation of the mucous membrane or an allergic reaction;
provide plenty of fluids, which can include milk, still mineral water, herbal decoctions with a mucolytic effect;
The diet should be dietary, the dishes should be easily digestible by the stomach, for example, mashed potatoes with milk.

If you have a prolonged, incessant cough, if traditional medicine and syrups do not help stop the disease, you should seek medical help.

How to understand the causes of coughing attacks in children

Coughing, especially its attacks, not only disturbs the child’s sleep, but also weakens him, causing great anxiety among his parents. Most often, they try to treat a child’s cough using special drugs to eliminate the cough, restoring the patency of the respiratory tract, while using special antibiotics, which often only worsen the situation. Only finding out the real cause of a child’s illness can help in eliminating cough.

According to all the rules of medicine, a cough is a reflex reaction of the body, the cause of which lies in the irritation of respiratory receptors, which are divided into fast and slow. The development of cough occurs through irritation of fast receptors, which is facilitated by the action of internal and external irritating factors of a chemical and mechanical nature. The cough mechanism is triggered due to the joint action of these groups.

The normal state of affairs involves a child coughing about 15-20 times a day and this should not be perceived as an illness. Such manifestations of cough help eliminate mucus that has formed in the upper respiratory tract.

How to relieve a child's cough

Alkaline drinking can be considered a recognized means of treating coughing attacks in a child, which has proven its effectiveness in practice. Since ancient times, coughs in children have been relieved with milk in combination with tea brewed with chamomile flowers. In order to achieve a greater effect, it was proposed to dissolve a certain amount of soda and honey in milk. In addition, a good effect requires the use of ordinary alkaline water. The baby should be seated in his bed, gently patted on the back and upper area of his chest. Patting helps remove some mucus from the bronchi. After this, the child should be offered a dose of drink, and make sure that he drinks little by little.

In addition, resorption in the mouth of a mixture consisting of butter and honey, collected in volumes of one tablespoon of each component, has a good effect. After the child drinks his portion, you should let him take a few sips of warm, fresh milk.

How to relieve a child's coughing attack at night

Despite the fact that only a pediatrician can correctly indicate the cause of a child’s night cough, parents must understand what needs to be done in order to relieve a night cough in their child.

First of all, you should wake up the baby and try to determine exactly what type of cough he has, wet or dry. If there is sputum, it is necessary to determine its color. The most dangerous situation is the presence of purulent clots in the coughing discharge, indicating a serious illness. In these cases, you should definitely call a doctor.
For diseases of the upper respiratory system, it should be understood that a dry cough is normal. To prevent circulatory problems in the child, you should change the position of his body more often, turning from one side to the other and placing a bolster or pillow under his head.
A child's night cough may be a concomitant symptom of teeth cutting. In order to stop the process, you should place a couple of pillows under the child’s head, after first raising the head of the bed.
You can give your child a large amount of warm drink, after which he will be able to fall asleep soundly. Antihistamines help reduce swelling of the mucous membrane; you just need to make sure that they are in accordance with the age of the child.

How to relieve a dry cough in a child

To effectively relieve attacks of dry cough in a child, you must first determine the nature of its course and establish the reason why it occurs. It can cause allergic reactions to detergents or laundry preparations containing bioadditives. Also, the cause of cough can be a respiratory infection and obstructive bronchitis in the form of its complications. Other causes include pleurisy and pneumonia.

In case of attacks of dry cough, you should first of all humidify the air in the room where the child is. An appropriate humidifier is ideal for this. In addition, you can simply place a basin of water next to the baby’s crib. Special lozenges that have an antitussive effect, as well as cough syrup, are good for relieving coughing attacks. If the child does not have a high temperature, then the use of a warming compress, mustard plasters and warming ointment is allowed. Also help relieve an attack of dry cough:

fresh air from evening airing of the room;
wet cleaning of the child's room;
a sufficient amount of warm drink for the child’s health;
rinsing the child’s nasal passages with water to wash away mucous formations.

How to relieve a child's severe coughing attack

You can relieve a severe cough using the following methods:

boiled milk with sage, it should be boiled and, after settling and straining, given to the child to drink immediately before he goes to bed. Recommended for regular attacks;
if the baby’s throat is sore, you should give the child honey or butter in the amount of one tablespoon;
if the cases are complex, it is recommended to carry out inhalations using essential oils of cedar and sage. The child will need to breathe in the vapors of oils dissolved in water. It is best to carry out these operations immediately before going to bed;
A good folk remedy for eliminating severe coughing attacks is black radish. Cut into cubes and mixed with sugar, bake it in the oven for an hour and a half. After this, the resulting porridge must be filtered and given to the child no more than four tablespoons per day;
It makes sense to use vodka or pure pharmaceutical alcohol. After rubbing, the child should be wrapped in a warm scarf around the neck and dressed warmly.

How to relieve a barking cough in a child

If a child develops a barking cough, accompanied by wheezing when exhaling, sometimes rough, sometimes silent, with hoarseness and shortness of breath, this indicates that the help of a doctor should be sought. The combination of all of the above symptoms may indicate the appearance of false croup in a child, leading to suffocation and very sad consequences. If all of the above is missing, help can be provided to the child using simple methods, the listing of which will not take up much space:

Steam inhalations can reduce coughing and significantly ease breathing;
warm drinks in large quantities;
eliminating all factors that worry the child, as this only aggravates the situation;
the use of mustard plasters in combination with a simple tapping massage, these measures are necessary to facilitate the discharge of sputum in the child;
use of antitussive expectorants.

