How to treat a dull cough in an adult

Causes of a dull cough in a child

A muffled cough in a child indicates the presence of a number of diseases - from ordinary respiratory diseases to serious pathologies of the respiratory system in the form of tuberculosis or bronchial asthma.
Only seeking medical help will allow you to choose the right treatment strategy and avoid the formation of complications, because at home it is very difficult to establish the true cause of the symptom in the form of a dull cough. Damage to the lower respiratory tract in most cases manifests itself in the form of a barking cough. The list of the most dangerous causes of activation of the cough reflex includes the following conditions:

• tuberculosis;
• croup;
• obstructive bronchitis;
• pneumonia.

In addition to diseases that seriously threaten the life of a child, various infectious pathologies of the respiratory system can cause a dull cough. The appearance of this symptom requires contacting a medical specialist, and if the cough is paroxysmal, the child needs emergency help.

Treatment of dull cough in adults

How to treat a dull cough? (medicines)

Drug treatment of a dull cough primarily depends on the reasons that caused it. Therapy is usually aimed at eliminating the causes of the disease and alleviating the symptoms and condition of the patient. It may include antibiotics, steroids, and combination cough medications.

Cough remedies are divided into two types according to the type of effect. The action of drugs belonging to the first type is aimed at suppressing cough. Such medications include: Glycine and products based on it, Codeine, Ethylmorphine, Paxeladin, Tusuprex and others. The second group of drugs regulates the functioning of the epithelium of the mucous organs of the respiratory system. It includes Linkas, Codelac, Terpincode and others.

Silent cough, what to do? (folk remedies)

Among the folk remedies for dull cough, the most famous are the following:

• herbal decoctions prepared from coltsfoot, elecampane, St. John's wort, chamomile, wild rosemary and other medicinal plants;
• heated milk with the addition of butter, a pinch of soda and honey;
• a mixture of honey, lemon juice and glycerin;
• a decoction of elder flowers, certified at the rate of three large spoons per liter of water;
• warmed grape juice mixed with a little honey;
• crushed lemon zest, to which a little honey is added.

Diagnostic methods

When contacting a medical organization, a specialist collects complaints, thanks to which it is possible to distinguish the manifestation of a physiological cough in a child from a pathological dull cough, based on the presence or absence of the following indicators:

• increase in temperature values;
• manifestation of passivity;
• soreness of the chest area accompanying episodes of coughing;
• dyspnea;
• blue or pale skin, lips;
• feeling of lack of air.

If a child is suspected of developing a serious disease of the pulmonary system, the doctor will prescribe an X-ray examination aimed at assessing the condition of the bronchial structure, identifying inflammatory processes and foreign objects in the respiratory tract. The procedure is unacceptable for frequent use, as it has a significant radiation exposure to the child’s body.

When identifying the causes of a dull barking cough, doctors use the spirometry method, which allows them to determine the volume of air inhaled by the child. More serious research methods are used for patients belonging to the pediatric age category only in the most extreme cases.

Types of dry cough in adults

A dry cough is usually much more difficult for patients to tolerate than a wet cough.

The following forms of dry cough in adults are distinguished:

• acute – up to four weeks;
• protracted – from one to three months;
• chronic – more than three months.

Attention! If a patient, after suffering a cold or for some other reason, has a cough that persists for 3 to 4 weeks, he needs to urgently consult a doctor and undergo an X-ray (fluorographic) examination to determine the cause of the lingering symptom. You should not delay taking x-rays so that the process in the lungs does not become neglected, and immediately begin treating the disease!

Severe cough in an adult

It can occur with all respiratory infections, bronchitis, laryngitis, tracheitis.

Persistent (long) dry cough.

Doesn't go away for a long time. It is observed in acute respiratory viral infections, allergies, and rarely in tuberculosis and thyroid diseases.

Paroxysmal cough in an adult.

Severe coughing attacks most often occur with bronchial asthma. Accompanied by difficulty breathing, a feeling of constriction in the chest, dry wheezing that can be heard from a distance. This type of symptom accompanies cardiac pathology. Cough is also observed when gastric contents are thrown into the esophagus and larynx.

Dry “barking” cough in an adult

Occurs with pharyngitis, laryngitis, aspiration of foreign bodies into the respiratory tract or choking. This symptom is also present in the presence of neoplasms in the larynx (tumors).

Dry suffocating cough in adults

It is observed with bronchitis, especially obstructive, when foreign objects enter the trachea and bronchi. It is a formidable symptom of whooping cough: being a childhood infection, this disease in an adult can be severe and cause complications.

Dry cough at night

May be a sign of bronchial asthma. It is accompanied by attacks of suffocation. You can stop the attack using inhalers (Berotec, Salbutamol). Nocturnal variants are observed in COPD, allergies, and tuberculosis.

