Dry hacking cough can last for a long time, exhausting the patient with regular attacks. To treat this form of cough, it is first important to establish the main causes of its occurrence in order to act on them in a complex manner. Antitussives and folk recipes will help suppress some of the symptoms and improve the patient's condition.
Clinical picture of the disease
To determine what a hacking cough is and when it appears, it is important to understand its mechanism.
Cough is a reflex process in which people actively participate:
- receptors that detect the presence of a foreign body in the airways (dust or sputum);
- muscles that actively contract during this process (this includes the diaphragm and intercostal);
- the center of the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for the coordinated work of all muscles.
In the formation of a hacking cough, the main role is given to receptors. Such a cough is also called paroxysmal. When a hacking cough appears for a certain reason, there is a strongreceptor stimulation. This leads to a prolonged attack of productive cough, which does not alleviate the patient's condition.
In addition, if you do not try to stop a dry, hoarse cough when a feeling of tickling occurs in the airways, it will eventually lead to the onset of an asthma attack. This type of cough is called a hacking cough because the patient "huffs" in an attempt to clear his throat, but nothing comes of it.
The main danger of the state
Dry hacking cough in an adult, even if you do not take into account the main reasons for its occurrence, in itself negatively affects human he alth.
As a result, it can provoke the following serious complications:
- Injury to the vocal cords followed by hemorrhage into the mucous membrane. This is due to the fact that the vocal cords are overly strained during coughing. High stress during the passage of the air flow as a result can lead to micro-tears. In most cases, vocal cord injury resolves completely with proper treatment, but sometimes it provokes a chronic form of laryngitis with loss of voice. This is especially dangerous when the patient continues to cough after a hemorrhage in the ligaments.
- Appearance of emphysema. When you cough, the lungs fill with air, and then the pressure in them increases. With a prolonged attack of hacking cough (this happens in smokers), the alveoli are stretched, followed by the formation of emphysema.
- Spontaneouspneumothorax. This condition occurs when the lung tissue is torn, followed by air entering the pleural cavity. Most often this happens when there is an initial predisposition, but a hacking cough due to an increased load on the lungs can easily provoke this.
- The appearance of a hernia with subsequent infringement. This is especially true for children who suffer from such a cough. The muscles of the abdominal wall of a small child are characterized by weakness, and in the process of coughing shocks, pressure not only intrathoracic, but also intra-abdominal increases significantly.
- Development of complications of the cardiovascular system. In this case, coughing is dangerous by raising blood pressure to a critical state, the appearance of interruptions in the work of the cardiovascular system (in some cases, a heart attack occurs).
- complications in the functioning of the nervous system. As a result of prolonged paroxysmal coughing, intracranial pressure rises and severe headaches appear.
When a hacking cough appears, it is important to immediately consult a doctor and receive instructions on how to eliminate not only the disease, but also the most unpleasant symptom.
Diseases causing complications
The causes of a hacking cough in most cases are not dangerous, but in some cases they may indicate the presence of serious problems with the patient's he alth.
Cough most often appears in the presence of the following diseases:
- ORZ in the form of tracheitis. With such a lossat the initial stage, an inflammatory process develops in the mucous membrane of the trachea without the formation of sputum. Cough receptors respond to various substances that are formed during inflammation. As a result, the sensitivity of the receptors increases, and the patient begins to experience unpleasant pain. Even with normal breathing, there is a burning sensation in the chest, there is a strong desire to cough. In this case, an unproductive cough of a paroxysmal type often occurs.
- False croup or subglottic laryngitis. With such a disease in the larynx, the process of inflammation begins with further swelling of the soft tissues. In some cases, spasms of the muscles of the larynx are added to the edema, which manifest as a barking cough with shortness of breath and hoarseness. In this case, the patient develops a hacking cough at night.
- Chronic bronchitis. Such a disease occurs in most cases when exposed to negative external factors (smoking, work in unhe althy positions, poor environmental conditions in the place of residence). Microparticles of smoke and dust, when they enter the bronchi, provoke an inflammatory process. The body, in an attempt to get rid of allergens, produces thick sputum, which accumulates in the lumen of the bronchi. In such patients, a hacking cough manifests itself to a greater extent in the morning - thick sputum is difficult to pass (or not at all), leading to damage to the mucous membrane.
- Bronchial asthma. Such a disease in most cases of an allergic nature. Upon contact with the allergen in the mucosa, the process of immuneinflammation. All this leads to mucosal edema and the onset of bronchospasm. With such a disease, sputum, as a rule, does not occur or it is present, but in a minimal amount. Allergic mucosal edema leads to paroxysmal unproductive cough. If left untreated, suffocation will occur.
- Cystic fibrosis. With such a lesion, due to a genetic defect, the mucus produced is particularly thick, so it is very difficult to leave. In this case, the negative reaction is common to all human organs. The disease of this form is usually determined in childhood. When the lungs are affected, the main symptom is shortness of breath and a hacking cough.
- Dry pleurisy. Inflammation of the pleura also occurs in conjunction with a hacking cough. The reason for this cough is reflex - there are many nerve endings in the pleura. In the process of breathing, the pleura sheets rub against each other, which leads to the onset of a prolonged cough. If a liquid exudate occurs, the symptoms quickly disappear.
- Tuberculosis. With the appearance of tuberculosis, cough syndrome is an accompanying symptomatology. As a rule, the cough is not strong, rarely goes away in attacks, but when the disease spreads to the intrathoracic lymph nodes or the pleura, it also sometimes goes along with bouts of coughing.
- Tumor formations. With the growth of the tumor and damage to the nerve endings, a hacking cough can also occur.