How to quickly relieve a child's coughing attack

To quickly relieve coughing attacks in a child, especially if they are systemic in nature, the use of paraffin is necessary. This measure will allow the lungs to warm up, which will allow the baby to sleep peacefully at night without suffering from coughing attacks. At the same time, it is important to constantly monitor the temperature of the paraffin, because if it is too hot, it will burn the child.

Also, if the question arises about the need to quickly relieve cough symptoms, a recipe that involves the use of licorice root can be of great help. It is able to carry out proper disinfection and healing of minor injuries characteristic of coughing in the larynx area. Since the syrup contains sugar, it should not be given to children with diabetes.

When diluting the syrup, this must be done only with clean water. You should not add syrup to tea or any other drink, since it may lose some of its properties due to increased temperature. If you are taking licorice-based syrup, then you need to drink a lot, because without this, thick mucus will form, which will make breathing difficult.

To soothe and soften the mucous membrane, it is recommended to use the following cough suppressants:

lollipops intended for sucking, or marshmallows;
various syrups of plant origin;
medications with combined effects.

It is the latter variety that turns out to be the most effective in treating childhood coughing attacks. Among them, Gerbion syrup, prepared on the basis of plantain, stands out. It contains very important components that help get rid of the symptoms of cough and its sudden attacks. We are talking about mallow flowers, vitamin C and plantain leaf extract. This combination of components helps create a high-quality enveloping effect of the syrup, relieve irritation of the mucous membrane and soften it. All this helps in eliminating the consequences of infection.

The product is used to assist in the treatment of colds, as well as to eliminate the consequences of severe attacks that occur due to dry air. In addition, the condition can be caused by asthma attacks, as well as the concentration of mucus in the nasal cavity. The sustained concentration of the composition makes it possible to use the product to relieve the cough of sick children, starting from the age of two years.

Dry cough in children, its attacks, occur with constant and severe irritation of local receptors located in the mucous membrane of the tracheobronchial system.

Causes of dry cough attacks in children

Dry, unproductive paroxysmal cough can occur with the following diseases:

Bronchial asthma

This pathology is characterized by a strong paroxysmal, unproductive cough, which occurs most often at night. The cough can continue for half an hour, the attack ends with the discharge of viscous glassy sputum. During an attack, the muscles of the diaphragm constantly tense, and the patient may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness and malaise. Most often, bronchial asthma develops against the background of increased reactivity of the body, frequent viral infections, bacterial infections (chlamydia, toxoplasmosis, giardiasis).

2. Foreign body of the respiratory tract

Attacks of a dry irritating cough in a child can occur as a result of various foreign bodies entering the respiratory tract (dust particles, crumbs, pieces of food, small beads, buttons, peas, legumes). The coughing attack ends only after these irritating agents are removed from the lungs and bronchi by bronchoscopy or other means.

3. Whooping cough and parawhooping cough

Childhood infections of whooping cough and parawhooping cough are accompanied by a severe dry, convulsive paroxysmal cough. Most often, these attacks occur at night and may be accompanied by gagging and difficulty breathing (relapses). At first, these diseases manifest themselves in the form of a common cold cough, but over time the symptoms increase and cannot be treated with conventional means (mustard plasters, inhalations). The illness usually lasts five to six weeks. Diagnosing whooping cough and parawhooping cough is a rather complex process, and treatment in most cases, especially in young children, is carried out in a hospital.

4. Infectious viral respiratory diseases

A severe dry paroxysmal cough can be observed in respiratory diseases of the upper respiratory tract caused by the parainfluenza virus, rhinosyncytial virus and adenovirus infection, which are accompanied by damage to the larynx, nasal cavity, trachea and pharynx. The disease is often characterized by a “barking” dry cough. With proper and timely treatment, relief and elimination of cough occurs within 3-5 days, and lack of treatment can lead to the development of bacterial complications in the form of bronchitis, pneumonia, alveolitis and pleurisy.

5. Inflammatory diseases of the lower respiratory tract and pleura

Severe and frequent attacks of dry, unproductive cough often develop with obstructive bronchitis, pneumonia (pneumonia) and pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura), which are complications of viral infections. A strong, prolonged paroxysmal cough is accompanied by pain in the chest and abdomen. Treatment lasts from 5 to 15 days, antibiotics, antihistamines and antispasmodics are often prescribed.

Attacks of dry cough in a child at night

Coughing attacks in a child at night cause concern for parents, especially in cases where the baby feels well during the day, and going to bed and falling asleep often causes heartbreaking coughing. The cause of this symptomatology is most often inflammation and swelling of the larynx, trachea and bronchi of various origins in laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis or irritation of the bronchopulmonary tree with viscous sputum in spastic (asthmatic bronchitis), pneumonia, cystic fibrosis. Nocturnal coughing attacks can occur during childhood infections, most often with whooping cough and parapertussis. If coughing attacks begin immediately after the baby goes to bed, he may have an allergic reaction to the mattress padding, feathers and textile dyes.

Therefore, to eliminate dry cough as a symptom of the disease, it is necessary to determine and eliminate the cause of the disease (infectious or inflammatory process). It is also important to remember that you should not self-medicate, but consult a specialist in a timely manner.