Symptom elimination

When treating a barking cough, it is necessary to take into account many factors, which only a professional doctor can do. When medically correcting a child’s dry cough, an integrated approach is used, which involves the use of a number of procedures:

• drug treatment;
• carrying out inhalation;
• compresses or applications;
• methods of alternative medicine.

Independent selection of medications should be avoided in order to prevent the development of complications and deterioration of the child’s condition. At home, parents can provide their child with conditions conducive to a speedy recovery.

Such conditions include maintaining sufficient air humidity, stopping the use of chemicals with a spray and a strong odor, and maintaining a drinking regime based on the child drinking plenty of fluids.

Drug treatment

To correct cough symptoms in a child, medications are used that come in the form of syrup or tablets. The liquids have a sweet taste and are easily swallowed by very young children. The pills are recommended for children over three years of age. When eliminating a dry cough, in addition to age characteristics, it is necessary to take into account the type of cough and the cause of its occurrence. Pediatric specialists use the following drugs in practice:

• “Libexin”, “Codeine” - antitussives prescribed for inflammatory processes of the trachea;
• "Ambrobene", "Lazolvan", "ACC" - drugs that dilute sputum;
• “Doctor Mom”, “Codelac Phyto” - recommended for patients of the younger age group to eliminate cough caused by ARVI;
• “Kagocel”, “Arbidol” - are intended to eliminate the viral basis of inflammatory damage to the child’s trachea;
• “Fenistil”, “Zodak” - used for coughs of an allergic nature;
• “Breast collection”, “Licorice root” - are used in the treatment of a dull cough in a child.

The cough treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor should not be interrupted or adjusted at your own discretion. Any changes in the condition, especially in the direction of deterioration, or the manifestation of side symptoms in a child require consultation with the attending doctor, who will adjust the therapeutic regimen.

Inhalation procedures

Medicinal substances that enter the child’s respiratory tract along with vapor particles stimulate the removal of microbes from the body. For children under three years of age, inhalation procedures are not recommended due to the likelihood of developing bronchospasms.

Inhalations for a young child are usually carried out using a special nebulizer device that produces cold air particles. For children of the older age group, procedures for inhaling steam at both cold and hot temperatures are suitable.

Inhalation exposure should not exceed 15 minutes. The procedure requires a course of application for 7–10 days. The most common options for inhalation solutions for the correction of muffled tracheitis cough and other types of this symptom include the following recipes:

• Use of medications “Lazolvan”, “Ambrohexal”, “Ambrobene”. The dose and course of use are prescribed by a doctor.
• Saline solution in undiluted form.
• A glass of warm mineral water with the addition of 20 grams of soda.
• Inhaling the vapors of hot potatoes boiled in their skins.
• A solution of 200 ml of water, 5 ml of calcium chloride, 10 g of honey is heated in a water bath. The liquid must not be brought to a boil.
• Add three drops of tea tree oil to two liters of hot water. You need to breathe hot steam.
• An equal amount of dry chamomile and sage is poured into a glass of hot water.

Application of compresses

Compresses and applications are an effective remedy for a child’s dull cough. There are a great many recipes for compresses, but most of them are made with alcohol or vinegar. Such components can harm the baby's skin.

The safest applications for children are ripening procedures, where the basis is cottage cheese or warm potatoes. Various additional ingredients can be added to compresses if the child does not have a tendency to allergic manifestations.

Applications must be applied for a long time, preferably overnight. When carrying out the procedure, you must take the following precautions:

• application is carried out when coughing without fever;
• the compress temperature should not be too hot;
• at the initial stages of the procedure, the application should be applied only to the back or chest;
• Do not allow the child to go outside immediately after finishing the warming activity.

Non-traditional treatment methods

Traditional medicine is rich in recipes aimed at eliminating a dull cough in a child. When choosing the most appropriate therapeutic option, you should consult with your doctor, who will help take into account the individual, age and other important characteristics of the small patient. The most effective and safest methods for treating cough in a child are the following folk methods:

• black radish juice with honey or sugar;
• warmed milk with 2 g of soda and honey. A glass of the drink should be drunk before bed;
• Boil viburnum berries in a liter of water for 10 minutes. Add 20 g of honey to the liquid. Drink 100 ml 3 times a day;
• two figs are boiled in milk for fifteen minutes. The liquid is consumed warm at night;
• freshly squeezed cabbage juice with sugar is used 5 grams before meals;
• a mixture of 10 g of glycerin, crushed lemon, 200 g of honey is infused for a day. Used before every meal;
• a mixture of lemon and 10 g of honey infused for 3 hours, taken 5 grams each in the morning and evening;
• a drink made from a ripe banana, 8 g of sugar and 200 ml of hot water is used as a drink after meals in a volume of 80 ml;
• a glass of pine nuts in shell, boil for 5 minutes in a liter of milk. The liquid is taken orally in 5 ml doses;
• a decoction of three onions and 500 ml of milk with the addition of honey is consumed 8 g every 3 hours;
• Juice is squeezed out of a glass of black currant. Then add honey and drink a teaspoon every 5 hours;
• homemade lollipops based on ginger, herbs, honey or sugar. Caramel is used for resorption every 4 hours;
• Herbal decoctions of chamomile, licorice, wild rosemary, and calendula are used as medicinal tea.

