Coughing is an important way to keep your throat and airways clear. Coughing is an action the body takes to get rid of burden that are irritating the air passages. In the more advanced stages, it's marked by the symptom that gives the disease its name: a severe, hacking cough followed by a high-pitched intake of breath that sounds like "whoop. Coughing can also be triggered by a bolus of food going down the trachea instead of the esophagus due to a failure of the epiglottis although this may result in choking instead. Worldwide, there were over 45 million cases ofwhooping coughand 409,000 deaths in 1997 making this easy-to-prevent disease one of the leading causes of illness and death. Provided the patient is a non-smoker and has a normal chest X-ray the cause of chronic cough in 93% of all patients is due to asthma reflux ( heartburn ) or post-nasal drip. Other causes of chronic cough include chronic bronchitis and medications such as ACE inhibitors. Coughing during an injection can lessen the pain of the needle stick caused by a sudden, temporary rise in pressure in the chest and spinal canal, inhibiting the pain-conducting structures of the spinal cord. Causes of Cough The common Causes of Cough : Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) . Lung disease such as bronchiectasis interstitial lung disease, or tumors. Exposure to secondhand smoke. Allergies and asthma. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( emphysema or chronic bronchitis ). Lung infections such aspneumonia or acute bronchitis. Cigarette smoking. ACE inhibitors (medications used to control blood pressure). Symptoms of Cough Some Symptoms of Cough : A runny nose Dry cough Nasal congestion A mild fever Sneezing General feeling of being unwell and loss of appetite Red, watery eyes Treatment of Cough Antitussives should not be given when the cough is productive and the patient is bringing up mucus. If the cough is keeping the patient awake at night, then their use at bedtime is indicated. Antihistamines and decongestants may be a good choice for treating coughs associated with post nasal drip. Elevate your head with extra pillows at night to ease a dry cough. Don't smoke and stay away from secondhand smoke. Antitussives are useful in suppressing dry, hacking coughs. (Specific products may be recommended by a physician or pharmacist.) If you have allergies year round, cover your pillows and mattress with dust mite covers, use an air purifier, and avoid pets and other triggers. For patients with underlying disease states causing the cough, treatment should first be based on treating the underlying disease. Antitussives are useful in suppressing dry, hacking coughs.
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