The primary task of parents is to alleviate the child’s condition, determine the cause of the cough and eliminate it as soon as possible.

To help a child with frequent attacks of dry cough, it is necessary, first of all, to determine the cause of its occurrence - allergies (use of washing powder with a large number of fragrances or dietary supplements in the composition, bed linen conditioner, feather pillows, fish food, parrots or hamsters), respiratory infection or its complications in the form of obstructive bronchitis, pneumonia or pleurisy.

If you have a paroxysmal, frequent cough, you need to humidify the air in the room with a special humidifier or place an open container of water next to the crib. Lollipops with an antitussive effect or emollient cough syrup can help relieve an attack. If there is no high temperature, you can apply a warming compress, mustard plaster or warming ointment.

Significantly relieve cough:

Influx of fresh air by ventilating the room before going to bed;

Humidifying the room with wet cleaning;

Drink plenty of warm drinks;

Clearing the nose of mucus accumulation by rinsing the nasal passages with sea water or decoctions of anti-inflammatory herbs;

Inhalations and antitussive drugs are used with extreme caution due to the possible aggravation of swelling of the mucous membrane.

If the cough worsens or shortness of breath develops, you should urgently seek medical help.

How can you stop a child's cough?

How to stop a child’s cough worries all parents. Especially if the child coughs heavily, non-stop, and chokes. I want to stop this as quickly as possible and help my child calm down.

Cough is a symptom of various diseases. Severe attacks occur most often at night. How to relieve a child's cough? To help your baby correctly, you need to know the cause of the cough. And there can be many reasons, and they are not always associated with colds; a coughing child is a common sight at a pediatrician’s appointment.

Causes of cough

Coughing is a protective reaction of the body that allows you to clear the bronchi and trachea. Quite healthy children experience slight coughing up to 10-15 times a day (usually in the morning) and this is the norm. But when the disease is suspicious and painful for the child, then it is necessary to contact a pediatrician.

The problem in treating cough is that often parents do not take it too seriously and treat it themselves, especially when it is not severe and is not accompanied by any other symptoms. However, there is almost always a serious cause for a cough.

The main causes of cough:

inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract (bronchitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, laryngitis, rhinitis, etc.);
adenoids;
a foreign object lodged in the throat;
allergic diseases of the respiratory system, bronchial asthma;
diseases of the digestive system (often gastroesophageal reflux);
heart disease;
helminthic infestations;
indoor air is too dry.

Only a doctor can figure out what is causing the cough by conducting an examination.

Types of cough and its treatment

It is customary to divide cough into dry and wet. In the first days of inflammation of the respiratory system, a mainly dry cough is observed, then turning into a wet one. But there are many varieties of both dry and wet cough. Depending on the reasons for its occurrence, it can be:

Spicy. Its duration is usually less than three weeks. Typically caused by a viral disease, inflammation in the larynx (laryngitis), trachea, bronchi or lungs. At first it can be dry and intrusive. With tracheitis it becomes barking, with laryngitis it also has a sore throat. In case of pneumonia, it is immediately moist and deep. The main task when any signs of acute respiratory infections occur is to exclude pneumonia.
Sudden. A sudden cough (sometimes accompanied by a whistling sound) may indicate the presence of a foreign object in the respiratory tract.
Protracted. Wet cough, most often after acute bronchitis. It also happens with adenoids and nasopharyngitis. It can last from a month or longer. A dry, lingering cough occurs in schoolchildren with tracheitis. It happens with whooping cough. It is paroxysmal and painful.
Persistent or chronic. It is observed in chronic diseases of the respiratory system. It can be either wet or dry depending on the disease.
Allergic. Dry, paroxysmal and painful. It most often occurs suddenly as a sign of an allergic reaction. Sometimes it is a harbinger of bronchial asthma. It is quite difficult to distinguish it from a cold cough. It is necessary to find and eliminate the cause of the allergy.
Psychogenic. Mostly dry. Occurs as a reaction to stressful situations. It is permanent in nature, usually begins with an acute respiratory infection, then becomes regular. It appears only during the day, does not occur during sleep, and an attack can be provoked by touching on a topic that is unpleasant for the child. Requires in-depth research and specific treatment.

Treatment of cough depends on the diagnosis. Basically, it consists of prescribing drugs that dilute sputum. To establish a diagnosis, the following tests may be ordered:

chest x-ray;
bronchoscopy (indicated for frequent pneumonia, bronchitis, to detect a foreign object);
sputum analysis;
blood tests, stool tests and others.

Maintain drinking regime. When coughing, it is recommended to drink plenty of warm drinks - fruit drinks, herbal teas, compotes, water.
Maintain optimal indoor air humidity. This is especially true in winter, when the indoor air is dry.
Do therapeutic inhalations. It's good to buy a nebulizer. This device sprays the medicine, allowing it to immediately penetrate the bronchi. Do nothing without consulting a pediatrician.
Use medications prescribed by your doctor. These are usually expectorants that remove phlegm, mucus and bacteria. They come in the following types: diluting sputum, stimulating its discharge, and combined (both diluting and stimulating).

