Possible causes of a cough without a cold in an adult. Persistent cough

When a certain irritant enters the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, a cough occurs. This symptom most often appears during colds and viral diseases, however, in some cases, a cough without a cold may occur. For what reasons it appeared and how to eliminate this symptom, we will tell in our article.

Both adults and children can cough for no reason. His provocateur is sometimes a foreign body that has fallen into the throat or respiratory organs of a person. Also, this symptom may indicate the development of a serious illness. An experienced doctor will help determine the cause of a sudden cough in adults and children, without cold symptoms, after a detailed examination of the patient.

As you know, there are two types of cough: dry and wet, formed as a result of large accumulations of sputum in the respiratory organs. Initially, a dry symptom occurs in a child and an adult, requiring a certain treatment. After, it goes into a wet form, which, accordingly, requires other appointments to eliminate the symptom. If the patient does not take medication as prescribed by the doctor or completely excludes contacting a medical facility, rather unpleasant and sometimes very dangerous complications arise. In order to prevent the development of the chronic form and timely get rid of unpleasant symptoms that occur for unclear reasons, it is necessary to identify the main provocateur of its development.

Causes of cough development, in the absence of cold symptoms

If a child or adult often has an unreasonable dry or wet symptom, action should be taken! A qualified doctor will help you find out the exact causes of a cough without a cold!

The most common cause of a cough without a cold is an allergy. This reaction is typical for children and adults, often detected during the flowering periods of some plant species. Also, an allergic cough often occurs when household allergens are inhaled: dust, animal hair, etc. Elements that irritate the human respiratory organs can be found in carpets, clothing and bedding. To eliminate the symptom caused by an allergic reaction of the body, it is necessary to get rid of the provocateurs of its occurrence. The main symptom of allergy in this case is a dry cough, there are practically no other signs.

If the allergic reaction becomes more complicated, a sick person may experience other symptoms: watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing, and a rash on the body.

A cough without a cold may be post-infectious. This symptom occurs in patients who have previously had an infectious or viral disease associated with the respiratory system. With this process, the child and the adult have not only a dry cough, but also excessive sore throat, as well as an unpleasant tickling sensation.

The symptom of a post-infectious nature is very irritable, often occurs with severe attacks, especially manifested at night. The duration of this symptom is ambiguous, in some cases a dry cough worries a person for 2-3 weeks. To get rid of unpleasant symptoms, it is necessary to visit the attending physician, who can prescribe an adequate course of treatment for the sick patient.

Cough due to the development of serious diseases

Cough is a characteristic symptom not only of the common cold. This symptom is a concomitant symptom in the development of bronchitis, tuberculosis, tracheitis, laryngitis, and whooping cough in a child. You can independently find out the main reason for its appearance, according to other accompanying signs, however, in order to exclude complications, it is better to seek help from experienced doctors in a timely manner.

Whooping cough in a child can be determined by the following signs:

• dry cough of a paroxysmal, as well as barking character;
• general malaise, weakness;
• not the first stage of the development of the disease, there is a slight increase in temperature;
• coughing spells often occur at night;
• respiratory failure.

It is necessary to treat a cough with whooping cough only as directed by a doctor, in a hospital in a medical institution.

With a complication of the disease caused by viral infections, a dry cough is not excluded, indicating the development of an inflammatory process in the lower parts of the respiratory system. This symptom is often found in bronchitis, laryngitis and tracheitis. Symptoms of these diseases:

• a strong cough, often paroxysmal in nature, for a long time;
• with increased coughing, the patient feels soreness in the throat and sternum;
• coughing attacks often occur during night rest;
• body temperature may rise and other symptoms characteristic of colds may join.

A wet or wet cough is often associated with allergic reactions. If timely measures are not taken to eliminate it, this symptom can provoke the development of bronchial asthma. Such a diagnosis is characterized by signs of suffocation and profuse perspiration in the throat. During attacks, a person’s breathing is disturbed, wheezing occurs in the bronchi, and pallor of the skin can also be observed. If an asthmatic symptom occurs, the patient needs urgent medical help. Special instant medications will eliminate the attack, which is very dangerous for human life.

A wet cough in a child that does not go away for a long time may indicate the presence of worms in the body. An additional sign of invasive infection: profuse sputum production. The attending physician will help to confirm or exclude this diagnosis, based on the patient's tests.

A cough that occurs without colds and other symptoms may also occur for other reasons:

• characteristic coughing often occurs in smokers, as well as in people who have quit this addiction;
• due to insufficient humidity in the room;
• in a child, this symptom may appear against the background of a psychological cause (strong stress, anxiety, etc.);
• in the presence of serious disorders in the digestive organs, which allows food particles to freely pass into the organs of the respiratory system;
• in case of accidental entry of a foreign body into the respiratory tract;
• in an infant, this symptom can be observed due to physiological factors characteristic of children in the first year of life.

If a person has a cough without cold symptoms, first of all, you need to determine the cause of its appearance, which a competent specialist will help to do. Further, adequate treatment will be required, excluding the development of complications and other negative consequences that are dangerous to human life and health. The sooner the patient seeks help from doctors, the more successful the results of recovery will be!

During a cold, few people are concerned about it, but causeless coughing attacks make even those who consider themselves absolutely healthy to worry.

Drip syndrome

Drip-syndrome (or drip-syndrome) is one of the most common causes of chronic cough. It happens with rhinitis and sinusitis, that is, with any rhinitis, including allergic and drug-induced, but sometimes with neoplasms. In some cases, a specialist will be able to determine the cause of drip syndrome by simply looking at the features of nasal discharge. Stop postnasal leakage can only eliminate the cause of chronic rhinitis.

GERD

This is an abbreviation of gastroesophageal reflux disease, the recurring reflux of stomach or duodenal contents into the esophagus. Most often, the disease is manifested by heartburn, regurgitation of acid, a burning sensation in the epigastric region. Less well known are the pulmonary manifestations of GERD, including coughing, shortness of breath, and often occur when a person is lying down.
Sometimes a banal lifestyle change helps treatment: quitting smoking and tight clothing, getting rid of extra pounds, as well as eliminating disease-provoking foods from the diet, including chocolate, mint, spices, onions, coffee, alcohol, carbonated drinks, orange and tomato juices. In any case, consult your doctor: some medications can also provoke GERD, such as beta-blockers, nitrates, tricyclic antidepressants.

Worms

Neurogenic cough

A cough may not be associated with a disease of the internal organs at all, it is called neurogenic, or psychological. Its first variety is inductive, that is, contagious. For example, a phenomenon described by Andrias Waginer, a professor at the University of Hannover, is “concert coughing,” where people cough twice as often.
The second variety of this phenomenon is the cough of anxious expectation: it is described in people with neurosis, because of the fear of being late somewhere or before a public speech.
The third is alexithymic cough: occurs in persons who are unable to express their thoughts and emotions. Well, the fourth is a loud demonstrative cough, which is the equivalent of a hysterical reaction. In these cases, psychologists and psychiatrists come to the rescue.

Chronic heart failure

A third of patients with chronic insufficiency have a cough, and they rarely come to the doctor with this complaint, believing that cough can only be a lung disease. How to recognize it?

Most often it is a dry cough that occurs after physical or emotional stress, often at night. Taking cough medicine in this situation is pointless, only drugs for the treatment of heart failure will help.

Rhythm disturbances

Coughing can be the first sign of rhythm disturbances. Any extraordinary contraction of the heart can be manifested by the "need to cough."

angina pectoris

Many have heard that coronary heart disease manifests itself as "angina pectoris" - retrosternal pain that occurs during physical effort. The equivalent of these pains may be the appearance of a dry cough. Especially attentive to these symptoms, indicating a pathology of the heart, should be people over 45 with healthy lungs.

Medications

Cardiac drugs themselves can cause coughing. For example, ACE inhibitors cause cough predominantly in women and non-smokers. This is a dry, unproductive cough that is accompanied by a scratchy throat, which is why many people confuse it with a cough that occurs with a cold. As a rule, it disappears within 4 days after discontinuation of the drug, sometimes a month or a little later. Cough can be caused by beta-blockers and even statins used to combat atherosclerosis.

