How to treat a suffocating cough in an adult

Causes

The causes of a dry suffocating cough in adults can be:

• Acute bronchitis provokes this symptom when inhaling;
• asthma, which provokes a cough and a barely audible whistling sound;
• Smoking. Symptoms are not noticeable at first, but choking occurs as smoking continues and increases significantly every year;
• allergies, which provoke not only coughing, but also tearing, sneezing, redness of the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose;
• oncology. Very often causes a symptom that is either very loud or almost silent;
• whooping cough.

Treatment of choking cough in adults

Very often, a suffocating cough in adults is a symptom of various serious diseases. With its character and intensity, it frightens not only patients, but also their relatives. Does not allow you to fully work and rest.

If a person has a suffocating cough, treatment must be carried out immediately. It should begin with a visit to the doctor, as well as diagnosis of the disease causing the suffocating symptom. After all, an unpleasant phenomenon can be provoked by such dangerous ailments as:

• Asthma.
• Heart failure.
• Malignant tumors.

It is no less serious to take suffocating cough in adults caused by:

• Smoking.
• Tracheitis.
• Bronchitis.
• Laryngitis.
• Respiratory diseases.
• Allergies.

Such pathologies, although they are considered not too dangerous, however, if left untreated, they often develop into a severe form and give complications, sometimes even threatening the patient’s life, so treatment of a suffocating reflex act must be carried out immediately.

Choking, spasmodic exhalations may be evidence that a person is choking or a foreign body has entered his respiratory tract. In this case, treatment of the symptom is not carried out, since to stop the cough it is enough to clear the airways.

Choking cough: treatment in adults - basic principles

A prerequisite for effective treatment of an unpleasant phenomenon is a visit to a doctor. A patient is being examined at the hospital. The doctor makes a thorough diagnosis through tests and examinations. Treatment methods for suffocating cough are selected, taking into account the clinical picture of the disease and the individual characteristics of the patient. When treating adults, the following actions are carried out:

• Possible irritants that provoke a suffocating cough (dust, tobacco smoke, animals) are eliminated.
• The mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract are maximally softened and moisturized (lozenges, lozenges are used, the air in the room is saturated with moisture, steam and cold inhalations are made, and gargling is performed).
• The room is constantly ventilated.
• Depending on the ailment that causes a suffocating cough in adults, the doctor prescribes local medications: antiseptics, anti-inflammatory drugs, cough suppressants, expectorants, bronchodilators, antibiotics.

Features of the treatment of suffocating cough in bronchial asthma

The most effective method of symptomatic treatment of suffocating cough in bronchial asthma, which consists in stopping attacks, has proven to be a local effect on the respiratory system using inhaled corticosteroids. The principle of action is to prevent bronchospasm and instantly stop coughing. Often the drugs are injected using pocket inhalers, which patients always carry with them.

It is also popular to take various expectorant syrups and antibiotics.

Heart failure: the main nuances of treating suffocating cough in adults

If attacks of suffocating reflex spasms of the respiratory tract occur in a patient due to heart problems, then symptomatic treatment, carried out in parallel with the main one, will include:

• Prescribing medications to help thin sputum and remove it from the body as quickly as possible.
• Taking medications that relieve spasms and dilate blood vessels in the respiratory organs.
• Use of antitussive drugs.

If a patient has an accumulation of fluid in the respiratory organs due to heart problems, then when it is pumped out, the suffocating cough goes away.

Choking cough in an adult: treatment for cancer

If the unpleasant phenomenon is a symptom of the development of cancer of the respiratory system, then the patient is very often haunted by tearing and suffocating spastic exhalations. Often, due to a decrease in a person’s immunity, an inflammatory process in the lungs, caused by various infections, begins at the same time.

It is very important to relieve attacks of suffocating cough in cancer patients. A person suffering from cancer already endures his condition very hard. Reflex spastic exhalations in adults are complicated by fainting, arrhythmias, and alveolar rupture.

Treatment of suffocating cough in this case is carried out after a full medical examination. If the doctor detects the presence of an additional infectious or cold disease, then methods of combating this disease are used, coupled with symptomatic treatment (prescription of antitussive, anti-inflammatory, bronchodilator drugs). Such drugs help reduce attacks of suffocating cough and their further cessation.

If an unpleasant phenomenon is caused only by a spreading tumor, then it is not always possible to remove the cause. A suffocating cough in this case can be caused by:

• Compression of the lumen of the bronchi by excess malignant tissue or enlarged lymph nodes.
• The growth of cancer on the layers of the pleura.
• Accumulation of fluid in the respiratory system.
• Germination of malignant tissues into the diaphragm, etc.

