Health problems that cause chronic cough. The mechanism of chronic cough
A cough that interrupts sleep at night and persist for weeks or even months is classified as chronic. This condition occurs transformations suffered amid the airways brought infectious or toxic exposures.Coughing is a natural reflex of the body trying to expel foreign agents broke into the airways. Abnormal cells, mucus produced by a virus, cigarette smoke and allergies can cause sharp episodes of coughing. Anything can become chronic cough amid prolonged exposure to irritants.
A chronic cough that lasts weeks or months not only compromise the health, but also the way of life in general, causing sleep disturbances, dizziness, excessive sweating or involuntary loss of urine. All chronic cough may become inflamed muscles of the ribs can induce shortness of breath (particularly wheezing ) and, in rare cases, lung collapse.
In many cases, chronic cough are based on many cases. The major may be
- Postnazale secretions. When the nose or sinuses produce excess mucus, the latter can leak behind the neck, causing the cough reflex.
- Asthma. A cough associated with asthma can appear and disappear seasonally, with a respiratory tract infection or a reaction to cold air or strong chemical smels.
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. In this disorder, stomach acid comes back up into the esophagus, irritating the tissue at this level. Eventually, the discomfort degenerates into crisis persistent cough.
Studies suggest that the three cases above, isolated or combined, are responsible for approximately 90 % of cases of chronic cough. Other possible causes
- Infections. The cough may persist long after the cessation of other symptoms of flu and colds and other upper respiratory tract infections.
- Medicines for blood pressure regulation. ACE inhibitors prescribed to regulate blood pressure, can cause chronic cough in the case of certain patients.
- Chronic bronchitis. Long-term inflammation of large airways can cause congestion, runny filling with breath and discolored sputum. Most patients with chronic bronchitis are current or former smokers.
Other possible causes of chronic cough, less common, are bronchiectasis, bronchiolitis, cystic fibrosis, laryngopharyngeal reflux, lung cancer or sarcoidosis.
Chronic cough may be accompanied by a range of symptoms, which include
- Runny nose;
- Nasal secretions;
- The feeling of a liquid spill into the back of the neck;
- Neck discomfort;
- Hoarse voice;
- Difficulty breathing or wheezing;
- Sour taste in the mouth;
- Cough with bloody secretions (in rare cases);
Making a medical consultation becomes necessary after the cough persist for several weeks, affecting sleep or daily activities or is accompanied by blood.
Personal medical history and physical examination help establish tests help your doctor diagnose chronic cough. The main goal of this work is to find the exact cause of persistent cough and very disturbing.
Thus, one can perform an X-ray to rule out serious causes, such as pneumonia or lung cancer. A sinus x-ray can reveal whether or not it’s about a sinus infection. Computed tomography can be used to check the shape of the sinus cavities are affected and if not an infection.
The doctor will look and function of the lungs by simple noninvasive tests, and if necessary, the expert shall retain a sample of mucus secreted from the neck, to be analyzed in the laboratory.
In the treatment of chronic cough , use a decongestant or antihistamine drugs generally effective especially if chronic cough is caused by secretions postnazale . Antibiotics may be necessary if there is a bacterial infection found in the medical tests , while steroid treatment bronchitis treatment will be the solution .
Chronic cough caused by asthma disappears with the administration of anti-asthmatic treatment with bronchodilators or steroids . If the doctor can not determine the exact cause of chronic cough , may prescribe a cough suppressant .
Other treatment options for chronic cough can be adopted lifestyle changes such as maintaining an optimal level of hydration of the body or maintain moisture neck with special fluids and compressed dry throat .
Other methods of treatment are allergen avoidance , smoking cessation ( a very common cause of chronic cough ) and changing food style . A persisenta cough caused by reflux of stomach acid can be controlled with frequent meals and weak quantitative avoid bed rest immediately after a meal ( helps body stretching stomach acid to reach the esophagus ) , resting upright on a cushion high and digestible eating before bedtime.