Foreign bodies

The most worrying problem is coughing in children. If the baby has a persistent cough that recurs for no apparent reason, you should immediately exclude the ingress of a foreign body into the respiratory tract. Children inhale coins, paper clips, screws, pen caps, buttons, toy pieces, nuts, bones, and more. The most dangerous thing is batteries that get into the respiratory tract or esophagus.
“Batteries, if they enter the respiratory tract, require very quick removal, otherwise, literally after 1.5–2 hours, a very aggressive alkali is released, which causes a violent burn of the mucous membrane. And the longer the foreign body is in the respiratory tract or esophagus, the more severe complications occur: up to organ perforation, ”comments MD, professor, head of the department, director of the Clinic for Ear, Throat and Nose Diseases of the First Moscow State Medical University. THEM. Sechenov, chief ENT of the Ministry of Health for Central Russia.
Not only foreign bodies can get into the respiratory tract, it can also be teeth, papillomas, or pieces of tissues removed during surgery. Do not be afraid to contact the otolaryngologist, even if you doubt that the child is coughing due to a foreign body.

Sulfur plug

A large, dry, dense cerumen plug can irritate the skin of the ear canal and cause coughing. Sometimes the cause of the cough is not found for a long time, because the patient goes to other specialists - a general practitioner, a pulmonologist, even an oncologist.
If you turn to an otorhinolaryngologist, the cork is removed, and the cough goes away by itself. Therefore, in the presence of a cough that cannot be explained by the state of other organs and systems, an examination of the ENT is required.

Cough is a specific defense of the body, which is a symptom of the disease. Thanks to coughing, the body tries to remove through the respiratory tract elements that make breathing difficult and affect cough receptors. The duration is divided into: acute, protracted and chronic. There are two types of cough: dry and wet. For the treatment of wet cough, mucolytic and expectorant drugs are used, and for dry cough, cough soothing drugs are used.

What is a cough?

Cough is a symptom that is a protective reaction of the body.

Why does cough occur? With the help of a cough, the respiratory organs are cleansed of excess secretion and microbes. Cough is of a different nature and its treatment depends on it. Microorganisms, dust, sputum and everything that makes breathing difficult are removed from the respiratory tract through the glottis, thanks to coughing shocks, and thus, the body reflexively tries to get rid of “extra” elements on its own.

The nature of the cough depends on the level at which the exposure to the pathogenic microbe occurred. If the back wall of the pharynx is inflamed - this is pharyngitis, while the cough is superficial. If the infection is localized on the trachea and vocal cords, then tracheitis or laryngitis occurs, in which case the cough is irritating, rough, and gives a lot of discomfort. At this stage, it is very important to start treatment on time, otherwise the disease may be complicated by pneumonia or bronchitis.

Causative agents of cough

The causative agents of cough can be diseases of the following origin:

• Viral;


• Bacterial;


• Allergic.

In addition to these three types of the origin of the disease, the unsatisfactory condition of the air or the high content of dust in it can cause a cough.

In most cases, the process of coughing is quite simple: a significant amount of mucus is produced in the lungs, and the body tries to get rid of this mucus through coughing.

Causes

Dry cough

Let's look at the causes of dry cough in adults and children. Dry cough is the result of irritation of the cough receptors. These receptors are dispersed in different parts of the body: in the trachea, pharynx, at the place where the bronchi divide, in the paranasal sinuses and in the stomach. When something affects these receptors, the urge to cough and the cough itself may begin.

Moist cough

Wet cough is a cough with phlegm, its causes, as a rule, are inflammatory processes that directly occur in the respiratory system. With this type of cough, the body tries to remove and get rid of the accumulated sputum. Site specialists strongly draw your attention to the fact that if sputum does not leave, then its large accumulation will disrupt the ventilation of the lungs, which can lead to inflammation.

Cough for no reason

Very often, many complain about the so-called "cough for no reason", but this is nonsense. If there is a cough, then a priori it cannot be without a reason, something still provokes its occurrence, which means that there is a reason.

If a cough without a reason is understood as a situation where the occurrence of a cough was not preceded by some obvious reason, and at the same time a cough without fever is observed, then most likely this is a manifestation of an allergic reaction or on a nervous basis. If such a cough persists for more than a week, then you should consult a doctor.

Establishing the cause of a cough is simply necessary, as it can be a harbinger of serious illness!

Night cough

It is also worth noting the so-called nocturnal cough, when it occurs or intensifies at night, especially in a child. In this case, the horizontal position of the body is the culprit. In this position, the mucus from the nasopharynx cannot be absorbed, and its accumulation simply clogs the nasopharynx, which leads to a reflex cough. The same picture as in the nasopharynx is also observed in the lungs, since in this position the sputum resolves very, very slowly, so the blood supply to the lungs worsens in a person, which also leads to coughing.

Along with this, a nocturnal cough may be the result of a change in the microclimate of the apartment at night. The fact is that at night the air becomes colder and dryer, because of this, the membranes of the larynx are irritated, which actually lead to bouts of reflex coughing. At the same time, stronger and more frequent coughing fits can be observed at night than during the day. This is due to the fact that being in a horizontal position, it becomes more difficult for a person to cough, because of this, the intensity of coughing and the duration of his urges increase.

Types of cough

There are two types of cough - dry and wet. With a wet cough, sputum is excreted from the body, which in itself is a necessity for the body, since it is she who causes cough and inflammation in the body. Thus, the withdrawal of sputum is a benefit for the body, and therefore, such a cough is productive. As for dry cough, it does not bring any benefit to the body and is useless for humans, which means it is unproductive.

Dry cough

At the beginning of the disease and at the end, the patient develops a dry cough. With this type of cough, sputum is absent. As soon as it appears, the cough becomes wet.

The main feature of this type of cough is that the patient wants to cough all the time, get rid of something superfluous in the throat and chest. If, after several attempts to cough up, this cannot be done, then you should not continue, because coughing can disrupt the integrity of small blood vessels in the vocal cords, this leads to a disastrous result: hoarseness or even.

In the initial stage of the disease, for example, with respiratory infections, one should try to make the dry cough become wet. For this, special mucolytic and expectorant drugs are used.

When you are on the mend and the wet cough is over and turned into a protracted dry one, you can get rid of it with the help of drugs that suppress the cough reflex. An excruciating cough can provoke a rise in blood pressure, cause insomnia, and in severe cases, cardiopulmonary failure.

Moist cough

A wet cough is considered productive. Sputum is a good breeding ground for the development of microorganisms, it accumulates in the bronchi and is excreted with the help of coughing. In this case, we can safely talk about the benefits of coughing. However, if the cough does not go away in any way, then the disease becomes chronic and sputum is separated worse and is almost not excreted from the body. In such cases, treatment is carried out with the help of expectorants, which thin the sputum and contribute to its easier removal.

It is necessary that sputum when coughing must necessarily leave the body, for this it must be expectorated, that is, spit out.

In addition, cough can be divided according to the period of its duration.

Duration of cough

If the cough is the result of a normal cough, then it should go away in a week. If the trachea and vocal cords are involved, then the cough can last up to two weeks.

As a rule, the duration of the cough is divided into: acute, protracted and chronic:

Acute cough. This cough lasts for 3 weeks. A feature of acute cough is that it is constant, that is, the patient coughs almost constantly. Such a cough helps to cleanse the body of sputum. Most often, acute cough is inherent in respiratory diseases, acute bronchitis, pneumonia, pharyngitis, etc.

lingering cough. This cough starts after 3 weeks of acute cough and can last up to 3 months. If in the case of an acute cough the patient coughs constantly, then the so-called undulating bursts are characteristic of a protracted cough (there may be no cough for one or several days, then it will appear for a while and then disappear again), and the cough may also be at a certain time (only during the day or just at night). This type of cough may indicate that the cough is gradually becoming chronic.

chronic cough. As for this type of cough, it begins after 3 months of duration. Chronic cough can be both the cause of an untreated primary source disease and its complication, and a consequence of the presence of very dangerous diseases in the body: lung tumors, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, heart failure, etc. In most cases, this type of cough is intermittent, that is, it has both exacerbations and breaks between manifestations: on certain days or times of the day, or due to an exacerbation of the disease that led to chronic cough.

What to do when coughing?

First you need to establish the cause of the cough and take measures to eliminate it. Treatment of cough in this case takes place as a concomitant process in the treatment of the underlying disease. From the cause and nature of the cough, the doctor prescribes medications.

Establishing the cause

Establishing the cause of a cough, that is, a disease whose symptom is a cough, is simply necessary. Without this, taking action to treat cough is wrong and even dangerous to health. This is due to the fact that coughing is a symptom, so it is provoked by a third-party process. That is why, in order to cure a cough, you just need to eliminate the disease or other factors that provoke it. Cough can be "masked", but this will not get rid of its cause, and therefore, the cough will continue and gradually begin to turn into a chronic form.

