If your cough does not go away for a long time, you should consult a doctor. The reasons for its appearance and long-term persistence can be very different. Typically, a cough occurs against the background of an incompletely cured infectious and inflammatory disease of the respiratory tract. When symptoms persist for more than a month, other conditions are suspected. In some cases, serious drug treatment may be required.
Causes of prolonged dry cough
The causes of a dry, prolonged cough can be very different. If these symptoms bother you for two or more weeks, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Typically a dry cough is caused by:
- infectious and inflammatory diseases;
- allergic reactions;
- smoking;
- reflux disease;
- harmful working conditions;
- oncological diseases;
- neurosis;
- heart and pulmonary failure.
Infectious and inflammatory diseases
The cough does not go away for a long time due to improper treatment of infectious diseases of the respiratory tract. The latter may be viral or bacterial in nature.
Usually, within 1-2 weeks, a dry cough is replaced by a wet cough with sputum discharge. If this does not happen, then it is necessary to change the treatment strategy. If this does not help, then the cause of the cough is other concomitant diseases.
Allergic reaction
A persistent cough due to contact with allergens can last two or more months. In addition, other characteristic symptoms appear:
- skin rashes;
- tearfulness;
- runny nose;
- swelling of the oropharyngeal mucosa.
Allergies can be caused by:
- Food;
- pollen;
- dust;
- strong odors;
- household chemicals;
- pet hair.
It is necessary to identify the source of irritation and eliminate it. If symptoms do not go away, it is recommended to consult an allergist for advice. Treatment will require the use of antihistamines, which can be used without a doctor’s prescription long time not worth it.
Smoker's cough
Typically, avid fans of cigarette smoke experience periodic attacks of a loud, dry cough, especially in the morning. Long-term exposure to carcinogens leads to a decrease in the activity of the ciliated epithelium in the bronchi, which helps get rid of excess mucus. A characteristic sign of a smoker's cough is that sputum is not separated, which causes the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms that can cause an inflammatory process in the respiratory system.
The only way to treat is to give up the bad habit. When a person stops smoking, an improvement in the functioning of the ciliated epithelium is observed within the first two weeks. Sputum begins to leave the lungs and coughing stops. To speed up the process of clearing the lungs, you can use expectorants.
If your cough persists after quitting cigarettes, you should get examined. It is possible that tar and mucus remain in the lumen of the bronchi and lungs, and that chronic diseases are also present.
Reflux disease
If the cough occurs at night, the reason may lie in the reflux valve not closing. With a pathological condition of the sphincters, stomach contents are thrown into the esophagus and irritation of the mucous membrane occurs, which causes nausea. In addition to coughing, heartburn will be observed if a person suffers from high acidity.
Cough with reflux disease is not typical during the daytime, since a person eats food and drinks water while awake.
In this situation, to eliminate the cough, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease, because symptomatic therapy will not help. As a preventive measure and to alleviate the condition, you can sleep on a high pillow or prepare a warm drink before going to bed.
Harmful working conditions
Chronic cough can develop due to neglect of safety rules when working in hazardous industries. Individual means protection must be used in areas where respiratory irritation is present:
- construction - dust and strong odors;
- turning and milling work - small metal shavings, solvents;
- hot production - dry air at elevated temperatures;
- carpentry workshops - varnishes, small wood shavings;
- electroplating shops - harmful chemicals.
There are no effective treatments in this case. A person who has worked for a long time in hazardous industries sometimes has a slight cough for the rest of his life.
Oncological diseases
In case of cancer of the respiratory tract, coughing is often the first clinical sign.
As the condition worsens, the following symptoms appear:
- a sharp decrease in immunity;
- constant weakness;
- significant weight loss;
- dizziness, fainting;
- chest pain when coughing;
- paroxysmal cough.
Self-medication when these signs appear is strictly prohibited. It is worth noting that some antitussives can provoke the accelerated development of tumor tumors. Timely contact with specialists increases the chances of a favorable outcome.
Neurosis
Coughing attacks can be not only manifestations of diseases of the respiratory system, but also have a neurogenic nature. A painful cough is often associated with the formation of a persistent reflex involving the cerebral cortex.
Nervous tension, excitement, and anxiety can cause coughing, and only sedatives that will help reduce nervousness will be effective. The reasons for the deviation lie in the characteristics of the human psyche. Therefore, treatment in this case should include psychotherapy.
Heart and pulmonary failure
The cardiovascular system and lungs work together. If a person’s function is impaired, then all other organs begin to experience oxygen starvation. For example, because of this, the contractility of the heart deteriorates, leading to stagnation in the pulmonary circulation.
With heart pathologies, symptoms such as:
- short, rapid breathing;
- cough;
- blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle.
