Everyone once encountered a cough in one form or another. In most cases, pathology can be de alt with at home with the help of folk recipes. But it happens that a strong cough cannot be overcome for several weeks. In this case, it is worth starting to sound the alarm. Such a symptom may indicate a serious illness.
Before you treat a severe cough with phlegm, you should find out what it can cause. Consider the most common diseases that provoke such a symptom.
Acute respiratory viral infection
Cough with sputum in an adult or child is most often caused by a simple viral infection. At the initial stage of the disease, the throat begins to tickle. In some cases, there are no symptoms of a cold at all. Body temperature may rise to subfebrile levels. Initially, there may be a severe dry cough that prevents the patient from sleeping normally. This symptom develops due to irritation of the mucosa. The fact that I had to deal with SARS will also be evidenced by the accompanying symptoms: aching joints, headache, sleep disturbances.
Depending on the location of the inflammation, a strong cough with sputum in a child or an adult may differ. If the infection has touched the trachea, the cough will be loud and painful. Unpleasant symptoms, as a rule, develop sharply when cool or too hot air is inhaled. Against the background of a cold, bronchitis can also develop. The patient may cough with sputum to the point of vomiting. Acute bronchitis is always accompanied by an increase in body temperature, a deterioration in general well-being.
Untimely or incorrect cold therapy can lead to serious complications. One of the most dangerous is pneumonia. The patient is disturbed by severe attacks of coughing. In this case, there is severe pain in the chest, the body temperature rises significantly. If the patient is not provided with qualified medical care, a fatal outcome is possible.
Asthma
Chronic non-communicable disease of the respiratory tract can also develop against a background of severe coughing. Due to an allergen or other irritant, the patient instantly develops bronchial obstruction. As a result, there is a strong cough, then the patient begins to choke. During such attacks, the patient must be given proper medical care, otherwise the consequences can be fatal.
Most often, patients have allergic bronchial asthma. Initially, upon contact with household dust, animal hair or other irritants, the patient begins to cough. If appropriate therapy is not carried out in a timely manner, asthma develops. Treatment of a severe cough in this case is aimed at identifying and eliminating the allergen.
Asthma is a disease that requires increased attention from the patient. In the most severe cases, life-threatening complications may develop. Many patients suffer from cardiopulmonary insufficiency. In addition, status asthmaticus may occur, when asthma attacks come one after another, it is almost impossible to stop them. This condition often ends in death.
Asthma usually starts with a dry cough. But if the patient is not given timely assistance, a secondary infection may join. At the same time, a cough with sputum and fever will already appear in an adult (or in a child).
Asthma is a chronic pathology. It is impossible to completely cure the disease. However, if the patient has a severe cough, you should immediately call an ambulance. It is important to prevent a serious attack from developing.
Tuberculosis
One of the signs of this chronic bacterial infection is a strong cough with phlegm. After all, it is the respiratory organs that most often suffer from pathogenic microflora. Bacteria are very resistant to environmental factors. They die only under the influence of direct ultraviolet rays. Therefore, in the winter, an exacerbation is often observed. Sick people can serve as a source of infection. The risk of getting sick increases with contact with a patient with an open form of tuberculosis, when pathogenic bacteria are excreted along with sputum.
Pulmonary tuberculosis, as a rule, begins with a strong dry cough. When the patient is in a horizontal position, the symptoms worsen. Coughing can be especially painful at night. The existence of a severe cough with sputum for three weeks or more is a reason to undergo an additional examination of the lungs. Untimely therapy can lead to pulmonary bleeding. This poses a serious threat to the life of the patient.
In addition to coughing, tuberculosis develops the following symptoms: a significant decrease in performance, weakness, tachycardia, intoxication of the body. Patients lose weight, sharpen facial features, and develop a painful blush.
The most dangerous symptom is bloody sputum when coughing. This is a sign of serious lung damage. Delayed therapy can lead to the death of the patient.
Treatment of a severe cough in tuberculosis cannot do without antibiotics. Therapy of the disease is necessarily carried out in a hospital. The patient is also prescribed symptomatic agents, as well as drugs aimed at healing foci of inflammation. After stopping the acute period, the patient is discharged, further treatment is carried out on an outpatient basis. Patients with tuberculosis are shown sanatorium-and-spa treatment. If a cough with sputum does not go away for a year, the doctor reconsiders the method of therapy.
Severe cough with ascariasis
Few people know that coughing fits can be associated with the reproduction of parasites in the body. Ascariasis is a common disease caused by roundworms. Eggsparasites are in the ground. Therefore, children, as well as people engaged in agricultural activities, are at risk.
In the process of reproduction, the larvae with the bloodstream can spread throughout the body. A strong cough occurs when the eggs enter the lungs. Larvae can accumulate in soft tissues, injuring them. In the most difficult cases, pneumonia develops with sputum discharge.
The symptoms of helminthic invasion in the lungs are very similar to acute bronchitis or pneumonia. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo a comprehensive examination of the body in a timely manner. Many patients are not even aware of the existence of parasites and perceive cough as just another symptom of a cold. The disease can be suspected only when the larvae come out with sputum. In this case, we can already talk about a complicated form of ascariasis.