Cough tends to become more complicated, especially in children, in whom, for example, bronchitis can easily turn into. There is only one way out: visit a doctor as soon as possible to eliminate the cause and immediately begin treatment. You do not need to engage in self-treatment of cough, no matter what nature it is, in order to avoid complex consequences.

It is important to remember that cough treatment must be carried out in full until complete recovery. An important symptom is the occurrence of a cough during the transition from heat to cold, which means that the inflammatory process has not been completely eliminated.

Medical treatment

Mucolytics

These days, there are a very large number of dry cough remedies to help it transition to a wet one, as well as to get rid of a dry cough. For this purpose:

• Mucolytics (used to thin sputum);


• Expectorants (make coughing shocks stronger so that liquefied sputum comes out);


• Soothing (reduce cough activity, used for dry cough).

That is why in so many drugs it is easy to get confused and harm self-medication. Only a doctor can choose the right drugs based on the type of cough, examination results and diagnosis.

Medicines and syrups

In the fight against cough, medicines are used, which consist of herbal expectorants (anise oil, licorice root and marshmallow). They stimulate the motor function of the respiratory tract.

Also, sweet syrups are used in the treatment, which should be used only as directed by a doctor. Do not use cough syrups on an empty stomach. Before taking the medicine, you must eat.

Gargle

At the very beginning of the disease, as soon as it starts to tickle in the throat, gargling with saline solution with chlorophyllipt helps. For one glass of hot water, 1 tablespoon of salt and chlorophyllipt.

Immunomodulators

For complex therapy for diseases of the respiratory tract (, acute respiratory infections,), immunomodulators are often prescribed to increase the body's defenses and reduce the frequency and severity of the course of diseases. Also, immunomodulators are often used for prophylactic purposes.

Rubbing

With SARS, acute respiratory infections, trachitis and bronchitis, cough can be cured with a certain rubbing. It won't be too hard to make it. First you need to rub the back and chest of the child with a mitten worn on the hand, and then grease with a warming ointment or eucalyptus balm. Rubbing is carried out smoothly and slowly (no more than 60 movements in one minute). Do not rub for a long time in one place, in order to avoid irritation and damage to the delicate skin of the baby.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are also used. But they don't cure coughs on their own, do they? And only contribute to the treatment of the primary source of coughing. Antibiotics are strictly prescribed by a doctor. Such drugs are prescribed for diseases that are accompanied by a cough, to relieve other serious symptoms: respiratory infections, pneumonia, etc. Specialists use those drugs that have proven themselves in the treatment of a particular disease (if the test result has confirmed sensitivity to a particular active substance). For example, with inflammation of the lungs, which is accompanied by shortness of breath, dry cough and difficulty in nasal breathing, drugs of the penicillin and cephalosporin series are used. If the disease has become severe, then aminoglycosides and sulfonamides are used. Take them for at least 7 days. When the child copes with the disease and gets better, then the cough will disappear.

Other specialized drugs

Aerosols are very easy to use. To combat asthma, antileukotriene drugs are used, which can reduce allergic inflammation and reduce bronchial hyperactivity. They have an effect of approximately 5 to 8 weeks and do not cause addiction in the baby.

There are such diseases when, at the first symptoms of shortness of breath, a cough begins (it is associated with the presence of an allergen), treatment must be started immediately, otherwise suffocation may occur. These diseases include bronchial asthma. If this disease is confirmed in a child by a laboratory (skin tests for household, food, bacterial allergens, spirometry, a blood test for special immunoglobulins), then you should always have the necessary drugs prescribed by your doctor at hand.

Treatment of cough in children

In view of the fact that in adults expectoration occurs better, thanks to more developed muscles, this process is harder and more difficult for children. Therefore, along with all the listed general recommendations for the treatment of cough for adults and children, we will touch on some points in the treatment of children's cough directly.

Plentiful drink

Due to the fact that during the illness the child sweats very much, he loses a large amount of fluid, which causes the mucous membranes to dry out. At this stage, it is very important to provide the child with plenty of fluids.

The amount of liquid drunk is determined by the child himself, if he does not want to drink, then his body does not need it. If the body does not have enough fluid, then the baby will drink as much as he needs. As a drink, it is best to give teas, compotes and milk, the temperature of which is equal to body temperature.

Microclimate

Be sure to pay attention to the microclimate in the apartment. The air should be fresh and slightly humidified, for this you need to periodically ventilate the child's room, and if necessary, perform a forced humidification procedure. The most favorable room temperature for a child is +22°C.

Games

Back in 1952, a discovery took place that allows you to cope with chronic ailments. It turned out that even asthma and allergies, which are accompanied by sneezing, coughing and runny nose, can be cured without pharmaceutical preparations. All this is due to the correct breathing technique. It is worth considering that for each patient it is necessary to individually select breathing exercises, depending on the diagnosis and severity of the disease. Therefore, for the treatment of cough in children, you can use the game. Invite the baby to blow soap bubbles or balloons (this can improve lung ventilation in case of pneumonia).

Folk medicine for cough

Initially, it is worth noting that folk methods are effective when used along with traditional medicine.

Remember: traditional medicine will never replace traditional medicine, but can only act as an additional one.

Herbal preparations. With tracheitis, tracheobronchitis, bronchitis and pneumonia, herbal preparations are used, from which special infusions are prepared. When using such infusions, they must be shaken, otherwise all the healing properties will remain at the bottom of the glass.

Cough drinks. With laryngitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, anti-cough drinks help very well - a drink from figs, milk with Borjomi. They are able to remove the infection and turn a dry cough into a productive one (sputum discharge).

Inhalations. Inhalations with propolis, with asterisk balm, chlorophyllipt, sage are excellent help in the fight against infection. It is important to remember that inhalation is not recommended at elevated temperatures.

Black radish with honey. This drug is great for coughing. You need to take one black radish, cut out the core and pour honey into it, then let it brew overnight. In the morning, drain the honey and drink it on an empty stomach.

Drink. Drinking plenty of water is simply a necessary attribute for colds. Suitable fruit drinks, rosehip broth, mousses, herbal decoctions, warm milk.

Inhalation of potato vapours.. Potato decoction helps with bronchitis. Breathing in its vapors, the bronchi warm up perfectly.

Soaring feet. The connection between the lower extremities and the upper respiratory tract is known and proven. With hypothermia of the legs, a spasm of vessels in the upper respiratory tract reflexively occurs and a “vicious circle” is launched. However, this connection can be successfully applied to the treatment of colds, applying rubbing or hot foot baths. Add dry mustard to the water well. After the procedure, you must wear warm socks, otherwise the procedure will be useless.

What is dangerous cough?

Despite the fact that coughing is considered a protective reaction of the body, nevertheless, it can also be dangerous for humans.

First of all, the biggest danger that a cough can carry is its flow into a chronic form. Getting rid of chronic cough is very, very difficult. That is why it is important to treat various diseases in time and, with a prolonged cough, consult a doctor in a timely manner and prevent this process.

With a very strong cough, a rupture of the vessels of the eyes can occur, but this does not carry serious consequences, including for vision. In addition to the eye vessels, a strong cough negatively affects other vessels in the body, which also puts them at risk.

Coughing is dangerous during pregnancy, coughing spasms disrupt the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients, and also provokes placental abruption, which can adversely affect the course of pregnancy.

Take care of your health and do not neglect it.

Next article.

Cough is a symptom that occurs involuntarily and is due to the fact that there is an irritant on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. Anything can provoke it, such as a foreign object in the throat or serious illness.

How to treat a runny nose and cough during teething can be found in the article.

A wet cough is the result of a large accumulation of sputum in the bronchi, lungs and trachea. As a rule, its development occurs after bouts of dry cough. If the cause of a wet cough is not determined in time, then over time it will turn into a chronic form.

Causes

Allergy

An allergic reaction can occur on the flowering of a plant, on dust, animal hair. In addition, a large accumulation of allergens is found in bedding and carpets. The body's response to such irritation takes the form of a dry cough and runny nose without fever.

Such a symptom may occur after a person has suffered an infectious or viral inflammatory process of the respiratory tract. Such a cough is characterized by a sore throat, a tickling sensation. It can last up to 3 weeks.

adult cough

Dry cough can occur due to allergies or the presence of serious diseases such as tuberculosis and whooping cough. Only knowledge of the main causes of the symptom that has arisen will allow timely diagnosis and proceed to treatment.

What to do when a child has a dry wheezing cough, you can find out by reading this article.

