Understanding Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease(GERD)

Cough: Types, Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Study About Cough 

Cough

A cough is a reflex response intended to keep your airways clear. You might be coughing as a direct result of another condition, similar to asthma or respiratory infection, or because you have swallowing difficulties. Your medical care supplier can assist you with sorting out what's happening.

A cough is a characteristic reflex that is your body's approach to eliminating aggravations or irritants from your upper (throat) and lower (lungs) respiratory tracts. A cough helps your body mend, heal and safeguard itself.

Types of Cough 

Coughs can be categorized into several types based on their characteristics and underlying causes:
Acute Cough: This is a short-term cough that typically lasts for a few weeks and is often caused by respiratory infections like the common cold or the flu.

1. Chronic Cough: A cough that lasts longer than eight weeks is referred to as chronic. It may be brought on by several underlying conditions, including COPD, acid reflux, allergies, or asthma.
2. Dry Cough: Dry coughs are non-productive and do not bring up mucus or phlegm. They can be caused by irritants, allergies, or certain medications.
3. Wet or Productive Cough: These coughs are characterized by the production of mucus or phlegm. They are often associated with respiratory infections and conditions like bronchitis or pneumonia.
4. Barking Cough: Typically seen in children, a barking cough is a harsh and often high-pitched sound, usually associated with croup, a viral infection of the upper airway.
5. Whooping Cough: Also known as pertussis, this highly contagious cough is characterized by severe, uncontrollable coughing fits followed by a distinctive "whooping" sound when inhaling.
6. Psychogenic Cough: This particular cough is not caused by a medical illness, but rather by psychological elements like stress or anxiety.

Causes of Cough

A cough should safeguard you. It gets out stuff that doesn't have a place in your lungs and windpipe, such as breathed soil or food. The most common triggers of cough are listed below.

• Viruses: Colds, flu, and influenza are the most well-known causes. While irritating, a cough that is "productive" gets germy bodily fluid out of your lungs when you're wiped out. Most will disappear in a couple of days. After a cold, however, some "dry" cough last weeks. That could be because coughing disturbs your lungs, which prompts serious coughing, aggravates or irritates your lungs, etc.
• Aggravations Or Irritants: Regardless of whether you're not hypersensitive, things like cold air, tobacco smoke, and strong perfume can also cause cough. 
• Sensitivities
• Allergies, & Asthma: If you make them breathe in, a trigger-like mold can make your lungs overcompensate. They're attempting to hack out what's irritating them.
• Smoking: Smoking is a typical reason for coughing. A cough brought about by smoking is quite often a chronic cough with a particular sound. It's generally expected known as a smoker's cough.
• Indigestion Or Acid Reflux: At the point when you have indigestion, stomach acids back up into your throat, particularly around evening time. They can bother your windpipe, vocal cords, and throat and make you cough. 
• COPD: This incorporates at least one of three separate major circumstances: Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive asthma. These diseases debilitate the cylinders in your aviation route (bronchial cylinders) and the small sacs (alveoli) that pass oxygen into your blood and eliminate carbon dioxide. Cigarette smoking is the most widely recognized reason for COPD.
• Postnasal Drip: At the point when you're clogged, bodily fluid trickles down from your nose into your throat and makes you cough. You can get a postnasal drip from colds, influenza, sinus diseases, sensitivities, and different issues.
• Medications: A few drugs will cause coughing, albeit this is by and large an intriguing incidental effect. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, normally used to treat hypertension and heart conditions, can cause hacking. Two of the more normal ones are Zestril (lisinopril) & Vasotec (enalapril). The coughing stops when the medicine is ended.
• Other Causes: Numerous different issues - - lung irritation, sleep apnea, and medication secondary or side effects - - can be triggered. 

Symptoms of Cough

Coughs can be either acute or chronic. Acute coughs start out of nowhere and generally keep going for under three weeks. This kind of cough is the one you most frequently get with a cold, influenza, or acute bronchitis.