These conditions require more detailed examination. Treatment at home is not recommended, it is necessary drug therapy under the supervision of a doctor.
Causes of wet cough
When a cough with sputum does not go away for a long time, pathologies of the bronchopulmonary system are usually suspected. It is usually a consequence of advanced infectious diseases.
Pathology can be distinguished by the color and consistency of sputum:
- clear sputum of normal consistency indicates a cold;
- brownish - for infectious pneumonia (pneumonia);
- transparent thick mucus - for bronchial asthma;
- purulent sputum with unpleasant smell- for tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis or lung abscess.
In some cases, a prolonged cough in adults and children against the background of an infectious disease can occur without fever. This is explained by the fact that the main inflammatory process has passed, but the lungs have not had time to completely clear the mucus.
Treatment of persistent cough
Treatment at home when a cough does not go away for a long time is not possible in all cases. Therapy on your own is allowed if the symptom manifests itself against the background of a previous cold, intoxication of the body with carcinogens from cigarette smoke, harmful conditions labor.
- drug therapy;
- folk remedies;
- massage.
Medicines
When convulsive spasms of the respiratory tract are detected, the doctor usually prescribes the use of antibiotics. They are used to suppress pathogenic microflora, which develops purulent inflammatory processes in the respiratory organs.
Use antibiotics wide range actions are not recommended because pathogens may be resistant to them. To clarify the drug group, you should submit the mucus for analysis, which will determine the resistance of infections.
For dry and wet coughs, it is necessary to remove mucus from the lungs and bronchi. To do this, use medications for thinning and expectoration:
- Lazolvan;
- Bronholitin;
- Fluditek;
- Bromhexine.
Traditional methods
Methods that can be used to treat a persistent cough include: traditional medicine. Decoctions and infusions for oral administration, compresses and inhalations are effective.
The following recipes are effective for inhalation:
Warming up chest can be done in the following way: crumble and knead black bread, mix with warm honey, rub the resulting mass on your chest, put a bandage on top and cover with a blanket. This warming method is recommended after visiting a bath or sauna, but is prohibited at elevated temperatures.
Massage
If you have a prolonged cough, you can ease the discharge of sputum using various procedures:
- drainage procedures;
- segmental manipulations;
- vibration massage.
If you have a debilitating cough, you should get tested if none of the above measures are effective.
Among the many symptoms of disease, cough is a complex and unpleasant manifestation. Therefore, if it does not go away after a week or a month, then the patient begins to worry and suspect the presence of serious illnesses.
Sometimes, after a cold, a cough remains that does not end for a long time. At the same time, we tried various means and treatment methods. In this case, you should seek medical help if the cough does not go away for more than 15 days.
But why doesn't this symptom disappear quickly? Perhaps the body was exhausted during the course of a cold and at this inopportune time an infection or virus entered it.
The body can overcome viruses on its own, but only if it is not weakened. Therefore, in order to successfully cure a long-term cough, it is necessary to find out which microorganism provoked its appearance, so you need to carry out all the necessary research.
Prolonged cough: causes
If the cough does not go away for a long time, for example, the cough does not go away for a month, then the following infections and diseases contribute to it:
- pneumocystis;
- mycoplasma;
- fungal microflora (chlamydia, candida);
- tuberculosis.
In addition, the infection can be mixed. This option is the worst, because the course of such diseases is quite severe. At the same time, the patient experiences weakness, his temperature rises strongly and sweat profusely.
It is worth noting that incorrect, defective or untimely treatment of such diseases leads to their progression.
All of the above microorganisms can enter the body by airborne droplets when an infected person sneezes or coughs.
The chances of infection double if an adult’s body is weakened or he experiences heavy loads At work.
Therefore, you should strengthen your immune system, eat plenty of vegetables and fruits, get enough sleep and exercise.
What to do if the cough does not stop for a week?
Cough is an involuntary expiratory reflex that occurs as a result of irritation of the mucous membrane of the larynx, bronchi or throat and lung tissue. Thanks to this symptom, the airways are cleared of foreign bodies, harmful microorganisms, mucus, dust and sputum.
The reasons that provoke a prolonged cough include:
- colds;
- allergies;
- emotional overstrain.
Moreover, the cough can be wet or dry, night, daytime, periodic, paroxysmal, etc.
If the cause of a week’s cough is an acute respiratory infection, then the doctor prescribes antitussive drugs, but you cannot take antibiotics, since they only affect bacteria. But antibacterial agents may be appropriate for bronchitis and pneumonia, which are accompanied by symptoms such as fever and severe cough.