Whooping cough

With such an ailment, he is barking and paroxysmal in nature. At the initial stage of the disease, the patient has a low rise in temperature, general malaise and dry cough. Over time, the patient's condition worsens, he is simply suffocated by a dry cough, which covers with a wave mainly at night. It is necessary to treat this disease only in a hospital and under the supervision of the attending physician. Otherwise, you cannot avoid serious consequences. Compared to children, in adults this disease is not so severe and does not cause a violation of normal breathing.

From the article it will become clear whether there can be a cough with a thyroid gland or not.

What are the signs of asthmatic cough, you can find out by reading this article.

Laryngitis, tracheitis and bronchitis

Dry cough in these diseases is a complication of a viral infection. The inflammatory process moves to the lower sections and affects the bronchi, larynx and trachea. This case is characterized by the presence of a prolonged cough, which intensifies over time and causes pain in the chest and throat. It takes on a paroxysmal character at night or during the day.

This article details what to do, quit smoking tortured.

Allergy

An allergic reaction is a very common cause of dry cough in adults. It occurs as a result of contact with the respiratory tract of a certain irritant. A similar symptom is disturbing in the morning, it can intensify under specific conditions, for example, eating citrus fruits, cleaning with household chemicals. When the allergen has left the body, the dry cough leaves the patient. If contact with an irritant takes on a permanent character, then the risk of narrowing the airways and the formation of a persistent cough increases. In addition, allergies can develop into serious illnesses such as obstructive bronchitis or bronchial asthma.

A 1-year-old child has a wet cough, this article will help you figure it out.

Presence of a foreign object in the airways

This reason is also considered very popular and dangerous. When a foreign body accidentally gets into the respiratory tract, it has a paroxysmal, painful character, it is very difficult for the patient to breathe. In this situation, you need to urgently seek help by calling an ambulance.

The article details what can be used for coughing during pregnancy.

Wet cough in children

When a cough is present for a long time and intensifies at night, then this is a clear symptom of a dangerous pathology. The following reasons can provoke wet in children:

1. Tuberculosis, which is characterized by frequent coughing and the release of large amounts of sputum.
2. Allergy to dust, plants, animals, medicines. At first, the child is worried about a dry cough, and then it turns into a wet one. Very often, such a symptom indicates the development of bronchial asthma. The baby becomes very difficult to breathe, he has problems with the respiratory system.
   
3. Whooping cough provokes a lasting effect, there is no rise in temperature. The situation worsens at night. In addition to a wet cough, the child's nervous system is affected.
4. Worms- a common problem in children, during which a wet cough occurs. When the worms are inside the respiratory organs, the bronchi and lungs are strongly irritated. The result of this process is copious sputum production.
   
5. Psychological reasons. Wet can occur when the baby has undergone severe stress, experiences. At night, the cough calms down, but when the baby is in the active stage, the symptoms begin to activate. To eliminate the cough, the help of a psychologist or neurologist is needed.
   
6. Poor humidity in the room. To prevent this from happening, carefully and regularly ventilate the room in which the baby is located.
   
7. The presence of a foreign body in the airways. Little kids are very inquisitive, and they need to taste everything. They put everything they see into their mouths. Small elements during swallowing get stuck in the respiratory organs. It can be removed only after the removal of the foreign body.
8. Disruption of the digestive system. When a baby has problems with the stomach, gallbladder, food enters the respiratory tract. As a result, he suffers from a wet cough.

What are the causes of coughing in an adult at night, you can find out by reading this article.

The video talks about the causes of a cough without a cold:

What to do when a baby has a wet cough without fever is indicated in the article.

Dry cough in children

Dry cough refers to the absence of mucus. This symptom is always painful. It is not uncommon for parents to discover a dry cough at night. It is impossible to immediately determine the exact cause of a cough, since everything happens without signs of a cold, but its treatment will depend on it. It is a symptom of various pathologies, the most common include the following:

The article details how to get rid of dry cough in a child.

Cough is a very dangerous symptom that indicates the presence of a certain pathology in the body. In order for the treatment to be as successful as possible, it is worth determining the cause of the formation of such a symptom. After all, all therapeutic measures will be aimed at eliminating precisely the fundamental factor.

Cough after a cold - how to treat?

The fact that you have a cough after a recent cold is more the norm than a pattern. The body is still quite weak, its defenses are reduced and that is why a person continues to cough after a cold for another 3-4 weeks, and in some cases even longer.

When should you start worrying?

So, first you need to decide where is the norm, and where is the pathology? If your cough continues for several weeks, after all the main symptoms of a cold have disappeared, then this, first of all, indicates probable inflammatory and infectious complications. It can be pneumonia, whooping cough or chronic bronchitis. In this case, do not resort to self-medication! It is advisable to consult a general practitioner and describe all the symptoms that are bothering you at the moment. If necessary, the therapist will refer you to another specialist who can help you.

Only after consulting medical staff can you be sure that everything is really fine with you? Remember that coughing is rarely a sign of a serious illness, most often it is a residual sign of coughing. As a rule, post-infection cough lasts 2 months.

Cause of cough after a cold

Any infectious disease that takes place in an acute form lasts for several days (from 3 to 7 days). During this time, pathogenic viruses and bacteria destroy completely or partially the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. The infection leads to an increase in the sensitivity of the bronchi, as a result, even when a person inhales dirty or dusty air, he starts coughing. Often, it is in the post-infectious period of the disease that a person is tormented by a very dry cough with the release of a small amount of sputum. In some cases, the residual effect after coughing manifests itself in the patient in the form of a slight cough, unpleasant sore throat, tearing cough.

Remember that the body needs some time to recover and, accordingly, to bring the functioning of the upper respiratory tract back to normal. During the recovery period, do not forget to continue treatment at home. It is necessary to avoid severe hypothermia, dress warmly, drink more fluids and warm the throat.

The main mistakes in the treatment of cough

Doctors say that the main and most common cause of a cough that lasts for several months is an error in the treatment of a cold.

The first mistake is a negligent attitude towards one's own health. Some people think that the cough will go away on its own without any additional treatment. But, this is a serious mistake!

It is very dangerous during a disturbing and tormenting cough to occasionally be treated with various warming procedures in the form of mustard plasters before going to bed, rubbing ointments, etc. If you have already begun to engage in treatment, then do not stop doing it! After all, the body reacts to such manipulations with it quite ambiguously.

Imagine that your airways are “aimed” at recovery and begin to connect to the recovery process themselves, and here you do procedures one day, and forget about it on the second day. In no case do not do this and do not experiment on your body, and even more so - your health.

It is forbidden to independently resort to any medication, prescribe antibiotics, etc. (Especially when it comes to children).

How to avoid mistakes in treatment?

In most clinical cases, a cough is caused by one or another cold. A cold appears in the form of such diagnoses in the medical record as SARS, pharyngitis, acute bronchitis, and tracheitis. Coughing fits are classified as dry and wet.

A dry cough really torments a person - it is hoarse, tearing, and sputum is not released after it. Such an attack of coughing leads to an increase in blood pressure, the occurrence of severe muscle pain in the abdomen, as well as severe insomnia. Given all these symptoms, we can firmly say that dry cough must be suppressed, otherwise it will lead to more serious consequences. As a rule, in every pharmacy you can find antitussive drugs intended for the prevention and treatment of dry cough.

A wet cough begins to bother a person about 3 days after the first symptoms of a cold appear in the form of a headache and a runny nose. A wet cough does not torment a person as much as a dry one, since after each wheezing and coughing, sputum is released. In this case, it is forbidden to take various antitussive drugs, because the airways are not cleared at all. You will only contribute to the fact that the disease will drag on and will bother you for a long time, and in some cases, improper treatment can lead to complications. You need to take medicines that thin the mucus that has accumulated in your upper airways and then clear it out. This effect is possessed by mucolytics and various expectorant drugs, of which there are a huge number on the pharmacy shelves.

Unusual causes of cough

If a person is worried about a strong prolonged cough that lasts about 3 weeks, then this is a dangerous sign that threatens health and general well-being. After all, this suggests that the bronchi are not able to cope with their direct work.

There are also quite unusual causes of coughing. These reasons may include:

• Hyperacidity of the stomach is a disease characterized by an increase in the level of gastric juice, as a result of which it penetrates into the esophagus and provokes a cough.
• Heart failure, which leads to stagnation of blood in the lungs, which provokes cardiac asthma and a constant cough;
• Smoker's cough;
• Lungs' cancer;
• cervical osteochondrosis;
• Thyroid disease;
• Neuralgia;
• Stress;
• Hormonal disorders;
• Pathological dryness of the skin.