In this case, only medications that suppress the cough center are prescribed for treatment, since the effect of other drugs will be ineffective.

Choking cough: how to help a smoker?

Nicotine addiction, which lasts for a long time, is a factor in the occurrence of a large number of diseases and pathologies in adults. One of its characteristic and constant companions is attacks of suffocating cough. They mainly occur in the morning or after physical activity.

Of course, only breaking with a dangerous habit will allow you to completely get rid of an unpleasant phenomenon. The following will help reduce the intensity of a suffocating cough:

• Symptomatic treatment with folk remedies that moisturize the throat (honey with milk, sea buckthorn oil).
• Drinking fluids in large quantities.
• Indoor air humidification.
• Carrying out cold and hot inhalations.

Choking cough: how to treat colds and respiratory diseases in adults?

Very often, an unpleasant barking phenomenon occurs as a result of the effects of various colds and viruses on the body. In the arsenal of doctors to treat these cases, there is a fairly large number of different methods and techniques that help fight a suffocating cough. This includes:

• Taking medications of various spectrums of action.
• Warming up.
• Massage.
• Compresses.
• Inhalations.
• Phytotherapy.
• Folk remedies.

We should not forget that any of these methods can be used only after consulting a doctor and making a diagnosis. Self-medication and prescribing various medications are strictly prohibited. After all, it is very difficult for a person ignorant of medical issues to distinguish one cold or viral disease from another (and there are dozens of them in nature).

It is because of improper self-treatment that adults often end up in hospital beds with various complications arising from common ailments, which others can easily get rid of in a week at home.

What to do if a choking cough attack is caused by an allergy?

Another factor that is often the cause of suffocating, spastic exhalations is allergies. To treat it, you simply need to remove from a person’s life the factor that provokes the occurrence of a suffocating cough. To determine it, there are various tests that must be taken in the hospital. After stopping interaction with the provocateur, the symptom goes away on its own.

A choking cough in adults often accompanies taking medications to which a person has a reaction. Therefore, when visiting a doctor, you should be sure to warn about the use of any medications.

The occurrence of a suffocating cough when a foreign body enters

In addition to various pathological processes occurring in the human body and causing spastic contractions of the respiratory tract, mechanical effects can be their culprit. Indeed, often when various pieces of food are ingested or foreign bodies are inhaled, a person begins to choke, choking in a fit of suffocating cough.

The best option in this case is to immediately go to the hospital. There, a specialist, using a special device, examines the respiratory organs, nasopharynx and carefully removes the irritant.

However, there are times when a suffocating cough signals that a person needs help immediately, otherwise he may die. In this case, you need to grab the victim from behind with both hands and sharply squeeze the ribs so that he reflexively exhales. With the flow of air, a foreign body should jump out of the respiratory tract, which should be immediately removed from the oral cavity in order to prevent re-entry into the body during subsequent inhalation.

After this, the person must be taken to the hospital to exclude the occurrence of injuries in the respiratory organs, and if they exist, provide urgent medical care.

There are other reasons that cause a suffocating cough, the treatment of which in any case should be carried out after consultation with a doctor and an accurate diagnosis. Only in this case will the effectiveness of combating the symptom be the highest, and recovery will occur as soon as possible.

pro-kashel.ru>

Symptoms

Symptoms of suffocation in adults may include:

• Those who smoke for a long time may experience a strong cough with phlegm and can only be eliminated by quitting smoking;
• If a person has been diagnosed with bronchitis, a strong, suffocating cough will occur in the morning, and if measures are not taken, bronchitis can develop into the chronic form of tuberculosis;
• With laryngitis, an adult experiences a severe attack, fever, weakness, and occasional sputum production;
• During asthma attacks, there may not only be an attack, but also a feeling of suffocation, chest pain, and a feeling of spasm of all muscles. If an adult has asthma, attacks occur most often at night;
• If you have been diagnosed with oncology, namely lung cancer, the patient may feel severe pain in the lungs, which is practically tearing apart. Sometimes the pain is not relieved by painkillers.

What causes a choking cough?