Traditional methods

When treating a dry cough, it is useful to inhale with a decoction of expectorant herbs, essential oils, and also gargle for pharyngitis and laryngitis. Herbal teas and herbal mixtures are very useful. Eucalyptus leaves, chamomile, pine needles, lemon balm, thyme, St. John's wort, coltsfoot are used.

Milk and honey are used as a traditional medicine. It is prepared in the following way: for a glass of heated milk - one teaspoon of honey, the drink should be drunk before bed.

Black radish with honey: grate one medium radish, add one to two teaspoons of honey, leave covered in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Take before meals: 1 tablespoon 3 – 4 times a day. (read the article on radish for coughs)

Video of radish with honey for dry cough

Rubbing with goat and badger fat. Rub the back and chest area with fat, wrap in a warm cloth overnight.

The main causes of a dull cough

A child's hysterical cough, mild coughing or periodic attacks are all signs of diseases of various etiologies. The body tries with all its might to free itself from pathogenic flora, remove phlegm, mucus and pus accumulated in the lower respiratory tract. At the same time, the appearance of a dull cough in a child may not be associated with physiology or the onset of the disease, it is just an external irritant.

Large amounts of dust, synthetic fragrances or pollen can also cause a debilitating attack that sometimes does not stop for a long time. It is recommended to change the environment, ventilate the room and take simple measures to restore a calm state. If a dry cough is accompanied by high fever, lethargy and malaise, then this is a reason to immediately call a doctor.

First of all, the pediatrician will need to determine the cause of the cough, which may indicate the following serious diseases:

• Tracheitis, accompanied by a deep and muffled cough;
• Laryngitis is common in children under three years of age. It is extremely difficult to tolerate, attacks occur at night and last until the morning. Acute inflammation of the larynx cannot be treated on your own, otherwise a barking and dry cough can provoke swelling and require urgent hospitalization;
• Croup is characterized by a dull and barking cough in children at the same time. Blueness appears around the mouth, the voice deepens and the child experiences extreme weakness. The attacks usually occur at night, during sleep. To alleviate the condition and relieve an attack, inhalation with moist air is necessary. If there is no factory-made inhaler at hand, then the child should be taken to the bathroom and filled with steam;
• With pneumonia (pneumonia), the first few days a child’s cough is dry and muffled. Then coughing appears and the cough becomes more wet when the incubation period has passed;
• Tuberculosis can be diagnosed with a distant and dry cough when the lower respiratory tract is affected.

In addition to the listed extremely dangerous diseases, cough spasms can indicate the development of other pulmonary diseases and respiratory tract infections.

Causes of bronchitis

The disease can occur at any time of the year, but most often in autumn and winter. A clear sign of the disease is a cough, which causes a lot of discomfort to the child. What kind of cough with bronchitis in children is observed at the height of the infectious process?

The most diverse. It can be either with phlegm or simply dry, “barking.” In medicine, a classification of bronchitis is used according to the type of pathogen, and treatment of the disease is based on it.

According to the infectious agent that caused the disease, they distinguish:

1. Bacterial.

In most cases it is streptococcus, staphylococcus. If bronchitis develops in a child being treated in a hospital, then most often sputum tests reveal Haemophilus influenzae, which is quite resistant to antibiotics;

1. Viral.

Against the background of influenza, parainfluenza, adenoviral infection, which, in addition to a general weakening of the immune system, have a pathological effect on the respiratory system;

1. Allergic (see How to recognize an allergic cough in a child).

Develops after prolonged exposure to irritating factors (pollen, pet hair).

A dull cough in a child without signs of a cold

Parents should be extremely careful if their child has an attack that was not foreshadowed by any external signs. This may be the entry of a small foreign object into the respiratory tract. The body tries to free itself from foreign interference, but cannot do this.

In this case, minutes count; you urgently need to call an ambulance and try to calm the baby down until the doctors arrive. The panicky mood of the parents is transmitted to the children, and tears and hysteria will be added to the child’s muffled cough. It is recommended to place the baby on his stomach and lightly tap him on the back. Most likely, you cannot do without medical help here.