When treating a child's cough, antitussives are not recommended, much less give them on your own. They act on the cough center, which is located in the cerebral cortex. This leads to stagnation of mucus, which significantly aggravates the course of the disease. But many people make the mistake of giving a child such a drug for a wet cough. Only a doctor can prescribe it, for example, for whooping cough or in preparation for surgery on the respiratory system.

Basically, the disease worsens at night. His attacks intensify, disturbing the child's sleep. This happens because when lying down, the mucus does not dissolve and clogs the nasopharynx, which causes a cough.

It is more difficult to cough at night, so it is intense and prolonged. The child becomes restless, sleeps poorly or cannot sleep at all. To reduce the number of coughing attacks in babies, you need to turn them from side to side while sleeping.

Air that is colder and drier than during the day can also trigger attacks. Therefore, it is important to maintain optimal humidity and temperature in the children's room. Air it out before going to bed. It is recommended to turn on a humidifier or hang wet towels around the room.

Most often, night cough bothers children with viral infections, chronic respiratory diseases, bronchial asthma, adenoids, and after whooping cough (the disease itself is also characterized by night coughing attacks).

How to calm a child's cough

Attacks of acute cough are observed with laryngitis. Children have a different larynx structure from adults. It is located higher in them, the ligaments are thinner and shorter, the lumen is narrower. Therefore, swelling during inflammation occurs faster in them and is dangerous because it greatly complicates breathing. If it becomes very difficult for a child to breathe, you need to call an ambulance. Because of these features, coughing in children is much more frequent and lasts longer.

How to relieve a coughing attack in a child? There are several ways to stop a coughing attack, the following remedies will help:

drink;
children's cough syrup;
butter;
inhalation.

How to calm a child's cough and stop an attack:

For night cough. The child must be woken up, seated on the bed and given a drink of warm milk or mineral water, chamomile (sage) decoction, tea with jam. After this, the cough weakens and the sore throat goes away.
You can give a little honey (if there is no allergy) or butter. Honey or oil should be absorbed slowly. This will soothe a sore throat. Buckwheat honey gives a very good effect.
Sometimes children's cough syrups and mixtures work well. They contain essential oils and other components that help relieve cough.
In some cases, inhalations are effective. You need to let the child breathe over hot water or use a special inhaler or nebulizer. But keep in mind that inhalations are contraindicated for newborns up to six months old. Air humidification is necessary. Dry air is a common cause of a sore throat, which makes you constantly want to cough up.
You can steam your child’s feet or warm him up in the bathroom, or rub his chest. But only if there is no temperature.

If all else fails, call a doctor.

It is better to do all procedures in consultation with a pediatrician, since much depends on the age of the child, for example, young children are not recommended to have mustard plasters or rubbing.

Every person should know how to relieve a coughing attack. The problem occurs under the influence of various factors, but in 90% of cases the main cause is various diseases - viral, infectious. You can effectively stop an attack at home; medications and traditional medicine help relieve symptoms. It is important to consider that a sudden and severe coughing attack can be not only a symptom of a disease, but also a protective reaction of the body, for example, to a piece of food or a foreign object.

Causes

A severe or prolonged coughing attack can occur for various reasons. This manifestation should not be ignored, since the list contains diseases such as:

bronchial asthma - in the case when this disease is the main one, then in addition to this symptom there is severe shortness of breath. As a result, there is a pronounced lack of air. You can remove manifestations using special preparations (sprays);
allergic reaction - attacks of dry and loud cough occur after contact with an irritant. Shortness of breath in this case rarely appears. In 90% of cases, a reaction in this form occurs after inhalation of pollen, dust, or a chemical component. The reason is active irritation of the mucous membrane;
heart failure - when a person has a pathology associated with the cardiovascular system, the characteristic sound is a reflex, and not a symptomatic manifestation of the problem. Additionally, shortness of breath and rapid pulse occur. The therapeutic effect is aimed at treating the heart and strengthening blood vessels. Eliminating coughing attacks is a secondary task in this case.

An attack of irritating dry cough occurs against the background of the following diseases:

ARVI.
Colds.
Flu.

Cough here is a symptom of the disease and appears at its very beginning. Attacks of a dry cough in an adult eventually turn into a wet cough. In this case, there is a discharge of sputum and mucous components accumulated in the lungs.

Also among the possible causes of attacks are a number of the following diseases:

pneumonia;
bronchitis;
whooping cough;
tuberculosis;
damage to the thyroid gland;
problems with the esophagus;
pleurisy;
nervous overstrain;
laryngitis;
helminthiasis;
pulmonary emphysema.

Symptomatic manifestation can be observed if there are malignant neoplasms in the lungs.

Important! If a dry cough lasts more than 7 days, then you need to consult a doctor (ENT) for detailed advice.

You can also experience coughing attacks if sinusitis or one of the types of rhinitis develops. The patient stops breathing fully through the nose, congestion and swelling are observed. The problem occurs against the background of an inflammatory reaction and a large accumulation of mucus. To eliminate the problem of attacks, you need to moisturize the throat mucosa and perform steam inhalations.

How to quickly stop a coughing attack at night in an adult

If the attack occurred at night, then in this case it is necessary to take a number of simple actions:

take a sitting position;
inhale air frequently but deeply through your mouth, holding it for a few seconds, then exhale;
drink a few sips of water.

Additionally, you can take a drug that helps push mucus out of the lungs. Nettle decoction helps a lot.