- Foreign body. If a foreign body enters the respiratory tract, a strong cough of a paroxysmal nature may begin.
- Rare diseases. Nadsadnycough in some cases provokes diseases in which the lesion extends to the respiratory system. Most often, such diseases pass without sputum. These diseases include: histiocytosis, sarcoidosis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
Diagnostic measures
If paroxysmal hacking cough arose as a result of hypothermia and passes with a runny nose, fever, discomfort in the throat, then in most cases the doctor diagnoses SARS.
The disease is determined based on information from the patient, history and examination, diagnostic tests are not performed. But even with acute respiratory infections, in some cases, the doctor recommends that the patient undergo a fluorography and donate blood to the laboratory.
Additional research is important in the following cases:
- severe shortness of breath, as well as characteristic wheezing;
- chest pain while breathing;
- if there are blood clots in the sputum;
- prolonged fever when taking antibiotics and antivirals - more than 4 days;
- cough lasting longer than four days;
- if there was contact with TB patients;
- if there has not been a FG during the last year.
Additional Research
Also, if the cause of the hacking cough has not been established, then for an accurate diagnosis, the specialist will prescribe additional examinations of the patient:
- if a tumor was detectededucation in the body;
- when the temperature rises again after normalization of the patient's condition during treatment;
- examination of respiratory function;
- breath tests;
- visiting an ENT;
- setting allergic reactions;
- sputum collection for bacteriological as well as microscopic examination.
The described diagnostic measures may not be enough to make an accurate diagnosis. If necessary, the patient can be referred to other doctors for consultation.
Treatment of a lesion
How to treat a hacking cough? Therapeutic measures must necessarily treat the root causes of the disease. Chronic forms of damage should be treated by a doctor with a specific profile. In the presence of asthma, the patient is prescribed bronchodilators, with tuberculosis - special antibiotics. If there is a tumor formation, surgery may be required.
When treating a hacking cough in an adult, if it is unproductive and harmful to he alth, the attending specialist prescribes antitussives.
With a hacking cough, which is a symptom of acute respiratory infections, treatment will include the following activities: bed rest, airing the room and humidifying the air in it, drinking plenty of water, taking vitamin complexes, antipyretic drugs and making the right diet. It is also important to start taking antivirals and antibiotics.
Keeping the rules
Whenin the treatment of dry cough in an adult, it is important to follow some rules. These include:
- selecting the right drugs according to the main cause of the disease (antibiotics should be prescribed by the treating specialist based on signs of infection);
- strict adherence to the prescribed dosage of the drug and the duration of its intake (with a course of antimicrobial agents, it is forbidden to stop taking it on your own);
- identification of possible contraindications - some drugs are forbidden to prescribe to children;
- checking the effectiveness of the drug after a couple of days of treatment;
- taking additional drugs to maintain microflora during antibiotic therapy.
Main drugs
Antitussives are used to eliminate coughs. With acute respiratory infections, such drugs are allowed to be taken only in the first few days, until sputum begins to come off.
After that, the antitussives are stopped, and the doctor prescribes drugs to thin the sputum and facilitate its release.
Antitussives can be of two types depending on the effect:
- Cough suppressants - drugs that include butamirate, codeine, oxeladine and similar components. They have a negative effect on the nervous system.
- Suppressive receptor sensitivity when coughing. Most often, doctors prescribe Libeksin, since it does not affect the central nervous system.
When taking antitussivesit is important to remember that they are prohibited in the presence of sputum, severe shortness of breath and spasms in the bronchi.
Child's coughing fit
If a child has a hacking cough, you need to explain to him that there is nothing to worry about. Children under the age of 5 are very frightened when they have a bad cough. When a paroxysmal cough occurs at night, the baby should be given something warm (tea with raspberries or honey). A positive effect is given by the intake of alkaline mineral water without gases. A particularly effective remedy in the presence of a dry cough is warmed milk, to which soda and honey are added.
If dry hives in children recur and do not go away for a long time, it is important to seek medical help as soon as possible.
Treating a child
When treating a cough, it is important to identify the main cause of its occurrence, since in each case the treatment will be different. If the cough is an allergic form, then it is important to stop the allergen and visit a doctor who will choose an antihistamine. If a bacterial infection causes a cough, the child is given special antibiotics.
Medicines that are used to treat dry, hacking cough in a child may affect:
- Cough center in the brain, suppressing the reflex.
- Musculature of the bronchi. These medicines help expand the bronchi and make breathing easier.
- Mucous membranes. Drugs carrymoisturizing effect, eliminate the inflammatory process and provoke sputum production.
- Sputum production in the bronchi. These medications thin the mucus, which helps it pass.
Pediatricians note that the treatment of a hacking cough in a child should be carried out in the complex therapy of eliminating the underlying disease. It is very important in the presence of a paroxysmal cough to ventilate the room well, be often on the street and drink plenty of water.
Folk recipes
The main goal in the treatment of hacking cough during acute respiratory infections is to quickly alleviate its symptoms and translate it into a productive form. In this case, inhalation will be the best remedy. It is allowed to use a simple steam inhalation, as well as add soda, essential oils, other medicines and decoctions of medicinal herbs to it.
Inhalations over boiled potatoes have a special effect. To do this, the tubers need to be boiled and mashed together with the skin. You need to breathe over the potatoes with a cloth over your head to increase the concentration of steam.
You can treat a cough on your own only if its cause is precisely determined - a mild cold. If there is no improvement in the condition for three days, as well as if the general well-being of the patient worsens, it is important to turn todoctor.