Without fever and cold symptoms, a dull and dry cough in children indicates, in addition to an allergic reaction to the environment, the possibility of developing bronchial asthma. Obvious signs include shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and signs of suffocation. Parents should definitely be wary of a dry, muffled cough, wheezing and debilitating attacks at night or in the morning.

In any case, you should remember about the weaker respiratory system in children. If the cough is dry, the sputum does not clear and the attacks become debilitating, then you will have to undergo a comprehensive diagnosis and begin proper treatment.

How to treat dry cough

To alleviate the condition and soften the cough, the following methods are used:

• air humidification and maintaining optimal temperature (20 – 22 degrees);
• physiotherapy: inhalations with expectorant herbs, soda, UHF, electrophoresis, acupuncture, massage;
• taking cough drops.

Physiotherapy helps relieve inflammation and reduce dryness of the mucous membranes, and relieve swelling. In addition, in case of an infectious disease accompanied by symptoms of intoxication, you should drink more fluid.

What medications are used to treat a dry, exhausting cough?

In order to overcome a dry cough in an adult, treatment must be started immediately. Antitussive medications help alleviate the condition, as well as drugs that soften cough by improving sputum production. They are available in the form of tablets and syrups.

Antitussive drugs for adults with central action: Codeine, Ethylmorphine. These drugs are classified as narcotic drugs and should be used with caution as prescribed by a doctor. Non-narcotic antitussives include Ambrobene, Glaucine, Butamirate, Omnitus, Prenoxdiazine (Libexin), Sinekod.

Expectorants

To soften the cough, the following groups of drugs for dry cough are used.

Drugs used to thin and soften sputum. ACC-Long and Flavamed help a lot. Bromhexine, Lazolvan and Mucaltin remain effective remedies to help get rid of dry cough.

Combination drugs

Combined drugs include Bronholitin (antitussive, bronchodilator, antiseptic effect).

In case of asthma attacks, it is appropriate to use the corticosteroid drug Pulmicort as prescribed by a doctor (mainly used for bronchial asthma).

Attention! These medications are not used for productive coughs to avoid stagnation of sputum in the bronchi and the development of infection!

Combined remedies will help to safely relieve a coughing attack: Codelac, Eucabal. Don’t forget about herbal remedies that help effectively transform a dry cough into a productive one. These are licorice root syrup, Herbion, Gedelix, Prospan and others.

For allergic cough, antihistamines will be effective: Loratadine, Agistam, Suprastin. If the disease is viral or bacterial in nature, antiviral drugs and antibiotics should be taken accordingly. The most popular is Ceftriaxone: it gives a good effect and is effective in nonspecific inflammatory processes of the respiratory tract.

It is also appropriate to take anti-inflammatory drugs in the complex treatment of the disease: Diclofenac, Voltaren.

Important! In case of illness, do not select treatment on your own, seek medical help from a specialist! Treatment is selected comprehensively and individually for each patient. The drugs you choose can harm your health!

Clinical diagnosis

The main method of clinical research is radiography. The procedure is painless and does not cause protest in children. The attending physician sees the true picture of the condition of the bronchi and trachea and prescribes adequate treatment. In addition, the presence of foreign objects will also be clearly established. Often X-raying a child is contraindicated; the procedure is prescribed if there is a clear need.

To understand the type of cough, the pediatrician asks the patient to breathe deeply and hold his breath. If wheezing and harsh breathing are heard, the child has a dry and muffled cough, without coughing and attacks, then an x-ray should be taken. At the same time, laboratory tests of blood and sputum are taken, a smear is taken for culture, and a PCR test is performed. Your doctor may order spirometry to determine the volume of air you inhale.

This is a classic test for identifying pulmonary diseases. More complex or painful procedures are performed on children when absolutely necessary. The patient's condition is monitored through regular tests that reflect the patient's condition. A child’s speedy recovery depends on a timely diagnosis.

Clinical forms

According to the course of bronchitis there are:

1. Spicy;
2. Protracted;
3. Chronic.

Treatment of a dull cough in a child

You can get rid of painful attacks by using a combination of medications, inhalations and proven folk remedies. If a doctor prescribes a treatment regimen for a small patient, then mothers should not reduce it or make their own adjustments. Perhaps there is something alarming about the prescription or you do not see any improvement in the patient’s condition. Report any doubts to your pediatrician, who can adjust your treatment regimen.

To get rid of a dry, dull cough in a child, a mucolytic drug is most often prescribed in combination with an antihistamine. The dose is selected individually, depending on the patient’s age and severity of the disease. There are medications that can harm children under a certain age. In addition, the mucolytic drug should not be taken at the same time as a cough medicine. There are other limitations that a practicing pediatrician is aware of.