Do not self-diagnose and prescribe treatment. The true cause of a cough can be different. Be sure to see a doctor!

Does a dry cough go away after a cold in an adult for a long time?

A cough that does not go away after a cold for more than three weeks is called chronic or protracted.

In most cases, this is a symptom of bronchitis in a chronic form, it can be caused by excessive smoking, bronchial asthma, long-term work in hazardous industries - paint and varnish factories, chemical plants.

If a cough persists for a long time after a cold in a non-smoking adult or child, and contact with possible allergic irritants is excluded, this may be a symptom of another disease.

In this case, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination and establish the cause.

When the cough is long, dry, it is necessary to check first of all whether it is caused by the flow of mucus from the sinuses along the back wall of the larynx. It can also be caused by reverse peristalsis of the stomach and esophagus - this is a sign of a serious gastrointestinal disease. Heart disease, pulmonary edema, tumors also sometimes provoke a dry cough.

The reasons why a cough does not go away for a long time after the treatment of acute respiratory infections

The most common causes of a long cough after a cold are:

• Long-term smoking;
• Pathology of the heart and lungs;
• Benign formations in the organs of the respiratory system;
• Asthma.

To establish the nature of the origin of such a phenomenon, you need to pay attention to other symptoms: wheezing in the chest, nasal and lung congestion, sputum discharge, their viscosity and color, blood in the sputum from the bronchi and lungs, a feeling of tightness in the chest, pain in the heart area , shortness of breath.

With asthma, a long, dry cough can bother you constantly, or it can occur when you come into contact with an allergen.

After a cold that has not been cured, coughing is often observed at a reflex level, which is caused by the increased sensitivity of the inflamed lungs.

What does it mean if a cough does not go away for a week

If such a phenomenon does not go away for more than seven days, and is accompanied by symptoms such as a runny nose, fever, joint pain, most likely it is a common cold. If you start treatment as soon as possible, it will not be difficult to overcome it. But the treatment must be completed, and not just eliminate the unpleasant manifestations of the disease.

If treatment is not carried out, or has not been carried out to the end, there is a risk that acute respiratory infections will turn into tracheitis or chronic bronchitis. At home, dry cough can be treated with inhalation. Moist steam will soften the irritated mucosa, improve blood circulation, and promote liquefaction and sputum discharge.

To make inhalations more effective, various medicines should be added to hot water. It can be decoctions of thyme, mint or coltsfoot, essential oil of thuja, eucalyptus, propolis or calendula tinctures. To prepare a decoction, you will need 2 tablespoons of dry grass and two cups of boiling water. Essential oils are added to the water in a few drops.

Inhalations when coughing, if there is no nebulizer or inhaler, can be done in several ways:

1. Pour hot decoction or water into a bowl and breathe steam over it, covered with steam;
2. Place the hot liquid in a teapot and inhale the steam through a paper tube that is inserted into its spout.

In order not to burn yourself, it is important that the water does not boil. At high temperature and blood pressure, this procedure cannot be carried out.

What to do if the cough does not go away two weeks after the illness

In some cases, patients complain that, despite the fulfillment of all doctor's prescriptions, cough persists for 10 or more days after the disease has been cured. What does this mean? It is better not to guess, but to pay the doctor another visit. The diagnosis and causes depend again on the symptoms that accompany a prolonged cough.

Often the causes are in a new infection - immediately after a cold or flu, immunity has not yet been strengthened, therefore viruses and bacteria are easily fixed on the mucosa. Which ones are determined only by analyzing smears from the throat and sputum, if any. Common causes of a cough that does not go away for a long time:

• Mycoplasmosis;
• Pneumocystosis;
• Candidiasis of the larynx;
• Chlamydia;
• Tuberculosis caused by mycobacteria.

The drugs are selected by the doctor, since some of them act only on certain pathogens, and the disease remains healed, but not completely cured.

Why the cough does not go away within a month

Most often, prolonged coughing is a sign of an allergic reaction. This means that the irritant has not been eliminated and the patient is constantly in contact with it. It can be dust, animal hair, pollen from trees and plants, chemicals. If you do not find out what exactly caused the allergy, there is a risk that bronchial asthma will develop.

In addition, a cough that lasts for several weeks in a row indicates that diseases such as fibrous cystosis, pneumonia caused by bacteria, tuberculosis, neoplasms in the lungs develop in the body. If the child constantly coughs, you should check if he has a foreign body in the trachea and bronchi.

Cough that comes on in fits, with deep breaths, happens with whooping cough.

A cough that does not go away for a whole month, as a rule, indicates that after a cold, severe inflammation of the larynx, trachea, bronchi or lungs has developed.

What does a long cough with sputum discharge mean?

Cough is dry and wet. If we are talking about a prolonged cough, then most often it is dry. But sometimes it is accompanied by sputum discharge from the bronchi. Why can such a phenomenon bother for more than a few weeks?

Sputum secretion is a natural process in the body, they are always there, even if a person is completely healthy, their function is to protect the respiratory tract from infection, particles of dust and dirt. But sputum can also be pathological, arising from certain diseases.

When determining the cause of a prolonged cough with sputum, you need to pay attention to the color of the mucus from the bronchi. It may be colorless, or it may have a yellowish or greenish tinge. You can also notice bloody streaks or clots, pus in it.

In itself, sputum discharge is considered a good sign - this means that the treatment process is carried out correctly and the body begins to get rid of bacteria and infection. To help him, with a wet cough, expectorants are prescribed - this is Bromhexidine, Ambrobene. ACC powder helps to restore the production of bronchial secretions, and an inexpensive and effective cough syrup.

If a cough with sputum but no fever is caused by an allergy, a course of antihistamines should be taken. From a cough of this kind, Loratadine, Fexofenadine helps well. You need to exclude smoking, inhalation of toxic substances, get rid of feather pillows in which ticks that cause allergies can live.

Whatever the cause of a prolonged wet cough, along with medications, you need to consume as much liquid as possible. The liquid helps to thin the sputum, increases their number and accelerates excretion.

Coughing, with shortness of breath, wheezing in the chest, but without fever, may occur with heart failure.

Therefore, it is imperative to consult a doctor. In addition to blood, urine and sputum tests, he will advise you to take an x-ray, possibly a heart cardiogram.

Causes of a lingering dry cough

Dry cough is a symptom of upper respiratory diseases. Since the bronchi and lungs are not affected by the infection, sputum does not accumulate in them. Expectorant and mucolytic cough medicines in this case will not be effective. But that doesn't mean you don't need to take medication.

The following drugs are usually prescribed:

1. The main active components of which are codeine and ethylmorphine, which act on the medulla oblongata, responsible for the occurrence of the cough reflex. These are Codeine and Glaucine.
2. Made on the basis of acetylaminonitropropoxybenzene, which affect cough receptors, these are Codelac Broncho, Omnitus, Falimint.

Drug treatment can be supplemented with folk remedies. A warm drink is very useful - for example, milk with soda. During the day, you need to drink several cups of a decoction of blackcurrant or raspberry leaves, peppermint.

It is useful to drink with tincture of anise, radish or onion syrup with honey.

Causes of cough after colds

Coughing and sneezing are among the first signs of a cold. With proper treatment, the symptoms of a cold disappear after 3-4 days. A week later, the patient is completely healthy. But coughing can bother you as a residual phenomenon of acute respiratory infections for a few more weeks. This is fine.

But only on condition that the coughing has stopped after 2-3 weeks, that it is not accompanied by other alarming symptoms, and there are no impurities of pus and blood in the outgoing sputum.

What to do with a prolonged cough, the specialist will tell in the video in this article, and we suggest listening to the advice.

Why does dry cough not go away? Causes of dry cough in children and adults

Coughing is a reflex, just like breathing itself. And its appearance indicates that some kind of pathogen has appeared - allergic, infectious, viral, that is, the cause of dry cough, serious or not, which causes irritation in the respiratory tract and causes the body to clear them of - an allergen, infection, virus or foreign body.

Cough itself is not a disease, it is a symptom of more than 50 different diseases or allergic manifestations, from a common cold to tuberculosis, oncology, bronchial asthma or heart disease. Most often, a dry cough disappears within a few days, turning into a productive, wet cough with sputum, but sometimes it can be delayed. By duration, dry cough is divided into:

• Acute - which after a few days becomes wet or disappears
• Protracted - which lasts from 3 weeks to 3 months
• Chronic - which lasts more than 3 months.

