Coughing is nothing more than a reflex reaction of your body to irritations of your airways. Many causes can underlie the cough. Anyone who has a cough requires treatment with antibiotics as soon as there is an increased risk. There may be coughing, coughing with mucus, bronchial problems and certain risk groups. Note the different symptoms of a cough. For example, what is bronchitis. There is acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis? Pay attention to the signs of pseudo croup and whooping cough.
Cause of coughing
Irritations of the respiratory tract can be caused by several causes. It is often a virus or bacteria, but you can also think of house dust, pollen, animal hair, smoke or tough mucus. They can all lead to irritation of the airways, resulting in coughing.
Medicines and coughing
The general rule is that coughing should only be suppressed with medication in exceptional cases. For example, when a irritable cough develops after abdominal surgery. It is better to maintain or improve your resistance. The homeopathic medicine Echinaforce, for example, can work well beforehand. Once the cough has set in, there are all kinds of other good homeopathic remedies available and rest and herbal tea can also work well. There is no need to passively watch. Get good advice in a drugstore or pharmacy. Be especially careful with the contagious whooping cough.
Bronchial problems
Bronchial cough often involves strong mucus formation. The tougher the mucus, the more difficult it is to cough up. There are several expectorants available to reduce the burden of coughing with phlegm .
What kind of cough is whooping cough?
Whooping cough is highly contagious. Patients who cough are contagious to others even 3 to 4 weeks after the coughing begins. A course of antibiotics can shorten the infectious period. Whooping cough can also cause all kinds of unpleasant complications if you cough for a long time . The bacterium Bordetella Pertussis is the culprit. A difficult bacterium that mutates over time. Vaccination in advance with DKTP is possible and recommended, but does not provide lifelong protection due to the possibility of mutations in the bacteria. Children under the age of two should definitely be treated by their doctor for whooping cough.
What is a nervous cough?
Everyone recognizes this: coughing or coughing, when you are nervous or mentally overloaded. A little rest can do wonders.
What is pseudo croup?
In pseudo croup, also called false croup, viruses cause inflammation resulting in swelling of the mucous membrane, especially near the larynx. The pseudo croup leads to a barking, hoarse cough and makes breathing difficult. It may be accompanied by fever and the symptoms are usually worse at night than during the day. Boys seem more susceptible to it than girls. Steaming can reduce the complaints. If you experience shortness of breath, it is advisable to contact your GP immediately. A child with pseudo croup will generally not be excluded from a daycare center.
What is smoker’s cough?
Smoker’s cough is also a natural reaction of the body in people who smoke relatively heavily. Smoking slowly contaminates the lungs, causing the body to produce extra mucus to remove the dirt. It is of course best to stop smoking. There are soothing remedies available, but if the cough persists for a long time, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
What is ticklish cough or tickly cough?
Chilly cough is a dry, short and jerky cough. It can occur due to flu, smoke, dust, pollen, nervousness and, for example, medication use. What to do to reduce the complaints partly depends on the cause of the cough. For example, some benefit from drinking tea with honey or consuming the ancient licorice water. There are also remedies on the market. In case of persistence, it is always advisable to consult your doctor.
What is acute coughing?
Acute coughing is seen in diseases of the upper respiratory tract and also the lower respiratory tract. It is caused by infections. The upper respiratory tract often involves:
- An inflammation of the sinus or sinuses: called sinusitis.
- Nose cold due to rhinitis.
- Inflamed tonsils or tonsillitis.
- Inflamed throat or Pharyngitis.
The lower respiratory tract involves:
- Pneumonia or pneumonia;
- An inflamed trachea or tracheitis;
- An inflammation that lies between the lung tissue and the trachea: acute bronchitis.
What is bronchitis – symptoms of bronchitis?
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane located in the smaller airways. These branches of the trachea are also called bronchi. Due to the infection, too much mucus is produced, the airways become blocked, which reduces the air content and can cause shortness of breath to severe shortness of breath. You will experience symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, stuffy nose, runny nose, fatigue, back pain, muscle pain and an annoying sore throat. We distinguish between two types of bronchitis:
Acute bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is often seen in children. It is caused by a virus, is annoying, but will often go away on its own. It causes coughing with a lot of mucus, sometimes fever or shortness of breath, pain in the center of the chest and wheezing. A doctor’s consultation is recommended, especially for children. In case of a bacterial infection, antibiotic treatment can be used. Fever and muscle pain can be reduced by taking aspirin or ibuprofen.
Chronic bronchitis or COPD
By chronic we mean a few months per year. COPD can arise from acute bronchitis and is caused by polluted air or smoking. You should definitely watch out for complications, such as pneumonia. The severity and severity of the bronchitis determines which medications are suitable for you. Sometimes it involves simplifying breathing, sometimes it involves giving anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids.
What is bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis is a viral inflammation of the small airways. The virus infects the smallest tracheal branches in the lungs. The disease initially has a mild course, but continues to worsen. It causes shortness of breath and wheezing lungs. The cause is the respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RS virus or RSV. Bronchiolitis is mainly seen in children younger than 2 years old, especially babies from 3 to 6 months old. The main symptoms are: dry cough, rapid breathing, rales, wheezing, difficulty eating or drinking. If the doctor diagnoses a mild form of bronchiolitis, further treatment is not necessary and healing will occur within five to ten days. Only a small percentage of children subsequently require hospitalization, mainly to support breathing. Always make sure that your child is given enough fluids , as this can sometimes be insufficient.
Key lock
Be especially wary of serious respiratory infections that can occur in people at increased risk, including the very young, infants and older people. Increased attention is also necessary if you appear to be sensitive to infections and have previously suffered from pneumonia. Or in case of heart defects, lung abnormalities, COPD, neurological disorders and heart failure.
read more
- Rheumatism: symptoms and new treatment for rheumatism
- Flu shot 2020 – 2021: reimbursement and composition