Treatment of the disease is necessarily carried out with the use of antihelminthic drugs. The medication should be prescribed by a doctor in accordance with the type of pathological process, the stage of ascariasis.
Sputum without cough in an adult
In some pathological processes, exudate in the throat may appear without coughing. Most often, this condition is observed with pharyngitis. The mucous membrane of the pharynx becomes inflamed, as a result, a protective reaction of the body is triggered - transparent or yellowish mucus is released. The patient complains of a sore throat. Other symptoms of a cold may also be present (fever, signs of intoxication).
Often, thick mucus in the throat accumulates with sinusitis. Most often, patients with a chronic form of the disease experience this symptom. A person may feel absolutely normal, while exudate from the nasopharynx will drain into the throat.
Antibiotics for wet cough
Means from this category are prescribed when it is possible to find out that the disease is of a bacterial nature. If there is a cough with sputum for a year, it is possible that you had to deal with tuberculosis. Therapy in this case will be longer. Means from the group of aminoglycosides may be prescribed. In tuberculosis, the drug "Streptomycin" is widely used. A powerful broad-spectrum antibiotic helps to remove the symptoms of the disease within a few weeks. No remedy for severe renal failure.
In case of pneumonia and bronchitis, antibacterial agents from the group of macrolides - Azithromycin, Clarithromycin - are widely used. Cough with sputum in a child can be overcome with the help of the drug "Sumamed" in the form of a suspension. The medicine has a pleasant aroma, children take it with pleasure.
Mucolytics
How to beat a cough with phlegm? Treatment should be aimed at eliminating the excreted mucus. This problem can be solved with the help of mucolytics. This is a group of drugs that thin the sputum, making it less viscous. Due to this, the exudate easily goes out, does not linger in the bronchi. Mucolytics are available in various dosage forms. If there iscough with sputum without fever in an adult, you can use Muk altin tablets. The drug is prescribed for children over 12 years of age. Tablets not only remove phlegm, but also help to stop the inflammatory process.
With a wet cough in a child, Ambrobene syrup can be used. The active ingredient is ambroxol hydrochloride. The medicine has a pleasant raspberry flavor. Therefore, it will not be difficult to carry out therapy for a small patient. The medication comes with a measuring spoon. Take the remedy three times a day. The duration of the course of therapy is determined by the doctor.
Lazolvan, ACC, Gerbion, Sinupret, etc. also have good mucolytic properties.
Expectorants
Medicines from this category also reduce the viscosity of the secreted mucus. If green sputum appears when coughing, expectorants are prescribed in combination with antibiotics. The main goal is to clear the lungs and bronchi of phlegm. After all, this mucus is an excellent environment for the development of pathogenic microflora. "Pertusin" is a popular remedy, familiar to many since childhood. Patients are attracted by the low price of the drug. In addition, "Pertusin" shows a good result in the treatment of wet cough.
The active ingredients are thyme extract and potassium bromide. Additionally, the preparation uses ethanol and sugar syrup. The drug can be used to treat children over 6 years of age. Although some pediatricians prescribe syrupand young children. To cope with a wet cough, it is enough to take Pertusin, one teaspoon three times a day for a week.
"Stoptusin" is another popular expectorant. The drug is available in the form of drops and tablets. The drug has a combined effect. With its help, it is possible not only to remove phlegm, but also to reduce the number of coughing fits.
Folk remedies for cough
If the patient has a cough with sputum without fever, home inhalations can be performed. Such procedures help reduce the viscosity of sputum, help restore damaged mucosa. The advantage is that inhalations have no age restrictions. Such treatment can also be carried out during pregnancy or lactation. Babies under three years of age should not be inhaled over steam. Safe procedures can be performed using a nebulizer.
With bronchitis and pneumonia, inhalations with soda and herbal decoction are useful. Chamomile shows good results. Two tablespoons of raw materials are poured with a liter of water and boiled over low heat for 15 minutes. Then the agent is filtered and diluted with a saucepan of boiling water. Also add a tablespoon of soda. It is necessary to bend over the steam, cover with a thick towel. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes.
For home inhalation, you can also use a decoction of sage, tincture of calendula. The therapeutic effect can be improved by adding some essential oils (tea tree orcloves).
General recommendations
The body needs a lot of energy to recover. Therefore, even if a wet cough is observed without fever, it is worth observing bed rest. You will also have to pay attention to the microclimate in the room. Humidity matters a lot. During the heating season, wet diapers should be hung on the radiators to make the air softer. Every hour it is necessary to ventilate the room.
We must not forget about proper nutrition. During the period of illness, the diet should be complete. At the same time, it is impossible to overload the stomach. Light vegetable soups, steamed white meats, salads are ideal. To restore immunity, it is worth eating more citrus fruits. It is also important to observe the correct drinking regimen. An adult patient should consume at least one and a half liters of pure water per day.
