Coughing is normal. It is a consequence of the penetration of any foreign objects into the respiratory tract, for example, aspiration contents or exudate. In most cases, cough develops against the background of the course of the pathological process. Normally, it should last for a maximum of one week. A prolonged cough in an adult most often indicates that the patient ignored the signs of the disease, and therefore the pathology has become chronic. An incorrect diagnosis or illiterate treatment also often causes a person to continue to suffer from an unpleasant symptom.
Why does an adult have a dry cough for a long time
As a rule, an unproductive reflex accompanies the course of various kinds of pathologicalprocesses. At the same time, it is erroneous to believe that an adult does not have a dry cough for a long time only because of damage to the bronchial tree or lungs. Possible diseases and their clinical manifestations are described in the table below.
| Pathology | What happens in the body | Characteristic symptoms |
| Nodular or diffuse goiter | Under the influence of a number of provoking factors, the thyroid gland increases in size. Due to this, compression of the bronchi and trachea occurs. In other words, the thyroid gland squeezes them. A natural consequence is irritation of the respiratory tract and the appearance of a pronounced reflex. As a result, an adult does not have a strong cough for a long time. It is worth noting that it is never accompanied by sputum production. |
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| Pleurisy | This term refers to the inflammatory process, which involves the protective shell that lines the outside of the lungs. In most cases, pleurisy is a complication of some other disease. If the treatment was not carried out correctly, in adults, the cough does not go away for a long time. It is quite painful and can bother for several months. |
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| Sinusitis | When the upper respiratory tract is affected, exudate and mucus flow into the lower ones. The cilia of the ciliated epithelium perceive the pathological fluid as a foreign object, which must be disposed of as soon as possible. The consequence is the development of a strong dry cough in an adult. It does not go away for a long time, as a rule, due to self-medication. The tissues become accustomed to the vasoconstrictor drops, so that the edema persists. |
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| Heart failure | Contrary to popular belief, it is not uncommon for an adult to cough for a very long time due to myocardial damage. Under the influence of any adverse factors, the functioning of the heart is disrupted, and therefore the liquid connective tissue is less supplied with oxygen. At this stage, the person begins to suffer from severe shortness of breath. It, in turn, leads to the drying of the respiratory mucosa and the emergence of an unproductive reflex. If adults cough for a long time, it is recommended to be examined by a cardiologist. The reflex will persist until the root cause of its occurrence is eliminated. |
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| Pharyngitis | The process of the course of the disease is accompanied by inflammation of the epithelium and mucous membranes of the pharynx. The cough is dry, it occurs due to tissue irritation. Often, pathogenic microflora moves into the lower respiratory tract, due to which the symptoms become more pronounced. |
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| Laryngitis | This term refers to inflammation of the larynx. The cough in this case is quite specific. He is boisterous and barking. If the treatment was carried out, but the adult does not cough for a long time, most likely, the disease has managed to lead to a complication - the development of secondary respiratory failure. At this stage, asthma attacks may disturb. |
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As can be seen from the table, the reasons for a long-term unproductive reflex can be very diverse. If an adult does not cough for a long time, only a doctor should prescribe treatment based on the results of laboratory and instrumental diagnostics. Ignoring an alarming symptom can lead to serious consequences.
Wet cough does not go away for a long time: reasons
A long-lasting productive reflex can be the result of a large number of diseases. If an adult has a wet cough for a long time, it is customary to say that an ailment is progressing in his body, which is characterized by a chronic course.
The pathologies described in the table below are most often diagnosed.
| Disease | What happens in the body | Clinical manifestations |
| Tracheitis | This is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the trachea, which can have a different nature. Cough is a consequence of the accumulation of pathological exudate. The reflex is barking and rough, with yellow or green sputum. |
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| Bronchitis | This is a common pathology of the lower respiratory tract. Against the background of the active life of pathogenic microorganisms, the mucous membrane lining the bronchi becomes inflamed. If an expectorant cough does not go away for a long time in an adult, this indicates the transition of the disease to a chronic form. |
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| Pneumonia | Inflammation of the lungs develops against the background of activeactivity of pathogenic microorganisms. Hypothermia is the most common trigger. It is unacceptable to delay the treatment of the disease. If the cough and associated symptoms persist for more than two weeks, death may occur. |
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| Tuberculosis | Develops after infection of the body with Koch's wand. The disease can be asymptomatic for several months. If the cough with sputum does not go away for a long time, it is necessary to undergo an examination. Pathology is socially significant and claims millions of lives every year. |
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| Asthma | This is a disease, the mechanism of development of which is based on an increased degree of sensitivity of tissues to any irritating factors. The bronchi perceive the allergen as a foreign object and try to get rid of it. An attack occurs approximately 10 minutes after contact between the body and the irritating factor. The discharge of sputum indicates its end. |
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| Lung Cancer | Malignant pathology, which very often leads to death. The complexity of treatment lies in the fact that most often patients go to a medical institution at a late stage. At an early stage of development, pathology does not manifest itself in any way. The only symptom is that adults do not cough for a long time. In this case, the reflex occurs, it would seem, for no apparent reason. |
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| Reflux esophagitis | Pathology is characterized by the movement of food in the opposite, that is, non-physiological direction. Most often it develops against the background of gastritis, hernia or ulcers. The contents of the stomach, moving along the esophagus in the opposite direction, irritate its walls, which causes a cough. Patients complain of a productive reflex. But what comes out is not phlegm, but partially digested food. |
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| Bronchiectasis | This term refers to irreversible changes in the bronchi, due to whichtheir functioning is disrupted. |
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| SARS | The tissues of the larynx are irritated in the process of draining pathological secretions along them, due to which a cough appears. But if a wet cough in an adult does not go away for a long time, it is customary to talk about the development of complications, for example, tracheitis. |
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The remaining productive reflex often poses a danger not only to he alth, but also to human life. In this regard, treatment cannot be delayed.