Let's see why dry cough does not go away for a long time, what diseases cause dry cough.

The main causes of dry cough associated with the respiratory system

The most common causes of dry cough are inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract, the causative agents of which are viruses and pathogenic bacteria.

In this case, a strong body with a strong immune system copes on its own, and if the immune response to a virus or infection is weakened, then antibiotics or antiviral drugs come to the rescue for ARVI and influenza.

With parainfluenza and influenza, you should definitely consult a doctor, since these are very insidious diseases that have recently become very aggressive, leading to a lot of complications. Read our article on how to distinguish the flu from SARS.

If a dry cough does not go away for a long time during SARS, influenza or another infectious disease, this can be caused by:

• Firstly, the human immune system is significantly weakened
• secondly, that there are provoking factors that affect the duration of a dry cough, these include: smoking and drinking alcohol, very dry indoor air, and not taking enough fluids for a cold or viral disease.
• thirdly, by the addition of a secondary infection or a complication after a viral disease, when bacterial bronchitis, pneumonia, tracheitis, pharyngitis, etc. develop.

Diseases of the pleura and lungs can also be accompanied by a dry, painful cough - this is pneumonia, pleurisy. In this case, most often there is a high fever, shortness of breath, chest pain.

Atypical forms of pneumonia

It should also be borne in mind that a prolonged cough may be due to mycoplasma and chlamydia, these pathogens can cause atypical pneumonia, bronchitis, which can last for a long time, periodically recur. To differentiate the pathogen that caused pneumonia or bronchitis, you can take a blood test by ELISA.

Whooping cough, measles, false croup

Whooping cough can cause dry cough in children and adults. Whooping cough is considered to be a childhood infectious disease, although vaccinations have reduced the incidence of whooping cough among children, however, they occur, in addition, cases of whooping cough are sometimes recorded in debilitated adults. In this disease, a convulsive cough is so severe that it often leads to vomiting. In this case, you should take antitussives for dry cough, such as Sinekod, Libeksin, Bronholitin, etc.

In addition to whooping cough, measles and false croup can be distinguished among childhood diseases characterized by a strong dry cough. Measles, in addition to coughing, is also characterized by rashes on the skin and mucous membranes (see symptoms of measles in children). With a false croup, the vocal cords, larynx, trachea and bronchi are involved in the process of inflammation, so it is characterized by a barking cough. Children under 3 years of age are more susceptible to this disease.

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a formidable disease that has also become an epidemic in recent years, not only among people of a low social level, as is commonly believed, but also among wealthy segments of the population, with the development of favorable factors for its progression. Constant nervous tension, stressful situations, lack of proper nutrition and good rest, passion for various debilitating diets, can lead to the development of tuberculosis even among businessmen and people of high social status.

By the age of 20-30, it is believed that everyone is infected with Koch's bacillus, but a strong immune system copes with it. One has only to weaken the body and Mycobacterium tuberculosis can become active and cause pulmonary tuberculosis and its extrapulmonary forms.

As for dry cough, it can be caused by tuberculosis of the lungs, bronchi or trachea, larynx. It begins precisely with a dry, unproductive cough, obsessive coughing, weakness, while the body temperature is rarely more than 37.3-35.5, most often it rises to subfebrile numbers and only in the evening.

Tuberculosis can cause dry cough in adults as well as children, which is especially dangerous because tuberculosis today is not the tuberculosis it was 40 years ago. Now a large number of drug-resistant forms of this terrible disease are being registered, which require longer and more expensive treatment, and in combination with other chronic diseases in a patient or HIV infection lead to death.

Laryngitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis

are also common causes of dry cough. With pharyngitis, the mucous membrane of the pharynx is involved in the inflammatory process, and with laryngitis, the mucous membrane of the larynx. Both of these diseases are both acute and chronic, while the cough is dry, barking, debilitating, worse at night. With frequent inhalation of dusty air, dry, cold, and also in the presence of irritating gases and vapors in the air, tracheitis can develop - both acute and chronic. It also causes a painful dry cough.

Diseases of the ENT organs

Against the background of various diseases of the nasopharynx, such as sinusitis, sinusitis, or chronic rhinitis, allergic rhinitis, the appearance of a nocturnal dry cough is explained by postnasal drip syndrome. When these diseases become chronic, it is not uncommon that the mucus discharged from the nasal sinuses begins to flow down the back of the throat, it irritates the cough receptors in the tracheobronchial tree. This cough may feel productive and wet because nasal mucus is secreted when coughing, but such a cough should be considered dry.

Oncological diseases of the respiratory organs

Cancer of the bronchi, lungs, trachea, throat cancer, as well as mediastinal organs (organs located between the sternum and spine - the heart, bronchi, aorta, etc.). If a dry cough does not go away for a long time, it worries both day and night, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible, take a blood test, an X-ray of the lungs, according to indications, it is possible to have an MRI of the mediastinal organs, bronchoscopy, tests for oncomerkers. With any chronic cough, you should find out the exact cause of its occurrence, today oncological tension is getting stronger, cancer appears even in young people, and everyone knows that timely detection of oncological diseases increases the chances of recovery or a significant extension of life.

Only on the basis of an examination, the doctor cannot establish the cause of a prolonged cough - this is not possible, therefore, it is necessary to take tests and undergo several examinations according to indications - a blood test, sputum, spirography, spirometry, X-ray, bronchoscopy, body plethysmography, tussography, MRI, CT.

Causes of dry cough, not associated with inflammatory processes of the respiratory system

allergic cough

In recent decades, the number of people suffering from various allergic reactions has significantly increased among the Russian population, this is especially noticeable in children. Almost all children today have some kind of allergic reaction, if not a food allergy, then an allergy to dust, wool, pollen, mites, etc. Pollinosis is a seasonal allergy to the pollen of flowering plants that appears in spring and summer; the number of people, it is manifested by sneezing, runny nose, tearing, itching of mucous membranes and dry allergic cough.

Bronchial asthma

a very common disease characterized by chronic, agonizing dry cough and asthma attacks. This disease cannot be considered only a disease of the bronchi, it is a severe pathology that is associated with a general violation of the immune system, nervous system and allergies.

Exposure to toxic substances in the home

household chemicals containing chlorine, washing powders, etc., the presence of an abundance of exhaust gases in the air of cities, megacities, leads to an allergic dry cough. Also pay attention to when your dry cough started, maybe it has something to do with the purchase of new furniture, new repairs, the purchase of household appliances. Modern industry, especially the production of plastic, furniture, building materials, even children's toys, often uses an abundance of toxic chemicals that can irritate the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and bronchi, causing chronic chemical poisoning. If there are a lot of such products in the room, they are new and exude a smell - this may be the cause of a dry cough.

Worm infestations

Sometimes cases of ascariasis are recorded, in which, during the migration of ascaris larvae in the pulmonary circulation, they linger in the lung tissue, causing a hacking dry cough. Getting into the lungs, trachea and bronchi, they cause irritation of cough receptors, the migration phase for ascariasis is 8-14 days (see roundworm symptoms and treatment).

Professional dry cough

The reason for its appearance may be associated with work in hazardous production, where a mass of suspensions of toxic substances is formed in the air, causing workers to dry cough. Workers in the stone-working, coal-mining industry often develop lung silicosis. Also, among the occupational diseases that cause dry cough, it is worth noting the disease of American farmers or fibrosing alveolitis, where dry cough is only the debut of the pathology, the outcome of which is severe respiratory failure.

Some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract provoke a dry reflex cough without fever, it happens after eating with diverticula of the esophagus, esophageal-tracheal fistula, reflux esophagitis.

Taking certain medicines

usually ACE inhibitors, which are used to lower blood pressure and treat other cardiovascular diseases. In 20% of patients, these drugs cause a dry cough, if after discontinuation of the drug it disappears, therefore, this cough was a side effect of the drug taken.

Cardiovascular disease, heart failure can also be the cause of dry cough

The cause of an allergy, a provocateur of allergic reactions, can be established using tests that an allergist will refer to. It is worth taking seriously any manifestations of allergies, since it is not just a dry cough, runny nose or rash, with a strong allergic reaction, anaphylactic shock, Quincke's edema can occur, which can be fatal without timely medical attention.

Possible Causes of a Cough Without a Cold in an Adult

In the view of many of us, a cough cannot be observed without a cold, and vice versa. Therefore, we do not consider these concepts as independent ones, which is completely wrong. Meanwhile, the causes of a cough without a cold in an adult can be very different, and a cold among them is far from in the first place. This is a symptom that occurs involuntarily, and it is caused by some kind of irritant of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. Anything can provoke a coughing fit - a serious illness or a foreign object in the throat.