As a result of treatment, a dry cough is transformed into a wet one, and sputum is removed from the body. The goal is to alleviate the patient’s condition, so parents should not forget about additional measures:

1. The humidity in the room should be high; dry air provokes attacks. If there is no industrial air humidifier, then the radiators are covered with damp sheets and buckets of water are placed for evaporation;
2. The child needs more fluids, medicinal teas, warm milk or tea with lemon and honey;
3. It is necessary to abandon perfumes and harsh chemical irritants.

An inhalation device with a regular solution will bring obvious relief to the baby. Three procedures are often enough to relieve the severity of attacks. The operating principle of the electronic device is quite simple: tiny drops of solution fall on the affected areas.

The mucous membranes are effectively protected from inflammation, bronchospasm is reduced and smooth breathing appears. Inhalations can be carried out with medications, soda or mineral water. It does not take long to breathe, 5-10 minutes, so children tolerate the procedure well.

A proven remedy for a child’s frequent muffled cough is rubbing and compresses. Rub the badger's chest with fat, camphor, and pharmaceutical ointments. The child is rubbed in the back and chest area, except for the heart area, wrapped up, and given a medicinal drink.

Compresses should be applied extremely carefully, starting on one side of the body. Children's skin is thin, so alcohol, vinegar and mustard compresses can be harmful. It is better to pour dry mustard into woolen socks, which is considered a proven warming remedy for periodic cough attacks.

Source: MyKashel.ru

Causes and treatment of dull cough in children and adults

The symptoms of colds and infectious diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract are similar. But one question is when an adult is sick, who can roughly describe where and how it hurts. And things are completely different when a child is sick.

You can assume at least 7-10 diseases at the same time. At the same time, the difficulty of diagnosis arises at the first signs. A dull cough in a child indicates not only an acute respiratory viral infection or acute respiratory infection.

This is evidence of an allergy, a foreign object in the respiratory tract, bronchitis and other things that the parent thinks about last. A visit to a doctor and a timely examination will help make the correct diagnosis and begin the fight against pathology.

Causes of a dull cough

A dull cough reflex is a sign of various origins. A slight cough or hacking cough indicates a problem, but does not specify it. Reflex - shocks reproduced by the respiratory and nervous system to free oneself from the provocateur.

In other words, the body tries to independently cleanse itself of unnecessary foreign substances (objects, microorganisms). Pathogenic microflora contributes to the appearance of sputum, mucus, and pus.

But physiological factors or external provocateurs also stimulate the appearance of cough. Not all physiological manifestations require treatment with medications or going to the hospital:

Physiological provocateurNecessary actions

Need to know! The appearance of a cough due to perfumes or excessive odors does not qualify as an allergic reflex. The attacks will continue until the provocateur is removed .

In this case, allergic symptoms will not be observed (rash, burning, itching). If irritating odors are not removed for a long time, then in 85% of cases this situation gives rise to intolerance to any aroma.

To visit a hospital and a therapist for diagnosis and find out what disease is causing concern, the reason to become:

• temperature 37.2-37.5;
• runny nose;
• It has become more difficult to cough, although the urge is there;
• lethargy, drowsiness;
• refusal to eat;
• suffocation.

With such symptoms, finding out on your own what is the cause of a dull dry cough in a child or adult means helping the infection, bacteria and other provocateurs to gain a strong foothold in the body, allowing the disease to become chronic.

Symptoms

Silent cough is divided into pathological and physiological. At home, it is difficult to immediately understand which type a child has. A specialist is able to understand from the symptoms described: a cough is a sign of illness or it’s time for parents to be more careful about the atmosphere at home.

The occurrence of the following symptoms is an indicator of pathology:

• lingering or barking cough;
• time of occurrence of the reflex - night;
• feeling of suffocation;
• changes in the skin of the peri-labial part;
• pallor and shortness of breath, hoarseness;
• paroxysmal spasm increases pain in the chest;
• when measuring temperature the values ​​reach above 37.2.

If all of the above symptoms are present, a severe course of the disease, a serious illness, can be suspected. Only a set of diagnostic measures will help to find out the cause. With their help, it is easier to assess the patient’s condition and select the necessary complex for therapy.

Silent cough in children without a cold

A cold is the least thing that can give rise to a cough. But when the lungs or bronchi are damaged by infection or bacteria, inflammation is inevitable. Swelling of the affected tissues appears, immune system cells die and cause the pathology to worsen.