In addition to antibiotics, if a severe cough does not go away for a week, expectorants based on medicinal plants. In addition, the doctor may prescribe immunomodulatory drugs that activate protective functions the body and suppress the effect of antiviral drugs.
It is worth noting that if the cough not only does not go away for more than a week, but is also accompanied by chest pain, high temperature (38 or more), and when coughing up bloody, green or yellow sputum is released, then you cannot self-medicate, but you must quickly contact doctor.
There are some recommendations that are important to follow when treating a persistent cough in an adult. To prevent your throat from getting dry, you need to drink plenty of fluids. For this purpose, you can drink warm milk with honey every evening.
Fruit drinks and juices are no less useful. In addition, if a dry cough does not go away for more than a week, you should drink Fresh Juice from black radish (three times a day, 1 tbsp.).
What to do if the cough does not stop within a month?
Why does a prolonged cough occur and what can be done to eliminate it? If this symptom does not go away for a month, then the following factors may be to blame:
- congenital lung pathologies;
- bronchitis;
- foreign body in the respiratory tract;
- pneumonia;
- tuberculosis;
- bronchial asthma.
For successful treatment long-term cough, it is important to know whether this symptom was the root cause of the disease or whether it developed during its course. In addition, you need to determine its nature - productive or unproductive, frequent or rare, spastic or paroxysmal, etc.
You should quickly consult a doctor if your cough with phlegm does not go away for more than a month and is accompanied by symptoms such as:
- severe swelling;
- sweating;
- nausea;
- weight loss;
- colorless, thick discharge or sputum with blood;
- lack of appetite;
- dyspnea;
- heat;
- fast fatiguability;
- chest pain.
In addition, a cough that does not stop for a long time can become chronic. To prevent this from happening, you need to go to the doctor if the cough reflex does not stop within five days. Many do not pay due attention to this symptom, and even more so if it is not accompanied by weakness, runny nose and fever, but if not treated, time will be irretrievably lost.
When the cough does not stop for about four weeks, you need to make an appointment with an ENT specialist, a therapist, an allergist, a TB specialist, and possibly a pulmonologist. Doctors, after conducting an examination, will be able to determine why the cough does not stop for so long and what to do to cure it.
So, a cough that lasts for a month may indicate the presence of:
- pneumonitis;
- chronic bronchitis;
- heart failure;
- bronchial asthma;
- cancer metastases or lung cancer;
- sinusitis;
- asbestosis;
- tuberculosis;
- whooping cough;
- pleurisy;
- silicosis.
But to finally determine the cause of prolonged cough, additional research will be required. This may be a blood test, sputum culture for flora, a blood test for the presence of mycoplasma and chlamydia, a Mantoux test and an x-ray of the lungs.
In addition, a cough that does not subside for more than 4 weeks is typical for smokers and people working in hazardous industries, where they constantly inhale mold and dust.
Thus, silicosis often develops in miners, asbestosis in construction workers, and pneumonitis in agricultural workers.
Treating a cough that lasts longer than a month
It is worth noting that without medical consultation It is not advisable to treat a prolonged cough. Indeed, depending on the cause, a certain method of treatment is necessary, for example, in case of heart failure, it makes no sense to drink antitussive syrups, swallow tablets or take inhalations.
So, to successfully treat persistent cough in an adult, it is important to restore water balance, so the patient needs to drink a lot of fluids. In this case, the patient’s diet should not be too high in calories; it is best to enrich it with fruits and vegetables.
In addition, inhalations for coughs with the addition of pine oil, coltsfoot, baking soda, thyme, sage and chamomile are effective.
For a productive cough with viscous secretions, you need to use medications that thin the sputum. These medications include mucolytics and expectorants.
Moreover, it is better if such remedies are based on medicinal plants. And with a small amount of discharge, expectorant syrups and tablets are prescribed.
But it is worth noting that such drugs cannot be taken together with antitussive drugs.
Prolonged cough
A persistent cough is one that does not go away for 4-8 weeks. Therefore, a two-week cough is considered only a suspicion of a long-term symptom.
So, if a cough does not go away for a long time, then its causes may lie in the presence of the following diseases:
- bronchial asthma;
- left ventricular failure;
- HIV infection;
- tuberculosis;
- lungs' cancer.
In addition, it is necessary to conduct a thorough diagnosis of the patient to identify the causes of a long-lasting cough. Thus, rapid and confused breathing is characteristic of cardiac (acrocyanosis) and pulmonary insufficiency. If bronchiectasis and lung cancer are suspected, the ENT performs an examination called “drumsticks”.
It is also necessary to examine the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx or pharynx. In this case, the doctor examines nasal discharge, confirms or excludes the presence of polyps in the nasal cavity and sinusitis, manifested by pain in the projection of the paranasal sinuses.