What does a cough without a cold mean?

A cough without a cold is just as dangerous as a cold without a cough. In any case, such a phenomenon makes us wary, especially in a chronic form. And this process has its own explanation and causes of occurrence, on which the doctor relies when prescribing treatment. A healthy person coughs no more than 20 times a day, everything else is considered a sign of failure in the body.

With a common cold and the condition of constructive treatment, the cough lasts a maximum of two weeks. At first it is dry, unbearable, then it becomes wet and easier to bear. The causes of a cough without a cold in an adult are respiratory diseases or lung disease. A similar symptom occurs when stomach acids enter the esophagus. In this case, the attack occurs mainly at night, accompanied by heartburn and a sour taste in the mouth.

In experienced smokers, the lungs are affected, the esophagus is irritated. It is very difficult for the body to get rid of cough in such a situation. They are mainly concerned about a prolonged morning cough with sputum immediately after waking up. This is a classic condition for both passive and active smokers. The way to get rid of discomfort is obvious - you need to give up addiction.

Unproductive cough

Cause of dry cough without cold:

• bronchospasm;
• bronchial asthma;
• allergy;
• exposure to dust on the respiratory system;
• ACE inhibitors used to lower blood pressure.

The factors that provoked a cough may be more serious, for example, lung cancer, heart failure, tuberculosis, pleurisy, mediastinal neoplasms.

In the presence of Koch's bacillus (the causative agent of tuberculosis), the cough does not go away within a month. In this case, a fluorography and a thorough examination are prescribed.

Asthma and allergies

A dry cough without a cold is often the only symptom of asthma. The patient's condition worsens when inhaling strong odors, cold air, pollen or smoke. In addition to the common cold, persistent coughing accompanies allergic rhinitis. With this disease, there is a rash, tearing, nasal congestion, sneezing, and often a headache.

The most dangerous allergens:

• Food;
• plant pollen;
• animal hair;
• book dust.

Distinguishing an allergy is quite simple. Attacks occur only at the moment of close proximity to the allergen. Getting rid of symptoms involves consulting a doctor and taking antihistamines.

Causes of a cough without a cold in an adult may be as follows: heart failure, which is accompanied by tingling in the chest, swelling of the extremities. A trip to the cardiologist in this case cannot be postponed. One of the symptoms of sinusitis or chronic rhinitis, in addition to headache and fever, is a prolonged cough.

Diagnosis of causeless cough

The first doctor worth visiting will be a general practitioner, then he will refer you to another specialist. When making a diagnosis, the following points are taken into account:

• when did the seizures start?
• cough wet or dry;
• additional changes in well-being.

Depending on the duration of the time period, coughing can be:

• acute - up to 2 weeks;
• protracted - up to 4 weeks;
• subacute - up to 2 months;
• chronic - more than 2 months in a row.

Often accompanying symptoms are ignored, for example, loss of appetite, drowsiness, weakness. Dry cough without a cold in an adult is easier to associate with lack of sleep or stress. As effective methods, hardware diagnostics (X-ray, CT, electrocardiography), laboratory blood / urine tests are used.

The state of the nervous system can also cause such a syndrome. With mental disorders, cough medicines do not help, even blocking the reflex. Here you need to consult a neurologist or psychotherapist.

Cough without fever

An adult can constantly cough due to viral tracheitis. Attacks torment both day and night, in the throat it constantly hurts. Hot milk and medicines can alleviate the symptom, antibiotics, as a rule, do not help. But with such a dangerous bacterial complication as pneumonia, antibiotics are used.

Such a cough without signs of a cold can occur with whooping cough, the precursors of the onset of the disease are sore throat and weakness. Over time, the condition only gets worse, a person is simply choked by a dry cough and covered with a wave, mainly at night. Treatment is carried out exclusively in a hospital and under the supervision of the attending physician. Otherwise, serious consequences cannot be avoided.

There is no temperature, but the cough is quite long, for sure only a blood test and a swab from the nasopharynx can refute or confirm the diagnosis.

Today, it is very difficult to find a person who would never cough during the day. The reason for everything is the ecological situation, a lot of various infections - living in a metropolis, one can only dream of clean air. When infectious agents enter the lungs or bronchi, the receptors of the respiratory tract are irritated and a cough occurs, which warns of mechanical obstacles and cleansing of the respiratory tract from sputum, mucus and other substances.

Other Causes of a Cough Without a Cold

During colds, the clinical picture is clear: the temperature rises, a runny nose, weakness and other symptoms of intoxication appear. In such a situation, the cause of dry cough is clear. Why does it occur without fever and signs of SARS? What are the causes of a cough without a cold in an adult?

In the absence of typical signs of a cold, a dry cough indicates latent inflammation or individual hypersensitivity reactions. In the list of side effects of some medicines there is an unproductive chronic cough. These drugs include:

• ACE inhibitors;
• drugs for hypertension;
• nitrofurans;
• aspirin;
• inhalation medicines.

You will have to reconsider drug therapy if it contains the causes of a cough without a cold in an adult. The stomach reacts differently for everyone, so the treatment is selected individually.

Such discomfort may occur after an infectious or viral inflammatory process of the respiratory system. At the same time, a tickling or tickling in the throat is felt. The duration of such a cough can be up to 3 weeks.

Throat and lung cancer

In addition to the main symptom, there is difficulty breathing, sputum with blood from the throat and nose. There is no temperature or low - 37-37.5 ° C. With lung cancer, the signs are typical, chest pains are also disturbing, sputum is excreted with pus or blood.

Important! Left unattended, prolonged dry cough in pregnant women poses a direct threat to the health of the fetus. The abdominal muscles of the expectant mother are constantly contracting and in good shape, which can lead to bleeding.

Accompanying symptoms

Even in the absence of signs of a cold, a cough rarely appears alone, as a rule, it is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• hoarse voice;
• shortness of breath even with slight exertion;
• nausea, vomiting;
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• drowsiness, sweating.

Symptoms of systemic diseases accompanied by cough:

• rapid weight loss;
• violation of the chair;
• bad breath;
• periodontitis.

When is medical assistance required?

Any acute or prolonged cough without a cold in an adult should be monitored by a doctor. With the following signs, contacting a specialist should be immediate:

• heat;
• clouding of consciousness;
• speech change;
• cardiopalmus;
• swelling of the limbs;
• pain when swallowing and breathing.

Treatment and first aid

Pulmonologists do not recommend self-medication, especially when using folk remedies. Home medicine can alleviate some symptoms, but eliminate them, much less cure the cause of the appearance, no. It is important to understand that all medicines for each type of cough are different. With dry, antitussives are prescribed, with wet - mucolytic, expectorant.

For a quick recovery, the patient needs to restore the regime of work and rest, quit smoking and adjust the diet. In addition to traditional drugs, antiviral, antihistamines and antibiotics are prescribed.

A cough without signs of a cold in an adult is taken by surprise, often it begins at night, you can alleviate the condition by taking the following measures:

• When the source is tobacco smoke, you need to ventilate the room, drink warm tea or a glass of water.
• If you have an allergic cough, you need to exclude any contact with the allergen: ventilate the room, on the contrary, close the window so that pollen does not fly in, rinse your throat with saline and wash your hands with it.
• If attacks occur frequently, you should always have a mint with you.
• With diseases of the throat, drinking plenty of warm water, humidified, fresh air in the room will help.

invisible enemies

Even the most healthy person can begin to suffer from a debilitating cough without symptoms of a cold and poison his life. We are talking about allergens that we encounter every day in our apartment. Household dust, affecting the lungs, irritates them, so it is important to do wet cleaning at least 2 times a week. One of the strongest irritants is paper dust. All books and folders with papers should be kept under glass or in drawers.

Pets need to be brushed regularly to reduce the amount of hair in the air. Combustion products are dangerous, the kitchen must certainly have an exhaust hood. It is also important to be especially careful when handling household chemicals. Powders should be replaced with liquid agents, chlorine-containing agents should be excluded in general.

Indoor plants will help purify and humidify the air, so with regular coughing, it's time to plant greenery in the apartment.

The listed measures are preventive, consultation of a specialist doctor is required.