Microorganisms produce toxins that poison the body. This is the mechanism for the development of all diseases that are accompanied by cough. Additionally, symptoms may indicate the cause:

1. Tuberculosis or infection with Koch's bacillus. The cough is characterized as irritating and prolonged. Attacks of tuberculosis spasms differ in duration, dryness at the beginning of coughing and the appearance of mucus at the end of the attack. Sputum: purulent, in the absence of treatment or in the last stages there are blood clots. Pain in the chest. The general condition is getting worse every day. The temperature fluctuates between 37.5 and 38.5 degrees.
2. Pneumonia is accompanied in 90% of cases by a wet cough. The sputum is purulent (yellow-green color). Chest pain. Initial stage: dry cough reflex, severe soreness and dry throat. In the absence of therapy or untimely treatment, death is inevitable.
3. If there is a strong, persistent cough, the examination will most likely diagnose croup. You can distinguish it by the fact that the spasm is nocturnal and provokes oxygen starvation. Additional symptoms include:

• drowsiness;
• headache;
• suffocation;
• blue discoloration of the circumlabial triangle (especially the corners of the lips).

Source: https://kasheloff.ru/vidy/gluhoj

Physiological dull cough and its treatment

A physiological dull cough develops even if a person is completely healthy if:

• There is too much dust in the surrounding atmosphere. Its smallest particles settle on the mucous membranes of the larynx and trachea, penetrate into the lungs and contaminate the smooth epithelium. The cilia, which are supposed to push them out along with the mucus, cannot cope and a cough occurs: a panicky attempt by the body to get rid of the dust somehow.

If a dull cough is not accompanied by shortness of breath, chest pain, or fever, this is a reason to suspect that it is caused by a high dust content. To test this hypothesis, you should carry out wet cleaning: wash the floors, wipe the dust, shake out the carpets, brush the bookcases. Finally, open the window and ventilate the room properly. If after this the dull cough goes away, it means that it was caused by dust. If this does not happen, the reason is different.

A distinctive feature of coughing from dust is frequency. He appears no more than fifteen times a day.

• The surrounding atmosphere contains an allergen. If dust causes a dull cough in any person, then the allergen only causes those who suffer from allergies. Allergens can include animal hair, book dust, household chemicals, tiny plant particles and much more. Once in the lungs, the allergen causes an immune reaction and irritation - the patient begins to cough in an attempt to get rid of it.

If the cough is accompanied by a runny nose, hives and drowsiness, if the patient sneezes, his eyes become watery and swollen, and the symptoms disappear when he leaves home, there is a high probability that the cause is an allergy. Its treatment consists of limiting contact with the allergen - give away the plants, wipe off the dust, and avoid contact with household chemicals. If this is not possible, symptomatic drugs are used that suppress immune reactions, relieve swelling and reduce itching.

The most famous of these drugs is Zyrtec.

If left untreated, physiological cough causes allergic bronchial asthma.

Dull cough in a child

A child’s cough is not a disease, but only a symptom of the disease and it is a protective measure to get rid of pathogenic flora. A dull cough indicates that there is damage to the lower respiratory tract. Here, only a doctor can make a diagnosis; you cannot treat the child yourself.

A child’s cough is not a disease, but only a symptom of the disease and it is a protective measure to get rid of pathogenic flora.

wheezing cough

An obstructive process in the lungs (asthma or bronchitis) is accompanied by a wheezing cough, characterized by special wheezing sounds that occur when exhaling, as well as prolongation of the exhalation itself. Such sounds are a consequence of bronchospasm of the bronchioles and bronchi of medium and small caliber, as well as the appearance of edema of the endothelium (internal lining) of the bronchi and bronchioles and the formation of thick, viscous, difficult to separate sputum, which fills their lumen, irritates the nerve endings, which leads to even greater spasm of the small bronchi and bronchioles, resulting in a decrease in gas exchange in the lungs and an increase in respiratory failure. In such a situation, it is necessary to take emergency measures.

To treat diseases whose symptoms include a wheezing cough, bronchodilators are prescribed. They help expand the bronchi, which leads to easier breathing. Inhalations with mucolytics also give positive results.

To ease your baby's condition, take him to the bath and turn on the water.

Infectious dull cough and its treatment

When the lungs become infected, they quickly become inflamed. Affected tissues swell, dead immune cells decompose, bacteria, viruses or fungi that caused the disease produce toxins during their life processes. Mucus, which normally lubricates the lungs and is used to remove dust and debris, begins to be produced in large volumes. As a result, the body becomes poisoned with toxins, and, in an attempt to remove them along with mucus, it is shaken by a dull, hoarse cough.

Depending on the disease, the nature of the cough and accompanying symptoms differ:

• Tracheitis. The inflammation is localized in the trachea, the cough is dry, hacking, comes in fits and starts, accompanied by a sore throat and problems with swallowing.
• Croup The cough is a barking, hysterical cough that occurs more often at night, and after an attack the corners of the patient’s mouth turn blue - a sign of oxygen starvation. Accompanied by shortness of breath and signs of suffocation - headache, drowsiness, decreased cognitive functions. Croup always develops in children.
• Pneumonia. Wet cough with discharge of purulent (greenish or yellowish) mucus, chest pain, sore throat. Without proper treatment, there is a very unfavorable prognosis, even death.
• Tuberculosis. A painful, prolonged cough, an attack of which can last up to several minutes and is often accompanied at the end by the discharge of sputum - purulent or bloody mainly. It is characterized by cutting pain in the chest and a general very noticeable decrease in condition.
• Acute viral infection. Sore and sore throat, nasal congestion, cough is initially muffled, without mucus, but becomes wet over time.