Chronic coughs last longer than about two months (or longer than about a month in youngsters. A persistent cough can awaken you around evening time while you're resting and lead to exhaustion. It can likewise happen with different signs and side effects, including:

• A runny or stodgy nose
• Continuous throat making a sound as if to speak
• Roughness
• Postnasal drip 
• Wheezing 
• Indigestion 
• Once in a long while, coughing up blood

Diagnosis of Cough

Typically, a physical examination, medical history, and, if required, further testing are used to determine the cause of a cough. The typical procedure for diagnosing a cough is as follows:

• Medical History: The healthcare provider will ask you about the duration and nature of your cough, any accompanying symptoms, and potential triggers or aggravating factors.
• Physical Exam: The healthcare professional will do a comprehensive physical examination, concentrating on the respiratory system, to look for indications of infection, allergies, or other underlying disorders.
• Chest X-Ray: To evaluate the health of the lungs and rule out structural problems, a chest X-ray may be advised if the cause of the cough is unclear.
• Pulmonary Function Tests: Tests for pulmonary function, like spirometry, can be used to evaluate lung health and spot diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Blood Tests: Blood work may be ordered to check for infection or other systemic conditions that could be causing the cough.
• Allergy Testing: If allergies are suspected, skin or blood tests can help identify specific allergens.
• Bronchoscopy: In some cases, a thin, flexible tube with a camera (bronchoscope) may be used to examine the airways for abnormalities.
• Sputum Culture: If you're producing sputum, a sample may be tested to identify the presence of bacteria or other pathogens.
• CT-Scan: In some circumstances, a computed tomography (CT) scan may be advised since it can produce more precise pictures of the chest.
• Gastroesophageal Reflux Testing: If acid reflux is suspected as a cause, tests like pH monitoring or esophageal manometry may be performed.

The type of diagnostic strategy will be determined by the duration, features, and other symptomatology of the cough. It's crucial to get medical advice to identify the root of your cough and develop a suitable treatment strategy.

Treatment of Cough

Treating a cough will rely upon what is causing the cough. If you have a disease, your medical services supplier could endorse an anti-microbial or antiviral prescription of some sort, yet most popular coughs don't need antiviral drugs. For GERD, they could propose diet changes or recommend a proton pump inhibitor or an H2 blocker.

Water can be great for a cough. Drinking it can assist with facilitating a cough from throat irritations or dryness. Adding it to the air with a vaporizer or a hot shower are alternate ways water eases a cough.

Stopping smoking and keeping away from different aggravations or irritations are likewise ways of easing a cough. Those aggravations might incorporate prescriptions, fragrances (like scents or candles), smoke, or allergens.

Over-The-Counter Medicines For Cough

There are different over-the-counter cough syrups and drugs available for the adult population. If your child is under six years of age, you shouldn't give cough medications without consulting your doctor. 

Determining the reason for chronic cough is pivotal to powerful treatment. As a rule, more than one hidden condition might be causing your chronic cough. 

Drugs used to treat chronic cough might include:

1. Allergy Meds, Corticosteroids, & Decongestants: These medications are the standard treatment for sensitivities and postnasal drip.
2. Inhaled Asthma Drugs: The best medicines for asthma-related coughs are corticosteroids and bronchodilators, which lessen irritation and open up your air routes.
3. Antimicrobial/Antibiotics: If a bacterial, contagious, or mycobacterial contamination or infection is causing your chronic cough, your PCP might endorse drugs to address the disease.

Complications of Cough 

Complications of a persistent or severe cough can include:

• Disrupted Sleep: Chronic coughing can lead to sleep disturbances, causing fatigue and impacting overall well-being.
• Muscle Strain: Frequent, forceful coughing can strain the chest and abdominal muscles, leading to discomfort or pain.
• Incontinence: Intense coughing can lead to stress incontinence, where a person involuntarily leaks urine.
• Ruptured Blood Vessels: Severe coughing fits can potentially cause tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in the eyes or on the skin to rupture, resulting in red eyes or petechiae (small, red, or purple skin spots).
• Rib Fractures: Prolonged, forceful coughing may lead to rib fractures, particularly in individuals with weakened bones.
• Underlying Disorders Can Get Worse: Asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cardiac disorders can all get worse as a result of a persistent cough.
• Social and Psychological Impact: Chronic coughing can cause embarrassment, social withdrawal, and emotional distress.