The reasons for the appearance of such a symptom as a suffocating cough may be different. Bronchial spasms are caused both by inflammatory processes in the lungs and by the presence of dangerous viruses in the body, which the body tries to get rid of through severe bronchial spasms. In particular, the following ailments can serve as a factor causing cough:

• Tuberculosis. One of the symptoms of this serious disease in the early stages is a dry cough. The respiratory receptors located in the bronchial tree are irritated by the infection, which causes a cough. As the number of tubercle bacilli increases, sputum also accumulates. Only at this stage does the cough cease to be dry.
• Pneumonia. Even one-sided pneumonia disrupts the functioning of the entire respiratory system. The mucous membrane of the lung swells, which causes suffocation when coughing. In such cases, observation and timely assistance from doctors is necessary, since severe attacks of suffocation can lead to death.
• Chronical bronchitis. This disease is a consequence of acute pulmonary inflammation, previously untreated. Having acquired a chronic form, the disease continues to bother the person with bronchial spasms. Although chronic bronchitis is one of the most harmless causes of a choking cough, it should not be taken lightly. After all, there is always a risk that the disease will again become acute.
• Whooping cough. This previously very common disease, popularly called the “hundred-day cough,” now occurs only in people who have not been vaccinated. Bacteria of the Bordet-Gengou type, which cause the disease, attack the bronchial tree and tracheal tissue. As a result, the patient experiences attacks of suffocating dry cough, which can last for several hours. This duration can cause oxygen deprivation and sometimes death. Whooping cough is especially dangerous for children.
• Smoker's bronchitis. This disease occurs in people who have been smokers for more than fifteen years. Resins and soot accumulated on the walls of the bronchi cause severe attacks of suffocating cough, not inferior in strength to asthmatic cough. Most often, such attacks occur in the evenings and early mornings.
• Bronchial asthma. Bronchial spasms, which are the body's reaction to an allergic irritant, cause an asthmatic cough. An attack of such a cough begins suddenly. The patient experiences a lack of air, begins to panic and tries to take a deep breath. Then a dry cough appears. In this case, special antispasmodics can help.
• Heart failure. It’s not just respiratory diseases that cause suffocation when coughing. There is a so-called “cardiac cough”, which is a consequence of dysfunction of the left ventricle of the heart. Due to improper functioning of the heart, the synchronicity of the functioning of the cardiac, vascular and respiratory systems is disrupted, which leads to attacks of suffocating cough.
• Oncological processes in the lungs. New growths in the lung area can also provoke coughing attacks. The body strives to get rid of the tumor that interferes with the normal functioning of the respiratory system. The main symptom in the first and second stages of the disease is a dry, suffocating cough, accompanied by an increase in temperature.
• Foreign object. Getting a foreign object into the respiratory tract can also provoke a cough. The intensity of the attacks depends on the size of the object and which specific part of the lungs it hits.

Treatment

Treating that annoying cough and safely eliminating the symptoms is what everyone is concerned about. After all, it is important to find the disease that caused the symptom and eliminate it.

There are basic principles that the doctor uses for treatment:

• The provocateur that causes coughing is eliminated (animal hair, plant flowering, tobacco smoke);
• The airways are moistened. For this purpose, lollipops and syrups are used;
• If it occurs due to allergies or infections, you should regularly ventilate the room;
• After making a diagnosis, the doctor prescribes the necessary medications. Treatment may include medications and traditional recipes. In each individual case, to eliminate dry suffocating cough in adults and children, a comprehensive treatment method is used.

Severe dry cough in adults: types, causes

A severe dry cough in an adult can be caused by various reasons.
Colds, as well as ailments caused by viral and bacterial infections, come first. However, the paroxysmal reflex action may not be associated with diseases of this nature. That is, a dry, debilitating and lingering cough can be caused by other reasons. This refers to ailments caused by age-related changes in the body (cardiovascular diseases, pulmonary pathology, etc.). At the same time, one cannot discount a cough that occurs due to allergies or foreign bodies entering the larynx. Since there can be many reasons for the development of a reflex action, it is quite difficult to establish the true cause of forced exhalation. At the same time, a painful and suffocating dry cough in adults is often accompanied by additional symptoms. Analysis of the complete picture of the development of the disease allows the doctor to make the correct diagnosis.

Causes of dry cough in adults

Despite the fact that a jerky forced exhalation can cause a huge number of ailments, depending on its nature and accompanying symptoms, it can be assumed what caused the dry, severe cough.

A paroxysmal unproductive reflex act is characteristic of the following ailments:

• A prolonged, suffocating, dry cough in adults is a sign of an allergic reaction. Seizures begin due to exposure to various irritants, for example, plant pollen, animal hair, etc.
• A barking reflex act occurs when a person’s larynx becomes severely swollen and the vocal cords are compressed. Such an involuntary action is very painful and debilitating. During jerky barking, you should not talk, as this can lead to severe changes in the vocal cords.
• A common cold can also be the cause of a frequent, persistent and dry cough in adults. If you start treating it right away, the reflex act will become productive within 2-3 days.
• A rare, lingering dry cough in adults is a companion to those who smoke and drink alcoholic beverages, including beer. As a rule, an attack of such involuntary action occurs after sleep in the morning. Even if you quit smoking, the cough will only go away after a few months. This is exactly how long the body needs for the lungs to clear harmful substances.
• The cause of persistent and prolonged cough in adults, as a rule, is chronic respiratory diseases, such as bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.
• Neglect of personal protective equipment when performing official duties. This category includes not only employees of the chemical industry and metallurgy. People who work with flour, near fields or green spaces in the open air are also at risk.
• Oncological neoplasms in the pharynx. In this case, the enlarged tissue irritates the cough receptors, which causes a constant involuntary act.

