Dry cough: causes and natural solutions

Coughing is actually a very healthy reflex: it helps rid the lungs and airways of pathogens and irritants. If viruses or dust particles enter the airways, the lungs produce more mucus. Wrapped in this mucus pathogens and other disturbing particles are expelled for the cough When phlegm is expelled, it is called a productive cough. In a dry or unproductive cough there is no phlegm involved.

acute or chronic cough

Dry cough can occur briefly at the beginning or end of an infection when the productive cough slowly subsides. However, a dry cough also can occur without an infection and can even become chronic (Cough is considered chronic if it lasts more than 8 weeks.)

A dry cough can be very distressing, especially when it occurs at night, causes chest pain, and can be combined with a tickle in the throat. In this case, coughing has a major impact on health and quality of life.

Cough, either dry or productive, it is always just a symptom, not an independent disease. This means that the cough can have very different causes. To get rid of cough it is imperative to know the cause.

Possible causes of dry cough

Dry cough is one of the characteristic symptoms of covid-19, but there are many other causes.

Colds, flu, and flu-like infections Chronic bronchitis Whooping cough Environmental irritants such as cigarette smoke, gases, chemical fumes, dust, or other environmental pollutants Allergies Asthma Blood pressure medications (ACE inhibitors) Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) Postnasal drip syndrome Chronic lung disease (for example , COPD)Neurogenic cough (nervous cough caused by damage to the vagus nerve)Heart failure

Between the rarer causes of dry cough may include the following:

Mycoplasma pneumonia Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Lung cancer Inflammation of the larynx (laryngitis) Inflammation of the trachea (tracheitis)

Dry cough depending on the time of day

If you have a cold and cough, whether you cough in the morning, at noon, or at night, you know what’s causing it. However, for less clear causes, the time of day it occurs can provide clues to a possible cause.

morning cough

If you cough, especially in the morning, the following causes could trigger it:

Smoker’s cough Sequelae of a cold (when the cold has passed) Chronic bronchitis

cough at night

If you cough more at night, It could be due to the following causes:

Heart failure Asthma and allergies Silent reflux Postnasal mucus flow Neurogenic cough ACE inhibitors Whooping cough

When to see a doctor if you have a dry cough

If you have been suffering from dry cough since you’ve been taking certain medications, you should consult with the doctor to clarify if the cough could not be a side effect.

A little coughing now and then is usually not a problem. But if your dry cough keeps getting worse or just won’t go away, you should also consult a doctor.

Of course, one should also see a doctor if they suddenly appear bloody phlegm after a dry cough, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing or a feeling that something is stuck in the throat.

Conventional medicine therapy

Mucolytic agents are of no use for a dry cough. A dry cough cannot be turned into a productive cough. If it occurs with a cold, a productive cough often develops after a few days, but this happens “automatically”, that is, it cannot be started in any way.

Medicines for dry coughs or coughing fits are called cough suppressants (such as dextromethorphan). Although they reduce the urge to cough, they often do not work satisfactorily or at all.

On the other hand, youThey have side effects such as dizziness, nausea, gastrointestinal problems, and vomiting, and should not be taken with many other medications.

While a cough suppressant may be helpful temporarily (for example, for a restful night), these medications only suppress the urge to cough and do not address the cause of the cough in any way.

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Natural therapy against dry cough

In the case of a dry cough, the cause of which is known, the cough is treated according to its origin. Moistening the mucous membranes reduces the urge to cough, helps the pharynx to regenerate and has an anticonvulsant effect, thereby relieving cough. One way to keep the mucous membranes moist is to take infusions of medicinal plants, which also produce beneficial effects.

Infusion for dry cough

Ingredients:

35g plantain leaves (Plantain is considered one of the best cough plants in herbal medicine) 35g mullein flowers 10g Icelandic moss (not really a moss, but a slimy lichen) 10g mallow flowers 10 g licorice root

Elaboration:

Infuse 1 teaspoon of the mixture into 1 cup of cold water. Let stand for 1.5 hours, strain through a paper strainer (coffee filter) to catch any fine mullein flower hairs that might otherwise be irritating. Drink in sips. The infusion can also be heated to a lukewarm temperature before drinking. However, it should not be boiled or overheated. Drink 1 cup 3 times a day. It is important to drink a freshly made infusion.

umckaloabo

The umckaloabo is a plant native to South Africa. Its extract is usually taken in the form of drops and is especially effective against bronchitis, but it is also generally used to protect the respiratory tract because it favors its regeneration.

You will find it in herbalists and dietetics.

Thyme

It is one of those most effective popular medicinal plants for coughs, whether productive or dry. Thyme not only has an antibacterial and expectorant effect, but also calms coughs thanks to its anticonvulsant effect.

inhalations

Hot showers, whose steam moistens the mucous membranes, help cleanse the sinuses and relieve the urge to cough in the short term.

Of course, the steam can also be inhaled through traditional steam baths, leaning over a pot where some plant or essential oil has been placed (thyme or eucalyptus, for example).

In addition to these remedies, you can raise the head of the beda maximum of 25 cm) to relieve dry cough at night caused by silent reflux and postnasal mucus flow.