Despite the fact that each disease differs from the others in specific symptoms, they also have common features that suggest that the patient has an infection. Among them:

• Symptoms of intoxication. Nausea, in rare cases vomiting, headache.
• Temperature increase. If the disease passes in an acute form, then sharply, up to thirty-eight and above in a few hours. If it develops slowly, then for a long time it can stay between thirty-seven and five.
• General depressed state. Weakness, lethargy, drowsiness, lack of appetite.

If the patient is diagnosed with an infection, treatment begins immediately. It usually goes in three directions:

• Destruction of the pathogen. Depending on what kind of microorganism it is, the patient may be prescribed antibiotics, antimycotics or antiviral agents in any form - from tablets to injections into a vein.
• Symptomatic therapy. It includes any means that can relieve the patient of symptoms. Mucolytics to facilitate sputum discharge. Vasoconstrictors to relieve swelling and ease breathing. Antipyretics to reduce fever, painkillers to relieve pain.
• Maintenance therapy. In order for the body to recover faster, the patient is prescribed immune support products and vitamins. When using antibiotics, it is imperative to prescribe agents that maintain a normal bacterial environment in the intestines, so that dysbiosis does not have to be treated later.

It is interesting that drugs that would suppress a dull cough are usually not used - without it, it will be impossible to clear sputum and the healing process will slow down.

Without appropriate treatment, the infection can spread from the lungs to other organs, and also lead to irreversible degradation of the bronchial tree - in the worst case, to obstructive pulmonary disease.

Non-infectious causes

If a dull cough in an adult or child caused by an infection will always be accompanied by a headache and fever, then for non-infectious causes the symptoms are much more varied.

• Chronical bronchitis. It can go unnoticed for a very long time and is characterized by a dry, muffled cough that worsens after sleep or after a change in body position. The patient also suffers from shortness of breath and, if the disease has progressed, from chest pain - there is constant low-grade inflammation in his body.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. With it, the bronchi are chronically narrowed, coughing is the body’s attempt to somehow get more oxygen. The patient constantly suffers from shortness of breath and signs of oxygen starvation - lethargy, drowsiness, problems with cognitive abilities. Even at rest, he cannot breathe deeply.
• Asthma. A dull cough in the case of asthma occurs only during attacks, when the patient's blood vessels sharply narrow and he begins to choke. The rest of the time he is bothered by shortness of breath and symptoms of oxygen deprivation.

All three diseases are characterized by a chronic course - patients need constant maintenance therapy, which includes drugs that dilate the lumen of blood vessels, increase the oxygen content in the blood and support the body.

If you have asthma, the patient also needs to carry a pocket inhaler with them - during an attack, it can be used to relieve the spasm.

If left untreated, bronchitis, asthma and obstructive disease lead to a significant reduction in standard of living and, in some circumstances, even death.

• Smoking. When smoking, phlegm, full of toxins and carcinogens, stagnates in the lungs. A dull cough, most often in the morning, is the body’s attempt to get rid of it. Accompanied by cutting pain, sometimes bloody sputum.

The only way to deal with smoker's cough is to quit smoking. Maintenance therapy - usually mucolytics and vitamins - does not have a decisive effect.

A cough is an obvious signal that the lungs are very bad. If you continue to smoke, you may develop obstructive disease or even cancer.

• Tumors. Both malignant and benign tumors in the lungs provoke a dull cough without fever, since they do not allow the lung to open completely, which leads to oxygen starvation. They are usually accompanied by aching pain, a feeling of tightness in the chest and shortness of breath, even in the absence of physical activity.

Tumors are treated either with hormonal drugs that inhibit their growth, or they are removed surgically. If the tumor is malignant, chemotherapy and radiation therapy can be used to stop the growth of cancer cells. If the tumor is not treated in time, it can lead to an attack of suffocation and death, or damage to the entire body by metastases and also death. This is the most unpleasant possible cause of a dull cough.

• Heart failure. When the heart begins to fail, too much oxygen enters the blood and coughing becomes a way to get a little more.

Heart failure is treated either with specialized drugs that return the heart rhythm to normal and stabilize blood pressure, or radically - by installing a pacemaker.

A dull cough can be a symptom of a very serious illness that can lead to death. Therefore, having noticed it once, you should make an appointment with a doctor, undergo a full examination and begin treatment - this will significantly increase the likelihood of a positive outcome.

