Colds are often accompanied by an endless cough that does not stop day or night. Anyone who has ever experienced such a problem knows how painful this condition can be. In this article, we will talk about how to stop a cough in a child or an adult. And consider what folk remedies and pharmacological preparations can help in solving this problem. But first, let's clarify the question below.
Why does a person cough?
Understanding how to stop a persistent cough will be much easier if you know its causes. When a person coughs, in most cases it means that he is sick, and coughing is a reflex that helps restore airway patency. Thus, cough can be called a protective reaction of our smart body, aimed at getting rid of sputum,accumulated in the lungs, bronchi, trachea, and sometimes from foreign particles or dust that got there.
If adults or children fall ill due to an acute respiratory infection, the accompanying cough may be a symptom:
- Laryngitis - inflammation of the larynx, which is accompanied by a hoarse voice and barking rough cough.
- Tracheitis - inflammation of the trachea.
- Bronchitis is an inflammatory disease of the bronchi. Here, the cough is initially dry, and then wet with a lot of sputum.
- Pneumonia - inflammation of the lungs.
Two types of cough
Now a little about two types of cough - dry and wet. In the second case, the cough reflex performs a very useful cleansing function, bringing out sputum containing harmful microorganisms and pus. How to stop coughing in this case? Help the body by taking expectorant and mucolytic drugs that thin viscous sputum and promote its expulsion from the respiratory tract.
It can be more difficult to help a person who is tormented by bouts of uncontrollable dry cough. By itself, it cannot bring any relief, tires the patient, leads to severe irritation of the inflamed respiratory organs, and can even cause vomiting or mucosal injuries. It is especially important to know how to stop a dry cough at night, because at this time it can intensify, and a sick person has absolutely no opportunity to rest. Here it is already necessary to apply moreserious drugs, often containing the drug codeine, thanks to which the pills can directly affect the cough center in our brain.
Cough medicines from the pharmacy
How to stop an attack of dry cough, what medicines are sold for this in our pharmacies? Effectively and quickly extinguish the cough such drugs as "Codeine", "Demorphan", "Hydrocodone", "Kodipront", "Ethylmorphine hydrochloride", "Morphine chloride". The listed drugs contain narcotic substances in their composition, therefore, in order to purchase them at a pharmacy, you will need a prescription from a doctor.
Softer means to combat dry cough (without narcotic substances) are Glauvent, Sedotussin, Tusuprex, Sinekod, Paxeladin. Important: dry cough medicines can only be used if there is no sputum in the respiratory tract!
Levopront, Libexin, Helicidin are also good remedies. They act on receptors and nerve endings in the bronchi and trachea and also relieve painful dry coughs.
And how to stop the incessant cough in the presence of sputum? There are excellent modern drugs that have both anti-inflammatory and bronchodilator and expectorant properties. These include: "Lorain", "Stoptussin", "Bronholitin", "Tussin plus","Prothiazine", "Hexapneumin", "Butamirat", "Ambrobene", "Bromhexine" and some other drugs. There are a lot of cough preparations, and they all have their own specifics. And in order not to make a mistake with the choice of pills or medicine, it is best to consult a doctor.
When the disease is just beginning
Now let's find out how to stop a cough that starts. If you catch a little cold and start to cough, then you need to immediately begin to act! Such a simple remedy as frequent gargling with a warm solution of s alt and soda works wonders in some cases. Great for rinsing and a classic decoction of calendula and sage with chamomile. You can not do it yourself, but buy Rotokan tincture at the pharmacy (it includes all three components) and gargle with it, diluting it in water in the following proportion: 1 tbsp. spoon to a glass of warm water.
If there is no fever at night, you can steam your feet and then put on woolen socks. Pepper plaster is another effective remedy. We stick it on the chest and back. If the symptoms of a cold do not subside in the morning, it is best to seek medical help.
What will help the baby
How to stop a cough in a baby? This should be decided by the pediatrician based on the diagnosis. But there are old folk remedies that can be used as auxiliary measures. These include warm compresses that are placed on the baby's chest. Here are some recipes:
1. Honey cake compress. Suchthe cake can be kneaded from honey and flour with the addition of vegetable oil. It should be of a normal dense consistency so that it does not spread on the skin. After 4 months of age, it is permissible to add a little mustard powder to the mixture for tortillas - the healing effect is enhanced from it.
2. Compress with camphor oil. To do this, first a diaper folded in several layers is placed on the baby’s chest, then camphor oil is applied to it, another diaper, polyethylene and a fixing diaper or gauze on top.
3. A compress of mashed potatoes. The sequence of actions is the same as in the previous recipe.
The most delicious medicines
It is often difficult to get children to take potions, decoctions or tablets that taste bad. If a child is naughty and does not want to be treated, how to stop an attack of dry cough in such a mischievous person? In this case, in the piggy bank of folk recipes there are surprisingly simple and tasty medicines that every mother can cook with ease:
1. We take a tablespoon of sugar (incomplete) and hold it over the fire until the granulated sugar melts and turns brown. Next, you need to quickly pour the contents of the spoon into a saucer with milk. Burnt sugar will harden immediately. The resulting homemade lollipop is good for soothing dry coughs.
2. Banana medicine. To prepare it, take a couple of bananas, peel them, mash them into a smooth puree and add hot sweet water to the mixture. Delicious medicine should be taken only in warmsee.
3. Cherry syrup (jam) is able to soften the cough. Add it to tea and let the child drink.
Alkaline inhalation
Traditional medicine offers a lot of options on how to stop a cough. An interesting effective way is alkaline inhalation at home. The procedure is as follows: pour mineral water into the pan (if water is passed through a special magnetic funnel, its properties will increase), bring the liquid to a boil, cool to 70 degrees.
Well, after that you need to bend over the saucepan, cover yourself with a towel and breathe in useful steam for about 10 minutes. Then it is recommended to drink hot tea with raspberries, wrap up warmer and sleep. Such inhalations help to get rid of cough with the presence of viscous sputum in the airways.
Onion Milk
Finally, I would like to share one more recommendation of traditional medicine on how to stop a strong cough at night. You need to prepare onion milk in advance. It is done simply: 2 chopped onions are poured with milk (1 liter), then it all languishes in the oven for 2 hours. It is best to prepare such a medicine in earthenware.
Cooled and strained milk is taken for colds 6 times a day, 1 tbsp. spoon. This remedy will also provide emergency help at night, as it perfectly soothes even a very strong cough.