How to stop coughing attacks in an adult with medication

It is important to know how to stop an attack of dry cough in an adult patient using medications. It must be remembered that only a doctor can provide qualified assistance. He will describe a regimen for taking one of the following medications that help relieve attacks of daytime or nighttime cough:

Sinekod - this drug allows you to stop suffering from attacks, as it has a powerful antitussive and bronchodilator effect. The components included directly affect the cause of the problem, due to which changes for the better are observed within 20-30 minutes;
Codelac - a medicine that relieves suffocating and paroxysmal cough. It affects the receptors, so relief occurs within half an hour after administration. This cough syrup, despite its long-lasting effect (on average 4 hours), cannot be used during pregnancy and lactation, or given to babies;
Libexin - the drug protects the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, actively relieving the inflammatory process. It should not be used during attacks of wet cough. The maximum effect occurs 40 minutes after administration. It is forbidden to use by pregnant and lactating women and children;
Omnitus - the drug is used during coughing caused by acute bronchitis, ARVI or other infections. Has a powerful antitussive effect. It can only be drunk by adults;
Eufillin is a drug that helps relieve severe coughing attacks, as it acts on the receptors. Included in therapy when the underlying problem is bronchial asthma. It cannot be used without permission, since the product has many side effects. Contraindications: heart disease, pregnancy and childhood.

What is important to know if a cough with fever appears. Causes, symptoms and treatment

Any antitussive drug based on herbs and medicinal plants can cause an allergic reaction, so they should be used only after consulting a doctor.

How to relieve coughing attacks: additional treatment methods

If the question arises of how to quickly relieve a coughing attack quickly or at home, then you need to remember: treatment methods depend on the main cause that causes it. If a negative factor has been identified, then therapy includes:

medications with bronchodilator effects;
agents that can relieve inflammation (steroidal and non-steroidal in composition);
antibiotics (if viruses, bacteria, fungi are affected, complications have appeared or the disease is in an advanced stage);
drugs affecting viruses;
mucolytics;
drugs that have an expectorant effect;
antihistamines (cough caused by allergies and occurring after contact with an irritant goes away within 20-30 minutes).

You may also need diuretics, medications that strengthen the immune system, and vitamin complexes. Sometimes compositions for external use are used - ointments and gels for rubbing and heating. The number and variety of medications depends on the form of the disease and its severity. In the case where there is no high temperature, various types of inhalations are also used (steam, using a nebulizer). The procedures may include physiotherapeutic measures - electrophoresis, UHF or iontophoresis. The complex effect allows you to eliminate attacks of dry or wet cough in a short time.

How to relieve coughing attacks: consultation with a doctor

It is possible to effectively treat attacks of dry cough in adults only after undergoing diagnosis. Only then will the treatment be successful and correct. Contacting a specialist will be required if there are additional manifestations indicating pathological manifestations in the body.

So a dry cough occurs due to bronchial asthma or the impact of infections on the body. Its sound is loud, barking. Expectoration of phlegm and mucus does not occur during an attack, which can lead to congestion or cause additional irritation of the throat. There is no relief from the cough after the cough ends; it strains the airways, provoking a new attack, which can become protracted.

Treatment methods for dry cough in adults

During diagnosis, you must tell your doctor:

features of dry cough attacks - duration, number of repetitions per day;
about sounds (barking, muffled, wheezing);
about the presence or absence of pain during or after an attack.

You should seek professional help:

if attacks are repeated frequently;
severe cough occurs at night or immediately after waking up;
when the problem does not disappear within 14 days;
if the cough is accompanied by severe sweating;
in case of increased body temperature;
when nausea and vomiting occurs.

Important to remember! The manifestation may indicate the development of stomach disease, chronic diseases, or the influence of infection.

Also, the condition of a patient who constantly experiences attacks of dry or wet cough may worsen due to general tension in the body. In cases where the problem is accompanied by severe allergic reactions, you need to consult a doctor to remove or reduce swelling. This is necessary in order to prevent its transition to the larynx. If pain and discomfort are present, we can talk about damage to the pleura. Taking into account the information received, the doctor will tell you how to relieve an attack of dry cough.

A severe coughing attack: how to stop it with folk remedies

Elimination of a coughing attack due to bronchitis or another disease can be achieved by using traditional medicine recipes together with a traditional complex of therapeutic effects. Here you need to be careful and choose components carefully, since the substances included in the composition have different effects on the body.

The most popular folk recipes:

warm drinks - this can be tea with herbs or you can treat yourself with warm milk and honey, warm water with honey and lemon. Drinks should be warm, but not hot, to prevent burns;
lubricating the throat with melted butter (moisturizing the mucous membrane, calming the irritated surface);
inhalation - as a result, the cough becomes not dry, but moist, which allows mucus to be expelled. The most effective will be formulations with medications or eucalyptus leaves (irritation is relieved, the immune system is strengthened);
If you need an antitussive, you can use herbs to create it. Decoctions are used for drinking, rinsing, and creating compresses. Chamomile is used for this purpose - it relieves irritation in the throat;
For coughs, radish (grated) with the addition of honey is quite effective. The folk remedy should be taken 1-2 times a day, a teaspoon. The result will be rapid hydration of the mucous membrane and relief of symptoms.