Why do you need to treat dry cough in adults?

A dry cough in adults is a very important symptom, which may be the first sign of the development of a serious illness.
By seeking help from a doctor in a timely manner, a person is guaranteed to be protected from the development of complications. Under no circumstances should you self-medicate, especially if the reflex act is prolonged and has not gone away for several weeks or months. pro-kashel.ru>

Use of medications

Medicines that eliminate the suffocating symptom in adults:

1. If symptoms occur due to the flu, medications are used that eliminate irritation of the cough receptor. The same drugs are used for whooping cough. The effectiveness is noticeable already on the 3-4th day, after which you need to use other drugs;
2. To eliminate bronchospasm, it is recommended to use bronchodilators. They are used intramuscularly or during inhalation;
3. If the disease occurs due to bacterial infection, antibacterial agents are used;
4. If attacks are accompanied by the release of thick mucus, mucolytics are used to thin it. They are also used to eliminate the inflammatory process;
5. If a patient has been diagnosed with cancer, he may be prescribed painkillers and opiates;
6. If the attack occurs suddenly, you can use inhalation with Lazolvan or another drug that will quickly eliminate the spasm.

First aid for choking cough

For both children and adults, only a doctor can prescribe treatment. And the sooner the patient turns to a specialist, the better.

Relieve spasm

As for first aid methods before visiting a doctor, it all depends on what caused the problem. For example, in case of allergies, you need to eliminate contact with the allergen that caused such a reaction and take an antihistamine (Histafen, Claritin, Zyrtec are best, but Suprastin or Tavegil is also possible).

Histaphene

Zyrtec

Claritin

If a person is choking, you can ease your breathing by running your hands under hot water. This will cause the dilation of blood vessels and bronchi, thanks to which oxygen will begin to flow better, and the condition will improve.

For ARVI, you need to start antiviral treatment at the first signs of illness (for example, give Novirin).

If choking when coughing is caused by a foreign object getting into the respiratory tract, you need to call an ambulance. Theoretically, you can eliminate the object yourself, but this can only be done in a critical situation.

To do this, they approach the victim from behind and sharply squeeze his ribs with both hands. A person exhales reflexively, a portion of air comes out, and with it a foreign object.

Drug treatment

To begin treatment, you need to understand many subtleties: a wet or dry cough in a child, why an adult’s cough bothers you at night, the causes of daytime attacks, etc.

For whooping cough, antibiotics are prescribed, most often from the macrolide group or semisynthetic penicillins, as well as 3rd generation cephalosporins.

Children in the first year of life require hospitalization. But adults and older children can be treated at home. It is difficult for parents to independently determine how to alleviate their condition if their child has whooping cough. In such cases, the help of a doctor is necessary. Anticonvulsants and anti-anxiety medications may be prescribed to help relieve spasms.

Non-narcotic drugs are also used (for example, Codelac Neo or Sinekod). The latter can also be used to combat dry night cough.

For bronchitis and COPD (which affects smokers), Berodual is recommended. If a person is suffocating, the drug will help the bronchi open and alleviate the condition. This is a solution for inhalation; a nebulizer is required to use it.

For bronchitis and ARVI, expectorants are used. These are drugs such as ACC, Ambroxol, etc. They are produced in different forms - tablets, syrups, nebulizer solutions. In adults, treatment is often carried out using tablets, while syrups are intended for children.

To treat bronchial asthma, accompanied by coughing attacks at night in adults and children, you need to take bronchodilator drugs. For example, this is Berotec (active ingredient - fenoterol) or Clenbuterol syrup. To relieve attacks of COPD and bronchial asthma in adults at night, inhalations based on glucocorticosteroids are used.

For pharyngitis and tracheitis, it is recommended to dissolve special tablets or lozenges. They are taking the anti-inflammatory drug Erespal. The instructions for the drug provide for all types of symptoms, incl. seasonal, and any age of the patient. If children cough (dry), the child is given syrup, adult patients are given tablets, but the doctor must select the medicine.