It is worth noting that the temperature with a prolonged cough may not always be elevated. It accompanies only some diseases, such as sinusitis, tuberculosis and pneumonia.
In addition, the doctor should examine the patient's neck. During the study, manifestations such as a positive venous pulse may be revealed, which indicates pulmonary insufficiency.
If the posterior or anterior cervical lymph nodes and nodes of the supraclavicular region are enlarged, cancer of the larynx or lungs is suspected. And when listening, signs such as noise, local or scattered dry rales may be revealed.
To get rid of a lingering cough, medications that activate the immune system are most often prescribed. For this purpose, the patient should take products based on Rhodiola rosea, ginseng, and Eleutherococcus. As a rule, they are used after antibiotic therapy. In the video in this article, a specialist will tell you. what to do with a prolonged cough.
Cough for more than a month: how to identify the causes
It is also called long-term because it lasts more than 4–8 weeks. Cough caused by hyperreactivity airways or a lung infection that occurs after infectious process As a rule, it goes away in a shorter period of time. Has your cough been bothering you for more than a month? Read this article to learn how to identify the causes and treat such a cough.
Cough for more than a month: important information about him
Important points to consider if you have a cough that lasts for more than a month:
Since a cough for more than a month can be the cause of not only bronchial asthma or infection, it must be remembered that to exclude cancer, especially in adults, a procedure such as chest x-ray should be performed.
The absence or presence of radiological changes will help make a decision about the need for further research or treatment.
How to identify the causes of cough for more than a month
It is necessary to identify the causes of prolonged cough. Perhaps it:
1. Chronic bronchitis
2. Bronchial asthma
3. Sinusitis
4. Chronic infectious diseases of the lungs
5. Asbestosis, silicosis
6. Sarcoidosis
7. Farmer's Lung
8. Lung cancer
9. By-effect PM
10. Heart failure
11. Pleurisy
Quite often, a cough can last for several months after the resolution of some infections, such as, for example, chlamydial or mycoplasma pneumonia, whooping cough.
How to treat a cough that lasts more than a month?
When acute cough occurs in adults, the use of antibiotics is not beneficial. Sinusitis, i.e. long-term respiratory infection or bronchial asthma early stage are common causes of persistent cough.
Cough for more than a month, treatment. The first stages of treatment for sinusitis:
1. rinsing the sinuses, antimicrobials, vasoconstrictor drugs for intranasal use.
2. Antibiotics (erythromycin, doxycycline, amoxicillin) are indicated for patients with purulent sputum or fever. Treatment of cough without fever and sputum involves the use of bronchodilators, often along with antitussives.
If the cough does not improve within 2 months or if it persists despite taking antibiotics, it is possible that the cough is due to non-infectious causes for more than a month. In the case of the development of bronchial asthma, especially at an early stage, a dry cough without sputum discharge may become the only sign of the disease. In this case, a test with bronchodilators is carried out and the peak expiratory flow rate is monitored at home. In addition, the effect of a trial treatment with inhaled GCs can be assessed.
What to do if you can’t get rid of a cough?
Every person gets a cold at least once a year. From childhood, everyone is familiar with unpleasant symptoms: cough, high temperature, runny nose, weakness, sore throat. Unfortunately, some symptoms can torment a person even after a seemingly complete recovery. The most common case is when the cold has gone away, but the cough does not go away. A persistent cough may persist for several weeks after a cold. What is the cause of cough and how to deal with it?
Cough is the body’s protective reaction to foreign bodies that enter our body. It turns on as a protective reflex when a person chokes on something or even inhales various substances, such as dust, through the mouth. During colds, phlegm accumulates in the respiratory tract, which the body perceives as a foreign body and, by coughing, tries to free itself from it and various microbes.
Thus, it becomes clear that cough should be treated not as a result of an illness, but as a process that helps to fully recover. This means: it is better not to get rid of the cough, but to make it more productive. But sometimes the cough becomes very intense, sometimes preventing a person from falling asleep, or even causing vomiting. In these cases, it is undoubtedly necessary to take measures to reduce the strength of this process.
Causes of prolonged cough
Most often, cough occurs with colds:
- flu;
- respiratory syncytial virus infection;
- adenoviral infection;
- acute or chronic bronchitis;
- pneumonia.
If a cough occurs, you must undergo an examination to find out the cause of its occurrence.
Of course, there are other serious diseases that result in an intense and prolonged cough. If a person’s cough does not go away within a month, then first they need to see a doctor, and only then begin possible self-medication. In any case, when a person has a prolonged cough, it is necessary to do fluorography or even an x-ray.
If a cough during a cold does not go away along with the illness, then a post-cold cough must be treated. It is usually accompanied by the release of viscous sputum. Treatment should be aimed at liquefying and releasing mucus from the respiratory tract.