If various illnesses and complications from a cold affect the occurrence of attacks, then compresses can be applied. It is best to leave them overnight. Compositions for compresses, how to relieve a cough attack with their help:

heated honey - in this case, you can apply it to cloth or gauze folded in several layers;
vegetable oil (heated);
radish with honey (juice) - helps with a runny nose and when there is a cough (cough of any nature).

To increase efficiency, the compress is insulated. For this purpose, polyethylene and a warm woolen scarf are used.

To strengthen the body, a very effective solution is the use of vitamins. It is recommended to make a mixture of lemon, ginger and honey. As a result, it is possible to relieve redness and alleviate coughing attacks in an adult, the various causes of which are associated with a weakening of the body. A good remedy for a dry or wet cough is to drink more warm milk, tea, water with the addition of various vitamin compounds.

Before using a traditional method to treat a child, you need to find out if he is allergic to the selected component. If after taking allergy symptoms appear within half an hour, you need to use antihistamines to relieve the symptoms.

Coughing is a complex reflex action of a sharp contraction of the muscular system of the respiratory tract, due to which a forced release of air occurs.

The cause-and-effect relationship of this condition is irritation of the sensitive receptors of the respiratory organs. This article will discuss how and how to relieve an attack of dry cough in children and adults, which occurs against the background of various symptomatic manifestations.

Laryngitis

Acute infectious or cold inflammation of the respiratory tube (larynx) connecting the trachea and pharynx is defined as laryngitis, or laryngotracheitis, if we are talking about damage to the initial parts of the trachea. The cause of clinical pathology of the vocal apparatus may be sudden hypothermia or overheating, overstrain of the larynx, or inhalation of dusty air. The classic symptoms of laryngitis or laryngotracheitis are:

dry cough;
difficulty breathing;
dry mouth;
sore throat;
swelling of the vocal cords;
hoarseness.

A more severe symptomatic sign is complete loss of voice. The disease can have an acute development, or it can have a chronic pathology. Complex therapy involves oil and alkaline inhalations, exclusion of hot, cold and salty foods from the diet, as well as treatment with pharmacological drugs with antihistamine activity. Of particular concern is acute stenosing laryngotracheitis, which is also called false croup, most often found in children of preschool and/or primary school age. Due to the physiological characteristics of the child’s body, the size of the larynx is quite small, resulting in a strong narrowing of the glottis. The natural reaction to this condition is a non-productive dry cough, which causes a lot of suffering for the little person. How to relieve an attack of dry cough in a child to ease the baby’s suffering? There are a large number of different pharmacological agents of synthetic and natural bases.

Note! For the treatment of young children, it is advisable to use medications prepared on the basis of extracts of natural herbal components.

You can block a child's dry cough reflex with the help of antitussive syrups:

Herbion - Icelandic moss syrup - is a medicinal product with an active ingredient containing an extract of this plant, which has an anti-inflammatory, immunostimulating, antitussive and antibacterial effect on the vocal apparatus of a fragile child's body. The polysaccharides that make up the medicinal syrup envelop the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract and form a protective layer, having a calming effect on irritated areas, thereby softening a dry cough. A contraindication for use may be the high sensitivity of the child’s body to the active ingredients.
Ambroxol can act as an antitussive, bronchodilator, anti-inflammatory and expectorant. The drug promotes active secretory formation and removal of mucus from the respiratory canals of the respiratory system.
Anginal is a disinfectant, analgesic and anti-inflammatory medicine that allows for a comprehensive effect on the mucous membrane. The medicine, produced in the form of a spray, eliminates throat irritation, relieves swelling and spasm, eases the dry cough reflex and helps remove secretions from the respiratory tract.

As a rule, any of the above drugs is well tolerated by the child’s body without causing reaction conditions. Also, these dosage forms are recommended for the treatment of laryngitis for pregnant and/or lactating women. Do not forget about proven methods in home medicine. How to quickly relieve an attack of dry cough with laryngotracheitis and/or laryngitis:

Foot baths. This universal method of home treatment is suitable not only for children, but also for adults, provided there is no elevated body temperature. 3-4 tablespoons of dry mustard are diluted in a bowl of hot water. You need to warm your feet for no more than 10-15 minutes.
Throat compress. Before going to bed, you can make a warm compress with vodka or an alcohol solution. For small children, you can apply a woolen cloth at night, after rubbing it with laundry soap.
A mixture of glycerin and iodine will help relieve suffering from a dry cough. After mixing the medicines in a 1:1 proportional ratio, you should lubricate the throat of a child or adult with it before going to bed.

Gargling should not be discounted. Herbal decoctions from chamomile flowers, calendula, plantain and sage leaves, fennel fruits, oak bark, and so on are perfect for such procedures. The decoction must be warm for the treatment to be comfortable and effective.

Advice! It is highly desirable that all home procedures be agreed upon with the attending physician, since any organism has its own physiological characteristics.

Bronchial asthma

A symptomatic sign of chronic inflammation of the airways caused by bronchial obstruction leading to an asthmatic condition is a dry cough. According to the World Health Organization, about 250 million people around the world have acquired asthmatic status today. These statistics are of great concern to healthcare workers. In addition to cough, the symptoms of the disease are complemented by other factors:

wheezing;
chest congestion;
suffocation;
changes in body temperature;
dyspnea.