For all treatments for tracheitis, the principle of action is to eliminate bronchospasm and relieve inflammation.

For atypical pneumonia, antibiotics from the group of tetracyclines, macrolides or fluoroquinolones are prescribed. For other pathogens, including Haemophilus influenzae - penicillins or cephalosporins.

Traditional healing methods

Traditional medicine for suffocating cough in adults has become simply a salvation and an indispensable technique that has a truly positive effect.

The ideal treatment option would be to use decoctions of the following herbs:

• coltsfoot
• thyme
• anise
• wild rosemary
• elecampane

Natural syrups can also be classified as folk remedies. They do not contain additives or harmful components.

A drink made from milk, butter and honey is very good at eliminating dry suffocation. You can prepare it in the evening and use it before bed.

If the attack occurs suddenly, you can give the patient a drink of warm milk or chamomile decoction, which will calm the airways and the spasm will pass. The main thing is that the drink is warm and in no case hot. In cases where the patient has a strong fever, fever and all this is supported by a severe attack, you can use warm tea with raspberries and honey, or tea with lemon and honey.

It is important to coordinate all actions with your doctor before using folk remedies. During treatment in this way, it is important to take into account the individual characteristics of the patient’s body and select the optimal recipes.

How is the treatment carried out?

Treatment for dry strangulation depends on the cause of the disease.

For those caused by ARVI, drugs that suppress irritation of cough receptors are suitable. They are also necessary for whooping cough to alleviate the child’s condition. With their help, a sore throat is treated only during the first 2-3 days. Because when sputum appears, these drugs are harmful to health, causing stagnation of mucus and the development of pneumonia. Bronchodilators will help quickly relieve bronchospasm. In the hospital, they can administer the medicine intramuscularly or prescribe inhalation with it.

Antibiotics are prescribed when a bacterial infection develops. Their need is determined by a therapist or pediatrician.

Sputum and promote its removal. They also have an anti-inflammatory effect. They are usually prescribed along with the treatment of bronchitis or pneumonia. Mucolytics act not only on sputum in the lungs, but also on nasal discharge. The mucus becomes more liquid.

Local anesthetics and opiates can relieve coughing in lung cancer.

During attacks, inhalations help well. For warm water with infusion of chamomile, eucalyptus, calendula.

Soda solution helps a lot. But the proportion must be strictly observed: 1 tsp. soda to 1 glass of water. If you add more soda than the required amount, you can get a burn to the mucous membrane and the treatment will take a long time. Inhalations with Borjomi mineral water have a good effect. It helps relieve bronchospasm and promotes the removal of phlegm.

If under 5 years old, then he is held in the arms during the procedure.

Modern inhalation devices (nebulizers) make this procedure several times more effective and safer. Medicines are sprayed into tiny particles and have a healing effect on the respiratory tract.

Do not forget that children under 6 months should not be inhaled or rubbed with ointments containing essential oils. Hold a child of this age as often as possible. In an upright position, he will be able to cough up phlegm more easily.

Treatment of an adult with folk remedies is less effective than medication, but it also helps with colds and bronchitis.

Decoctions help speed up the treatment process:

• coltsfoot;
• elecampane;
• anise fruit;
• wild rosemary;
• thyme fruit;
• mallows.

Syrups based on marshmallow, licorice root, and plantain juice help speed up recovery.

Black radish juice mixed with honey, as well as honey with butter, can relieve an attack. Children are given 1 tsp each, provided that they are not allergic to bee products.

Night attacks are calmed down like this:

1. Give warm drink. For example, warmed milk or chamomile tea.
2. Humidify the air in the room using wet cleaning or ventilation.
3. Reduce the air temperature to 21-18 degrees.

A dry, suffocating cough in a child can be caused by inflammation of the larynx, so if there are signs of shortness of breath, call an ambulance.

A suffocating cough at night in an oncology patient can be stopped with the help of decoctions of marshmallow, licorice root, yellow poppy, and celandine.

A dry cough can be a sign of quite a few diseases, and at the same time it is expressed in various forms. The most painful and unpleasant is the one that causes pain and discomfort to the sick person. Such a symptom indicates the presence of a disease of the respiratory system or indicates that the disease has reached a severe stage in its development.

Preventive actions

Preventive measures against dry suffocating cough include strengthening the immune system and improving overall well-being. To do this you need:

• take vitamins and follow a proper diet. The diet should consist only of high-quality, healthy foods, vegetables, fruits;
• regular exercise;
• maintaining hygiene;
• to avoid bacteria and germs, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room in which you spend most of the time;
• During epidemics, spend less time in large crowds of people.