Treatment of persistent cough
It is wrong to talk about treating cough specifically, because it is just a symptom. It is either removed as a symptom, or the disease itself is treated, as a result of which it appeared. 
There are 3 main components that will help relieve cough:
- drinking plenty of water;
- inhalation;
- medications that thin the mucus.
When coughing, the patient should definitely drink plenty of fluids to restore water balance in the body. Water helps the process of liquefying mucus and removing it from the body.
Alkaline mineral waters, such as Borjomi or Essentuki, are especially useful. In addition to high fluid intake should be proper nutrition, containing many vitamins - fresh fruits and vegetables.
As for inhalations, this is one of the most effective methods for cough relief. It is not difficult to do inhalation; moreover, there are many different methods, and each patient can choose the most accessible one for himself. One option: brew herbs such as chamomile, sage, thyme, coltsfoot, add a teaspoon of baking soda and a couple of drops of eucalyptus or menthol oil, and then inhale the vapors. The inhalation procedure can be performed several times a day.
By the way, essential oils are very effective in steam inhalers. You need to choose those that help thin the mucus and soften the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. Lavender essential oil has a softening property. Eucalyptus and thyme are antiseptics. Expectorant effect will be achieved by using incense and marjoram essential oil. You can prepare a mixture of oils for inhalation yourself, or purchase one already prepared at the pharmacy.
Medicines
Medicines for cough should only be taken as prescribed by a doctor.
As for medications, you should be especially careful here. As with other drugs, you should trust the choice of medication only to a specialist. Going to the pharmacy and, on the advice of the pharmacist, purchasing a popular expectorant is a big mistake that many patients make.
In some cases it can help, but in others it can even do harm, because the pharmacist cannot make an accurate diagnosis. Therefore, it is worth going to the doctor and finding out what exactly is the cause of a long, persistent cough.
Speaking generally about medications, you should know that medications for thinning sputum are divided into mucolytic and expectorant. Mucolytics are prescribed in cases where the sputum is very viscous and difficult to remove from the body. Expectorant medications are needed in situations where there is, on the contrary, little sputum. They help the bronchi remove mucus, making it more liquid. At the same time, the medicine causes a cough, as a result of which the bronchi are cleared.
A separate group of drugs consists of antitussive drugs. As you know, a cough is not always worth eliminating, since it is precisely this that helps the body cleanse itself of germs and phlegm. But in some cases, with a dry, suffocating cough, antitussive drugs are prescribed.
This should only be done by a doctor, as these drugs may have strong adverse reactions. In addition, if sputum is present, these medications should be stopped immediately. If, even while taking medications, the cough continues to bother you for 1-2 weeks, then you need to visit a doctor; you may need to change your treatment.
How to relieve a persistent cough?
There are some simple methods, which will help make the cough less painful. Using these tips, available to everyone, you can bring a lot of benefits to a sick body:
- Gargling with saline solution. Solution: warm water with a diluted teaspoon of salt. You can make this solution with baking soda and add a drop of iodine. An irritated throat will not hurt as much when you cough.
- To give up smoking. If the patient smokes, then at least for the duration of treatment he should quit the bad habit, or at least reduce the number of cigarettes smoked to a minimum.
- Humidified air. If there special devices to humidify the air, you definitely need to use them, and if not, then you can just put a couple of cans of water in the corners of the room. Humid air easily penetrates the lungs, while dry air irritates them, causing coughing attacks.
- For a dry cough, you need to take a spoonful of honey. Honey with finely chopped garlic or onion will enhance the effect. This product softens the throat and has an antibacterial effect.
Thus, with the right approach to treating the disease, you can effectively get rid of cough, eliminating its complications. It must be remembered that any disease that is not completely eliminated can cause serious consequences for the body.
Why does the cough not go away and what to do?
If the cough does not go away for more than three weeks, then experts call it protracted or chronic. Most often, this condition is caused by chronic bronchitis, which is often observed in smokers and people working in hazardous industries (paint and varnish, pharmaceutical, etc. industries). If prolonged coughing bothers a child or a non-smoker, and when possible irritants have been ruled out, prompt examination and consultation with a specialist is recommended.
In case of chronic cough, first of all, they are examined for the entry of nasal secretions into the nasopharynx, the release of stomach contents into the esophagus or pharynx, and asthma. Also, the cause of a cough that does not go away for a long time may be more serious diseases - tumors, heart disease or connective tissue lungs.
Why doesn't my cough go away?
Reasons why for a long time The cough does not go away, there may be many. In some cases, this condition is caused benign formations in the lungs, smoker's bronchitis, dysfunction or blood vessels.