Triggers of acute or chronic manifestations of obstructive syndrome are:

hereditary predisposition, which, according to the results of clinical genetic studies, accounts for 30% of the total number of diseases;
occupational factor is the second percentage indicator among asthmatics;
regardless of age, gender, place of residence and environmental conditions, smoking is in third place as a provoking factor of bronchial obstruction;
unsanitary conditions and unbalanced nutrition are also one of the components of the cause-and-effect relationship of the occurrence of bronchial complications;
environmental factor, which was recorded in 3% of observed patients.

Excess weight, which affects a third of humanity at an alarming rate, increases the risk of asthmatic pathology by 50%. How to relieve an attack of dry cough with bronchial obstruction? In fact, there are a sufficient number of anti-asthmatic drugs that can stop dry attacks of the cough reflex. The attending physician may recommend the following drug combinations to prevent the development of obstructive syndrome in the lower tract of the respiratory system:

Budecort is an aerosol drug for dosed inhalation. The therapeutic single dose for an adult patient should not exceed 200 mcg, and for children over 6 years of age, the doctor prescribes the dosage according to the severity of bronchial asthma.
Beclat is an aerosol intended for dosed inhalation for basic therapy of bronchial asthma, which has antiallergic and anti-inflammatory effects. The daily dose for an adult should not exceed 1 mg, and for children from 6 to 12 years old, 200 to 400 mcg is sufficient. An overdose can cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the throat, paradoxical bronchospasm, and also provoke a mycotic infection of the oral cavity or upper respiratory tract.
Pulmicort is a drug that has an anti-inflammatory effect in bronchial obstruction at different stages of the allergic reaction, actively blocking histamine and methacholine. It is testing for methacholine that determines obstructive processes in the bronchi. If the test is not confirmed, then, as a rule, the drug is not prescribed to patients. While self-medicating, some patients prescribe this suspension for inhalation to themselves or their children, and then the question arises: why doesn’t Pulmicort relieve an attack of dry cough? This once again confirms that self-medication is fraught with unpredictable consequences.

How to relieve an attack of dry cough in adults and/or children using traditional medicine? Unfortunately, this method of treatment is absolutely ineffective in case of asthmatic status of the patient.

Note! For acute inflammation of the respiratory system of an allergic nature, folk treatment is a very common form of therapeutic intervention.

Popular traditional medicine recipes:

Oatmeal broth. Fill a half-liter jar with well-cleaned oats and fill it to the brim with boiled water. This decoction is infused for 1-1.5 hours. After cooling to a comfortable temperature, it should be taken 200 ml 2 times a day.

Propolis with alcohol. A small amount of bee product is poured with 150 ml of diluted alcohol. After infusion for 7-10 days, the medicine is ready for use. Take 2 tbsp. l. 3 times a day before meals. If desired and possible, Irish moss or drop cap is added to the alcohol tincture.
For inhalation of the upper respiratory tract, a medicinal composition of beeswax and propolis, which is prepared in a water bath, is very effective. The steam procedure is recommended to be carried out no more than 1-2 times a day for 10-15 minutes for adults, and no more than 10 minutes for children from 6 to 12 years.
Medicinal combination for steam inhalation: coltsfoot and hyssop. A tablespoon of dry mixture of healing ingredients is poured with 250 ml of boiling water and infused for 40-60 minutes. This solution can not only be used for steam procedures, but also taken orally, dividing the original medicine into 5-6 doses per day.
Ginger decoction. The crushed root of the plant is poured with water and brought to a boil, after which it is boiled for another 30 minutes. After cooling, take a tablespoon every 2-3 hours.

Attacks of dry cough recede if the disease is taken seriously. Folk remedies and medications will allow you to achieve positive results in a short time.

Cough is one of the most common and unpleasant symptoms of a cold. In essence, a cough is an increased exhalation, which develops reflexively and is necessary to clear the airways of foreign bodies, sputum, viral particles and bacteria. In other words, coughing is a protective reaction of the body. However, this does not mean that you do not need to fight it. Frequent coughing attacks physically exhaust the patient and also damage the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Particularly dangerous in this regard is a dry cough, in which there is no sputum production.

Why do seizures occur?

Doctors call a dry cough unproductive because it does not help clear the airways. In fact, the patient only coughs up air.

There are many reasons why a dry cough may occur. Most often these are, naturally, colds, flu and other respiratory infections. A nonproductive cough may also indicate a more serious condition, such as a lung infection or pneumonia, especially if the cough is accompanied by a high fever, weakness, and severe malaise.

Persons with chronic lung pathologies (for example, or) also suffer from paroxysmal cough, especially during exacerbation of these diseases.

Attacks of dry cough can occur with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, allergic reactions, as well as inflammatory processes in the external auditory canal.

Sometimes a dry cough is not associated with any pathologies, but develops in response to foreign bodies entering the body, for example, when smoking, being in a dusty room, or using certain drugs that irritate the respiratory tract.

What to do?

Treatment tactics for paroxysmal dry cough largely depend on the cause of this symptom. Both modern medications and folk remedies are used for therapeutic purposes.

Often attacks of dry cough bother a person at night. In this case, the patient is recommended to change the tilt of the pillow, since in a horizontal position the mucus will flow down the back wall of the larynx, which leads to irritation.