Cough in smokers
The presence of an unproductive reflex is the first alarming symptom that indicates the start of the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Regarding why a cough does not go away for a long time in an adult who is fond of smoking. Cigarette smoke contains several thousand harmful compounds and two hundred poisons. Penetrating into the bronchi, it settles in the form of resinous substances and soot. As a result, the work of the ciliated epithelium is disrupted. Soot literally presses the cilia, due to which all harmful compounds remain in the bronchi.
It is important to know that the epithelium performs a protective function. The cilia pressed by soot are not able to move andremove poisons from the body.
The first alarming symptom is a morning hacking cough. It is dry, but due to the constant action of smoke in the bronchi, an inflammatory process develops, the course of which is accompanied by the formation of sputum.
Who to contact
When the first alarming symptoms occur, you need to make an appointment with a pulmonologist. The doctor will issue a referral for diagnosis and, based on the results, will be able to find out why the adult does not cough for a long time. After that, the specialist will draw up a treatment regimen.
Diagnosis
During the initial appointment, the doctor interviews the patient and conducts an examination. After that, he draws up a referral for a comprehensive examination, including:
- X-ray.
- Brochoscopy.
- Sputum analysis.
- FGDS.
- Blood tests (clinical, biochemical).
Based on the results of the diagnosis, the doctor draws up a treatment regimen.
Medicated treatment
The tactics of patient management directly depends on the reason why the cough bothers for a long time. To get rid of the reflex specifically, symptomatic therapy is indicated.
In the presence of a dry cough, mucolytics and expectorants are prescribed. The main task is to ensure that sputum begins to separate. Against the background of taking drugs, the mucus liquefies and begins to exit the lungs. As a rule, doctors prescribe the following remedies: "Doctor Mom", "Gerbion", "Muk altin". If the cause of developmenta pathogenic microorganism has become the main disease, antibiotics are indicated.
In the presence of a wet cough, doctors prescribe both herbal and synthetic drugs. The most highly effective are the following means: "Pectusin", "Bromhexin", "ACC", "Lazolvan". Additionally, antibiotics are prescribed. Most often, doctors recommend taking one of the following drugs: Amoxiclav, Azithromycin, Ceftriaxone.
Physiotherapy treatment
The following treatments can help manage a persistent cough:
- Electrophoresis.
- UHF.
- Magnetotherapy.
- Massage.
- Inhalation.
It is important to understand that physiotherapy is a complementary treatment. It should by no means be considered as the main way to get rid of a cough.
Folk methods
To reduce the severity of an unpleasant symptom, you can resort to alternative medicine. However, this does not eliminate the need to seek qualified medical help.
The most effective are the following recipes:
- Take 1 chicken egg, 10 g of honey, 5 g of soda, 10 g of butter and 0.25 liters of vodka without additives. Mix ingredients thoroughly. The resulting remedy must be drunk in one gulp on an empty stomach. It is enough to take it for 2 days.
- Take 1 large onion and grate it or chop it with a blender. Pour the resulting slurry with 200 g of granulated sugar. Put the containerto the fire. Boil for 5 minutes. Cool the resulting product a little and add 30 g of honey to it. Take 1 tbsp. l. onion jam every hour.
- Take the ginger root and chop it finely. 1 st. l. the resulting mass pour 200 ml of boiling water. Let it brew for 15 minutes. In a warm liquid, add 20 g of honey and a lemon slice. This tea should be drunk every hour and a half.
It is important to remember that any folk remedy is a potential allergen. If signs of an adverse reaction occur, treatment should be terminated.
Possible consequences
Prognosis directly depends on the cause of a persistent cough and the timeliness of seeking medical attention. If you do not ignore the alarming symptom and make an appointment with a specialist as soon as possible, you can avoid the development of dangerous complications.
The lack of therapy leads to the progression of the underlying disease. In this case, nearby tissues are involved in the inflammatory process. Almost 50% of cases are fatal.
Regarding smokers. In this case, the only way to get rid of a cough is to give up the addiction. It is important to remember that smoking is a provoking factor in the development of a large number of diseases that pose a threat to human life.
In conclusion
A persistent cough is a warning sign. In this case, it is recommended to consult a pulmonologist. The doctor will issue a referral for diagnostics and, based on its results, will draw up a treatment regimen.