In addition to constant coughing, other symptoms may be present (wheezing in the lungs, runny nose, blood in the sputum, a feeling of heaviness in the chest, etc.).
The most common cause of persistent cough is asthma. With this disease, coughing may bother you constantly or periodically (in case of exposure to allergens).
An untreated cold can also provoke a lingering cough; as a rule, this condition is caused by increased susceptibility of the lungs, which is why coughing can appear at a reflex level.
Why does the cough not go away after a sore throat?
If after suffering from a sore throat the cough does not go away for some time, then there may be several reasons for this. First of all, this condition is facilitated by weakened due to illness and treatment. the immune system, which is unable to resist both new viruses that attack the body and “old” ones that are not treated. Sometimes it happens that the diagnosis was made incorrectly or that the sore throat occurred against the background of another disease.
For example, with viral rhinitis, mucus from the nasal cavity enters the throat, which causes a reflex coughing, thus the body rids the throat of pathological contents.
By external signs Sore throat is often confused with viral pharyngitis. An accurate diagnosis can be made using a smear and culture. Sore throats are caused by bacteria, while pharyngitis is caused by viruses. For angina, antibiotics are invariably prescribed, but such drugs are only harmful to bacteria, while viruses continue to attack the body. As a result, the immune system, weakened by antibiotics, cannot resist viruses, which leads to the progression of the disease and prolonged coughing. Viral pharyngitis against the background of inflammatory processes in the throat can cause a dry cough with spasms in the larynx.
Coughing can also be a sign of rheumatic fever; usually, in addition to coughing, chest pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, and rapid pulse are also disturbing.
If the cough does not go away for a long time, you need to see a therapist and undergo an examination, take an x-ray, after which the doctor will prescribe treatment.
It often happens that after a cold, the cough continues to torment. If cough treatment does not show proper results and this condition lasts more than two weeks, then you should not postpone your visit to the doctor. In most cases, coughing is caused new infection or a virus that a weakened immune system cannot cope with.
Why doesn't my cough go away for a week?
If the cough does not go away for a week, and other symptoms are observed (runny nose, low temperature), then most likely the body has been affected by a common cold. With timely and proper treatment Both colds and coughs are quite easy to deal with. At improper treatment, non-compliance with the regime or complete absence treatment, a severe inflammatory process may develop in the trachea or bronchi.
To treat cough in the early stages, it is recommended to use inhalations. It has long been known that inhaling warm vapors creates a moist environment that improves the formation and removal of sputum. For inhalations, decoctions and infusions of medicinal plants and essential oils are used.
To prepare a solution for inhalation you need 1-2 tbsp. medicinal plant (chamomile, sage, mint, thyme) pour 400 ml of boiling water (you can also dissolve a few drops of essential oil in hot water). You can carry out inhalation in several ways: breathe over a bowl of herbal infusion, covered with a towel, roll a tube out of paper and inhale medicinal vapors with it, or use a special inhaler.
Do not inhale over boiling water, or with high blood pressure.
Why does the cough not go away for 2 weeks?
Sometimes situations arise when, despite the prescribed treatment, the cough does not go away and continues to torment for more than a week. In this case, it is necessary to consult a doctor, undergo additional examination and, if necessary, undergo new course treatment.
Coughing that continues for a long time in most cases is caused by a new infection that the weakened body cannot cope with. The most common causes of prolonged cough are mycoplasmosis, pneumocystosis; in more rare cases, cough is caused by fungal infections (candida, chlamydia) or mycobacterium tuberculosis.
It is worth noting that incorrect diagnosis and treatment can lead to severe complications even with a common cold.
Why does the cough not go away for a month?
Coughing may appear as a reaction of the body to pollen, fur or medications. In this case we are talking about an allergic cough.
If a cough does not go away for several weeks under the influence of allergens, then in most cases it turns into bronchial asthma, so it is important to promptly identify and eliminate the irritant.
Also, the cause of prolonged coughing can be a respiratory infection, against which an inflammatory process occurs in the tonsils, pharynx, nasal mucosa, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
A persistent cough in children may be caused by the presence of foreign body in the upper respiratory tract. With paroxysmal coughing deep breaths the development of whooping cough can be assumed.
Less commonly, if the cough does not go away for several weeks, the cause is fibrous cystosis, bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, or tumors in the lungs.
Why doesn't my cough with phlegm go away?
Sputum is a discharge from the bronchi and trachea; it may be normal (in healthy person) and pathological (with the development of certain diseases).
In the human respiratory tract, mucus is constantly produced, which protects the body from pollutants (dust, small debris, etc.), and also resists pathogenic microorganisms.