For colds, the main strategy for treating a dry cough is to transform it into a wet (productive) cough. To do this, first of all, it is necessary to provide the patient with plenty of fluids so that the transition from a dry cough to an important one occurs as quickly as possible. And the room in which the patient is located must be regularly ventilated and moistened.

If you smoke, you should abstain from this habit at least for the duration of treatment. It's best if you quit smoking forever. This way you will significantly alleviate your condition and suffer from coughing much less often.

Traditional medicine

Traditional medicine will help soften a dry cough. One of the most popular recipes is hot milk with honey and butter. You can also dissolve honey in water. This drink helps soften the mucous membrane of the throat, which will alleviate the patient’s condition.

Black radish juice is a good cough remedy. You need to take a root vegetable, make a small depression in it and put a little honey there. After a few hours, the cavity will be filled with juice, which should be taken 3 times a day, 1 tablespoon.

Cough preparations

You need to be careful with cough medications, since some medications are used exclusively to treat dry coughs, while others are used for wet coughs. When the cough goes from dry to productive, the patient also needs to change medications, which is quite inconvenient.

Fortunately, there is a group of drugs that cope equally well with both dry and wet coughs. And one of these is overslept- an original herbal preparation made on the basis of ivy leaf extract.

overslept was developed back in 1949 by the German pharmacist Karl Engelhard. At that time, the scientist’s daughter fell ill. The child suffered from severe coughing attacks that none of the drugs could cope with. Then Karl Engelhard decided to treat his daughter with ivy extract, a plant known for its antitussive properties. And later large-scale research began on these plants. In particular, glycosidic saponins were found in ivy leaves - substances with antitussive, antimicrobial, expectorant and antispasmodic properties. This is how the drug was created overslept, which is still very popular in 75 countries around the world.

overslept promotes the rapid transition of a dry cough into a wet one, and also acts as an effective expectorant, which allows you to clear the lungs of phlegm.

The drug has practically no side effects, it can be given to pregnant women and even newborns (syrup).

Available overslept in the form of syrup, effervescent tablets and solutions in sticks. The drug does not contain sugar or alcohol, and also combines well with other medications. cough: what to do.

Typically, a cough is caused by the body itself in response to irritation of the mucous membrane in the respiratory organs. A cough can be a reaction to inflammation, to some foreign object, or it can become a pathology. A short-term cough is not dangerous. It passes quickly. Does not entail any residual effect. A persistent cough may be a symptom of the disease.

When a person starts coughing in the middle of the night, it can last for a long time, because all processes in the body have slowed down. The mucus doesn't even dissolve. Consequently, phlegm accumulates. The sick person lies motionless. This is why attacks most often occur at night. A person must change position from time to time. Sometimes such a cough can be due to bronchitis, but it is also caused by allergies to fluff, asthma, dry air, and persistent respiratory diseases. If a person’s heartbeat noticeably increases when coughing, there may be problems with the cardiovascular system. Night coughs are calmed with a glass of water brought to the bed in advance, before bed. Add sugar heated until brown.

Another way is to constantly monitor the air condition in the room. Dryness needs to be removed using special moisturizers. When coughing, a decoction of medicinal herbs such as chamomile and calendula helps. During allergies, a person should take appropriate medications.

A dry cough often occurs during a cold. It is treated using folk remedies. To prevent a dry cough from irritating the mucous membrane, you need to drink tincture of oregano. In addition, it is recommended to cut and brew ginger tea. This herb usually helps to soothe the throat. It is also recommended to take eggnog at night with honey instead of sugar. If you have red wine on hand, you can make mulled wine. It also requires cloves, half a glass of water, ginger, cinnamon, honey and lemon. If you have prolonged coughing attacks, you should consult a doctor, otherwise it may develop into a chronic disease. A severe cough is one of those forms that is important to neutralize immediately, after which you should call and call specialists. Honey will stop an attack if a person periodically sucks half a spoonful of this product.

Linden tincture will warm the throat, facilitate the swallowing process, and dilate blood vessels. Onions mixed with sugar are given to someone with a cold four times a day. Different types of frozen berries also help with a severe cough: raspberries, lingonberries, viburnum. Mixtures ground with sugar are placed in hot water instead of tea leaves. The patient can drink such teas several times a day. In addition, at the first symptoms of the disease, these drinks will become a salvation from fever.

In addition to folk remedies, mucolytics, which can thin phlegm in the throat, also help prevent attacks. These include: “Ambroxol”, “Bromhexine”, “Mukaltin”, or regular cough tablets. Mucolytics are contained in the following herbs: thyme, sage, eucalyptus, chamomile. They not only eliminate phlegm, but also counteract the process of inflammation in the body. If you take herbal teas in a timely manner, you can cure a cold without taking pills.

Smokers often have a dry throat. To calm irritation, you can use eucalyptus, sucking tablets “Doctor Mom”, “Gedelix”, “Bronchosan”. Traditional healers advise drinking mineral water with milk three times every day. If a person is suffering from an asthma attack, you need to try to relax your throat and calm yourself down. You can simply take a pillow, sit on a chair facing the back, and put it on top. After this, take a deep breath and exhale. If you have an asthmatic cough, you need to purchase an inhaler, since this is almost the only remedy that will help during an attack.

When the desired effect does not occur and the patient is choking from coughing, immediately call an ambulance. Doctors give injections or give pills. The main thing that is needed is not to push the disease further, but to determine its cause and engage in comprehensive treatment.