Cough in adults: types, causes of attacks

Cough without a cause in adults cannot appear. This reflex action occurs against the background of various ailments. Forced intercourse is a very important symptom, which has many varieties. It can start suddenly and resemble an attack. There are other types of cough in adults, for example, its sound can be barking, whistling, hoarse. Of great importance is the consistency and color of the secreted mucus, whether it exists at all. Analyzing these and other visible signs, the doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis. It is possible to find out exactly which ailment caused the appearance of a reflex action in a person only after receiving the results of a biochemical analysis of blood, sputum and urine.

Varieties of cough in adults

Doctors have developed a clear structure for questioning a sick person, thanks to which a specialist can collect an accurate history of the development of the disease within a few minutes. In the survey, a significant role is assigned to what sounds are heard when coughing in an adult, the sensations that he experiences during a reflex act. Also, the specialist is obligatory interested in the duration of the involuntary action, in whether there are concomitant visible manifestations, such as a runny nose, shortness of breath. When exactly forced exhalation occurs, for example, cough in an adult is present only during the day, after sleep, in the morning or at night. The fact is that various manifestations of the reflex act can signal the development of ailments of the cardiovascular system, lung damage, and the development of asthma. Therefore, in the diagnosis, even the smallest detail plays an important role.

The cause of the reflex act, in this case, is a strong swelling of the larynx. Because of this, the gap in it is significantly narrowed. This type of involuntary action is also called tracheal. In an adult, laryngeal edema can be triggered by various reasons, the most common factors include:

The barking reflex act is very dangerous, because in severe cases it can end in loss of consciousness due to a feeling of suffocation. A person in this condition cannot fully produce the process of coughing. Inhalation is incomplete, and exhalation is accompanied by a strong suffocating cough. As a rule, the voice at this moment is quiet and hoarse.

A suffocating reflex act, which has a paroxysmal character, is typical for the manifestation of an allergic or infectious-allergic reaction to stimuli. This involuntary action occurs in people with asthma. A feature of cough in adults with allergies is that it can have a different character. The duration of the reflex action can also be different. Most often, a cough in an adult is accompanied by snot, suffocation, redness of the eyelids, and swelling of the larynx. An exhausting reflex act, passing with whistling and wheezing, may indicate the development of bronchitis. It is worth noting that in some cases, such an allergy reaction may not end immediately after the removal of the allergen, but may continue for weeks or even months.

Cough in adults after pneumonia and SARS

Doctors often record situations when, after a full course of treatment, a person continues to have involuntary acts for several more weeks. A dull cough is a completely normal phenomenon, which is provoked by the intake of mucolytics during treatment. In the event that the reflex action is suffocating, it is imperative to seek help from a doctor, since, most likely, we are talking about a relapse of pneumonia or SARS. There may be several reasons for the fact that a new round of development of the disease has begun. Firstly, non-compliance with the doctor's prescriptions, that is, refusal to take medication or bed rest. Secondly, incorrect determination of the cause of pneumonia, and, as a result, the appointment of the wrong group of antibiotics.

Causeless cough in adults

As a rule, the cause of an incomprehensible reflex act, the beginning of which has no real explanation (there is no temperature, all tests are normal), is a nervous shock or overexcitation. Most often, such a cough in adults is fixed before any important events. If the causeless involuntary action is debilitating and lasts for several months, then the source of trouble is a depressive state, an oppressive feeling of guilt for something.

Even today we were enjoying life, but tomorrow a cough without a cold interferes with normal life. It must be remembered that a cough can be a symptom of many diseases that have nothing to do with colds and viruses. Therefore, it is worth finding out for what reason this symptom actually appeared, and after that proceed with its systematic treatment.

Causes of a cough without a cold in an adult

Each therapist can name a dozen diseases that accompany a cough without a cold. Especially if you trace whether it is productive or not, it is accompanied by fever or other symptoms. It is necessary to distinguish between the following causes of cough without a cold in an adult:

• Exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
• Congestion occurring in the lungs after a viral infection.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease.
• ACE inhibitors.
• Damage to the mucous membrane by dust and other irritating substances.
• Tuberculosis or lung cancer.
• Tumor of the mediastinum.

To call all the listed diseases unworthy of attention means not to represent all the danger arising from them. All causes of coughing without a cold are quite serious and require not only the close attention of a doctor, but also an early course of treatment aimed at eliminating the ailment.

Dry cough without cold

Most often, a therapist or an otolaryngologist not only conducts a complete examination of the body, but also requires the delivery of various tests after the study of which it is possible to unambiguously state what was the root cause. Dry cough without a cold can most often be caused by the following diseases that occur in the body.

• Allergic reactions. At the same time, in addition to coughing, watery discharge from the nose, pain in the eyes and slight itching can be observed. As soon as contact with the irritant stops, significant relief occurs.
• Bronchial asthma . Prolonged choking attacks of coughing without sputum, appearing in stressful situations.
• Bronchospasm. It is a protective reaction of the body to external stimuli. As soon as the action of the stimulus is felt, the patient's bronchial muscles contract sharply. At the same time, relaxation does not occur and the lungs are compressed more and more. Urgent help needed.
• Reaction to pills, or rather to ACE inhibitors. Using these medications to lower blood pressure, you can "get" the response of the body in the form of prolonged bouts of dry cough.
• Whooping cough. Initially, the cough is dry and barking, flowing along with an increase in temperature. The attacks are especially strong at night.
• Complications caused by viral infections. An untreated acute respiratory viral infection or acute respiratory infections can lead to the fact that an active inflammatory process descends into the lungs, trachea and bronchi. Coughing attacks are accompanied by severe pain in the chest and larynx.
• Foreign body in the airways. In this case, a dry cough without a cold is excruciating, painful, prolonged, paroxysmal in nature.
  At first glance, it seems that a dry cough without a cold is practically not dangerous. But, if you start the situation, getting rid of it will become much more difficult, since painful attacks will be repeated again and again.

Cough with phlegm without a cold

There are a great many varieties of cough that appear almost unreasonably. So, coughing up sputum without a cold can cause rather non-specific diseases. Therefore, it is worth looking into this issue in more detail. The most likely health problems that cause a wet cough include:

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease. Cough occurs due to the entry of stomach acids into the esophagus. The result is a cough, especially at night. In this case, a person often experiences heartburn and a sour taste in the mouth.
• Damage to the lungs or esophagus as a result of excessive passion for cigarettes. Tobacco smoke irritates not only the walls of the esophagus, but also the lungs. As a result, an unreasonable cough with copious discharge of brown sputum.
• Obstructive pulmonary disease, which has become chronic.
• Diseases of the nervous system. A person who is in a stressful state has a literally choking cough that does not give a second to rest. After 5 minutes, the attack usually passes.
• Lungs' cancer.

Whatever the reasons for coughing with phlegm without a cold, they are worth paying attention to and taking appropriate measures.

Severe cough without a cold

Bouts of severe coughing almost always appear for no reason. A strong cough without a cold can start bothering you suddenly and end just as suddenly. Most often it is a sign of the following diseases:

• asthma.
• Allergies.
• Whooping cough.
• Pneumonia.

A strong cough without a cold is not treated as simply as it might seem at first glance. The exception is an untreated viral disease, which can be eliminated by systematic treatment that promotes the active removal of sputum and the elimination of inflammation.

Causes of a cough without a cold in a child

In a child, any disease is felt much more acutely than in an adult. Therefore, first of all, it is worth finding out the causes of a cough without a cold in a child, and then proceed to more decisive actions, since in no case should one hesitate. But, it must be remembered that normally a child can cough up to 20 times a day. This is his natural physiological process, since it is in this way that he is cleansed of pathogenic bacteria and other viruses.

Sometimes the causes of a cough without a cold in a child lie in the growth of teeth. Therefore, it is at this time that you can observe how the baby has not just a cough, but also a runny nose, as well as active salivation.

It is worth highlighting the following causes of cough without a cold in a child:

It must be remembered that any treatment is effective if it directly affects the cause of its appearance. Therefore, a cough without signs of a cold should be treated purposefully. Without a competent specialist, the problem cannot be dealt with. If you can’t cope with the problem on your own, then you can alleviate the patient’s condition:

• Humidification of the air in the room.
• Plentiful drink, which helps to accelerate the withdrawal of sputum.
• Inhalations aimed at removing edema and expelling sputum as soon as possible.

These are just some of the tips that you should use, since only a doctor can prescribe specialized treatment. Although, if the cough is caused by smoking, it is better to give up cigarettes forever and maintain your health. And in other cases, any drug treatment should come from the doctor's prescriptions, and not from the advice of others.

Coughing without a cold is hardly safe. It is in no way worth delaying a visit to the doctor, since only under his supervision can you get rid of the root cause and restore excellent health.