The color of sputum can change from transparent to green due to the development of various respiratory diseases, and it may also contain various impurities (blood, pus, etc.).
The production of sputum when coughing is good sign, because in this way the body gets rid of germs. To help the body, medications are prescribed that ease expectoration, promote the removal of sputum (ambroxol, bromhexine) and restore bronchial secretions (ACC).
For allergic cough, antihistamines (loratadine, fexofenadine) are prescribed.
If the cough does not go away, sputum is produced, and there is no fever, then the cause of this condition may be allergies, heart failure, toxic substances in the air, smoking, as well as mites that live in feather pillows.
To alleviate the condition of a wet cough, you need to drink more fluid, it will help reduce the viscosity of sputum and improve its removal from the bronchi.
If the cough with sputum does not go away during treatment, you need to inform your doctor about this and undergo additional examination (blood test, sputum test, x-ray).
Why does a dry cough not go away for a long time?
Coughing without sputum production is called dry coughing; it usually occurs against the background various diseases upper respiratory tract.
If a dry cough does not go away for a long time, it is advisable to start drug treatment. There are several types of medications, drugs based on codeine and ethylmorphine (codeine, glaucine) have central action and suppress the cough reflex, affecting medulla, drugs based on acetylaminonitropropoxybenzene (Codelac broncho, Omnitus, Falimint, etc.) act on cough receptors.
As auxiliary treatment You can use proven folk remedies that alleviate the condition of a debilitating dry cough. The most effective method for treating this type of cough is warm milk with baking soda; this drink helps reduce the cough reflex and improve well-being.
You can also drink a decoction of blackcurrant, peppermint, radish juice with honey, and anise fruit extract 2-3 times a day.
For dry coughs, inhalations with baking soda help a lot.
Why does the cough not go away after pharyngitis?
With pharyngitis, the mucous membrane of the pharynx becomes inflamed; it can occur in both acute and chronic form. Against the background of the disease occurs dry cough, which usually gets worse at night and leads to spasms of the larynx.
If even after treatment the cough does not go away, then most likely the disease is not completely cured or ineffective therapy was prescribed.
Situations arise when treatment stops on its own, even after a slight improvement in the condition. Usually, in such cases, a person does not want to “poison” himself with chemicals and stops taking medications, in the hope that herbal infusions or strong immunity will help cope with the disease. However, such an attitude towards treatment is unacceptable, since after stopping the medication, the remaining viruses and bacteria can attack the weakened body more strongly, which will lead to the development of severe complications.
Why does the cough not go away after laryngitis?
With laryngitis, a dry cough without mucus discharge, hoarseness of voice is a concern. Usually the disease is a complication of a cold, but it can develop independently, after cold drinks, hypothermia, overstrain of the vocal cords, inhalation of icy or polluted air.
On initial stages inhalations, rinsing, warm drinking are indicated, medications to improve expectoration. Usually, after a few days, sputum production begins, and the disease gradually passes. If coughing does not go away for a long time after recovery, then additional examination is required. A cough can occur due to inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx (adenoids, tonsillitis), and a prolonged wet cough may indicate an infection in the lower respiratory tract.
Why does the cough not go away after pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infectious inflammation of the lungs. At the beginning, the cough is dry, but over time, as inflammation in the lungs intensifies, it becomes moist and mucous sputum appears. With pneumonia, the cough does not go away for quite a long time; on average, pneumonia lasts about a month, but after recovery, coughing is a necessity for the body, as it helps remove remaining mucus from the lungs; it is usually also called a post-infectious cough. The duration of a post-infectious cough can range from two weeks to several months, depending on the condition of the body.
To improve your well-being after pneumonia, it is recommended to do breathing exercises, as well as undergo a course of physical procedures.
After treatment, the sensitivity of cough receptors decreases, which is why coughing may occur when inhaling cold air, dust, etc., this condition is a consequence of an infection, but not a manifestation of the disease.
Why doesn't my cough go away after a cold?
A cough almost always accompanies colds or viral diseases. As a rule, cold symptoms disappear after a few days, and after a week the body is completely healthy, but coughing may bother you for several more weeks.
It is believed that coughing after a cold (residual) is normal, but if it lasts more than three weeks, then in most cases it is associated with the development of complications (pneumonia, whooping cough, bronchitis, etc.).
The acute phase of the disease lasts several days, but during this period pathogenic microorganisms destroy the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, which leads to increased sensitivity of the bronchi. After a cold, a person is often bothered by a sore throat, a slight cough, and the discharge of a small amount of sputum. After past illness a weakened body needs some time to return to normal and restore the mucous membranes. During this period, it is necessary to avoid hypothermia, it is advisable to take a course of vitamins.