Prevention of Cough

Preventing cough can be challenging, as it's often a symptom of an underlying condition like respiratory infections, allergies, or irritants. However, you can take several steps to reduce the risk of developing a cough:

• Practice Good Hygiene: Wash your hands more frequently to lower the risk of respiratory infections by maintaining good hygiene, especially during the cold and flu season.
• Get Vaccinated: Annual flu shots and vaccinations for preventable diseases like whooping cough can help lower your risk of developing a cough due to these illnesses.
• Manage Allergies: If you have allergies, you should take precautions to reduce your exposure to allergens such as dust mites, pollen, or pet dander.
• Stay Hydrated: Drinking enough water keeps your airways moist and helps prevent irritation.
• Adhere To Proper Cough Etiquette: Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing to avoid the transmission of illnesses.
• Avoid Irritants: Limit exposure to smoke, air pollution, and other environmental irritants that can trigger coughing.
• Promote Respiratory Health: Ensuring the well-being of your respiratory system can be achieved through regular physical activity, a well-balanced diet, and adequate hydration.

FAQs About Cough 

What are the main causes of cough?

The main causes of cough include respiratory infections such as the common cold, flu, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Other common triggers are allergies to irritants like pollen, dust, or pet dander; environmental factors like air pollution or smoking; gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD); and underlying conditions like asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or interstitial lung disease. Identifying the specific cause of a cough is essential for effective treatment and management.

How do I stop my cough?

The method to stop a cough depends on what is causing it. Staying hydrated, using a humidifier, and over-the-counter cough medicines can all help with coughs brought on by respiratory illnesses. Antihistamines and allergy medicines can help with allergies. It's crucial to keep away from irritants like smoking and allergies. Dietary and lifestyle modifications can assist if acid reflux is the problem. Consult a healthcare provider for a customized treatment plan, which may include prescription drugs or other treatments, for chronic coughs linked to underlying problems. If your cough is bothersome, severe, or accompanied by other symptoms, always consult a doctor.

How do I know if my cough is serious?

When a cough lasts longer than three weeks, is severe, or is accompanied by other unsettling symptoms like a high fever, blood in the cough, unexplained weight loss, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a history of chronic lung diseases, it should be taken seriously and need medical attention. If your cough exhibits any of these warning signs, it's critical to seek medical advice so that you may be properly evaluated, identify the underlying reason, and get the right treatments.

How to know if you have a cough?

It's relatively easy to determine if you have a cough. Coughing is a natural reflex where your body expels air to clear the airways of irritants or mucus. If you find yourself experiencing frequent and uncontrollable expulsions of air from your lungs, typically accompanied by a distinctive sound, you have a cough. The key is to assess the nature, duration, and severity of the cough, which can help you identify if it's a normal, temporary reaction to an irritant or a symptom of an underlying health issue.

What food is good for dry cough?

Warm, clear broths, honey-infused herbal teas, and non-acidic fruits like bananas and applesauce are some foods that might help with a dry cough. Particularly honey, which may be combined with warm water or tea, has natural cough-suppressing qualities. Additionally, taking foods high in water content like cucumber or watermelon can wet the throat and lessen the dryness brought on by a chronic cough. Foods that are spicy, acidic, or very cold should be avoided since they might irritate the throat and make a cough worse.

Is egg good for a cough?

Foods that may assist with a dry cough include warm, clear broths, herbal teas flavored with honey, and non-acidic fruits like bananas and applesauce. A natural cough suppressant, honey in particular, can be consumed with warm water or tea. Additionally, consuming foods high in water content helps moisten the throat and alleviate the dryness brought on by a persistent cough. Examples of these meals are cucumber and watermelon. Avoid foods that are hot, acidic, or very cold since they may irritate your throat and exacerbate a cough.