Source: pulmono.ru

Diagnosis and treatment of bronchitis

Chest X-ray is one of the reliable diagnostic methods

In addition to taking an anamnesis, the diagnosis of bronchitis includes:

1. Auscultation of the lungs (various dry or moist rales are heard);
2. Complete blood count (detects neutrophilia for a bacterial infection or lymphocytosis for a viral one);
3. Sputum analysis for the pathogen;
4. Chest X-ray (as shown in the photo, an increase in the pulmonary pattern is revealed, but without the appearance of infiltrates).

Strengthening the pulmonary pattern

Based on the results of the study, a conclusion is drawn about the nature of the disease and its course.

Attention! When treating bronchitis, attention should be paid to the causative agent: if it is bacterial in nature, then antibiotics are required, viral or antiviral drugs. This should be done by a doctor. Very often, antibacterial drugs are used to treat viral infections, which is fundamentally wrong!

Treatment of acute bronchitis

Inhalation with saline solution

As described in the video in this article, treatment for bronchitis includes:

1. Detoxification therapy (drinking plenty of fluids, drugs that reduce temperature);
2. Antibiotics (in the treatment of bacterial bronchitis are prescribed taking into account the susceptibility of the pathogen);
3. Antiviral drugs (if the causative agent is a virus);
4. Expectorants (if there is sputum);
5. Distraction therapy (mustard plasters, cupping);
6. Inhalations (soda solutions, mineral waters);
7. Vibration massage (helps to improve the outflow of mucus).

For the use of antibacterial and antiviral drugs, there are instructions according to which the doctor prescribes the dosage and frequency of taking the medicine. It is advisable to take the pills at the same time every day.

Treatment of obstructive (allergic) bronchitis

Treatment of obstructive bronchitis with syrup

Children under 2 years of age if this form is suspected should be hospitalized in a clinic. This is required because the risk of complications is much higher.

Pneumonia can be disguised as obstructive bronchitis, which can be fatal. If you do not hospitalize a child with obstructive bronchitis, the cost of the mistake will be very high.

For home treatment the following is prescribed:

1. Drink plenty of warm drinks (helps thin sputum);
2. Bronchodilators (in the form of syrup, tablets, solution for inhalation);
3. Mucolytic (for the removal of sputum from the lungs);
4. Antihistamines (in cases where bronchitis is of an allergic nature);
5. Antibacterial;
6. Antiviral;
7. Immunomodulators.

Attention! During the acute period of the disease, warming compresses and mustard plasters should not be used. It is also not recommended to lower the temperature if it is within 38 C.

What are the different forms of muffled cough in children?

By coughing, the body removes accumulated phlegm, dust, and various foreign bodies from the lungs and respiratory tract; doctors call this reaction the norm. When irritants of the mucous membrane are viruses, microbes and various fungi, you should take this seriously.

Unpleasant symptoms appear for a number of reasons:

1. Pneumonia disease
2. Obstructive bronchitis
3. Inflammation of the trachea is observed
4. Croup is an infectious disease (consequences of the flu)
5. The occurrence of pulmonary tuberculosis.

The main forms of dull cough:

1. Spicy
   . It lasts up to three weeks, is permanent, and a common cause is damage to the trachea.
2. Protracted
   . The maximum period is up to three months, can be interrupted and occur at certain times of the day.
3. Chronic
   . Complicated form due to ineffective treatment of cough and other course of the disease - from three months.

2

Causes of a dull cough

In most cases, the causes of a dull cough are pathologies of the lower respiratory system: pneumonia, tracheitis, obstructive bronchitis, croup, and rarely tuberculosis. The causative agents of these diseases can be viruses, bacteria or fungi.

According to the duration of the disease, coughs are divided into:

• spicy. They usually last about two weeks. The cough is constant and severe. Symptoms of respiratory damage are well expressed;
• chronic. This cough can persist for up to three months or more. It can occur when diseases are not treated or complications develop;
• protracted. The duration of the disease is 1-3 months. Often a cough is not observed during the daytime, but appears only at night or in the morning.

How to determine the method of treating a dull cough based on simultaneous symptoms?

1. Pay attention to the general condition and behavior of the child. Inflammatory processes are characterized by passivity, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, lack of oxygen and sleep disturbances. Here you should consult a doctor.
2. If you notice blue discoloration of the skin in the mouth area, hoarseness of voice, or increased inflammation, there is a danger of developing infectious croup; you need a doctor immediately. The condition of the bronchi is determined and a culture of a throat smear is performed.
3. A persistent and distant cough (especially in the morning and evening) with mucus discharge may be the cause of the development of pulmonary tuberculosis. X-rays and tests are required to make a diagnosis. However, this is a rare case.

3