If after an illness the cough does not go away, becomes stronger, or other symptoms appear (chest pain, fever, sputum with purulent or bloody impurities, etc.), you must consult a doctor to establish the cause and exclude the development serious illnesses.
Why does the cough not go away after bronchitis?
After bronchitis, coughing is observed in approximately half of patients. Most often, children suffer from residual cough, since their bronchi are more vulnerable than those of adults, and the recovery period takes longer.
If a cough does not go away after bronchitis, the reasons may be the following:
- slow healing process;
- severe damage to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract;
- complications;
- erroneous or inadequate treatment;
- allergic reactions (particularly to medications).
Acute bronchitis lasts an average of 7 to 10 days, but even after visible improvements, the bronchi need time to recover.
On average, coughing completely disappears two weeks after bronchitis, provided that the treatment process proceeded normally and there are no complications. If the cough intensifies and lasts more than three weeks, you need to consult a specialist, since this condition may be associated with the development of other diseases (asthma, pneumonia, bronchial obstruction, allergies).
Why does cough not go away during pregnancy?
If a pregnant woman's cough persists for a long time, this can lead to serious consequences. Tension occurs when coughing abdominal wall and uterus, resulting in tone internal organs rises. The tone of the uterus in the early stages of pregnancy threatens spontaneous abortion, later– premature birth.
Coughing is usually a symptom of a viral or infectious disease, but it can also appear when exposed to irritants (allergic cough). A severe, debilitating cough requires immediate treatment, which should be prescribed by a specialist, taking into account the duration of pregnancy, the woman’s condition and the cause of the cough.
What to do if a child’s cough does not go away?
If a child’s cough does not go away for a long time, the first thing to do is to identify the cause of this condition. If coughing bothers you after an illness (ARVI, influenza, bronchitis, etc.), then in this case the cough may be associated with recovery period. Harmful microorganisms weaken the body, provoke inflammation and irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, and the body needs time to completely free the bronchi from mucus residues and restore the epithelium.
In this case, coughing does not pose a danger; usually the child coughs occasionally, and there may be a slight discharge of sputum.
It is worth noting that each body is individual, and the recovery process in each individual case proceeds differently and can sometimes drag on for months.
If the cough continues for more than three weeks, while the amount of sputum increases, the cough becomes stronger, it is necessary to show the child to the doctor, as in this case there may be a secondary infection, the development of complications or a severe allergic reaction.
Folk remedies for cough
If the cough does not go away for a long time, you can use folk remedies that will help soothe the irritated mucous membrane, improve the process of removing phlegm and speed up the healing process:
- Infusion of dill seeds - take 1 tsp. dill seeds, crush, pour 250 ml of boiling water, leave for 20-25 minutes. It is recommended to drink this infusion instead of water throughout the day until complete recovery.
- Serum with garlic – 2 tbsp. garlic pour 250 ml of cow's milk whey and put on fire, immediately after boiling, remove from heat and cool. This decoction should be drunk throughout the day.
- Honey – has unique anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial actions, with a prolonged cough, you can dissolve 1 tsp in your mouth. honey several times a day.
- Medicinal decoction - mix licorice, marshmallow root and elecampane in equal parts, take 1 tbsp. mixture and pour 200 ml of cold water, leave for two hours. Then put on fire and bring to a boil. Drink the cooled and strained broth in three doses during the day, the course of treatment is 10 days (it is recommended to prepare a new portion every day). If coughing continues, you can repeat the course of treatment after a week.
As already noted, coughing is a protective reaction of the body that helps clear the airways from small particles of dust, various contaminants, viruses, etc. If the cough does not go away for a long time, you need to determine the cause of its occurrence. It is worth remembering the residual effects that are observed during the period of recovery of the body and help cleanse the bronchi from mucus residues. Also, coughing may appear due to increased sensitivity of the receptors; in this case, coughing is disturbing after inhaling cold air, dust or the action of allergens.
Prolonged coughing, which becomes stronger over time, is accompanied by copious discharge sputum or other symptoms (chest pain, fever, runny nose, weakness, etc.) requires urgent consultation with a specialist, since this condition may be associated with a serious illness (asthma, tuberculosis).
Causes and treatment of persistent cough in adults
Treatment of persistent cough in adults is a long process. A cough often accompanies colds, but sometimes it remains for a long time. Several weeks pass and he is still with you. Medicines, medicinal plants and physiotherapy come to the rescue.
What kind of cough is there?
A cough is a reflex contraction of the respiratory muscles, causing a sharp expulsion of air from the lungs in response to irritation of the mucous membrane of the larynx, pleura, trachea and bronchi. As a result, the airways are cleared of foreign particles or accumulated mucus. A cough in which bronchial secretions (sputum) does not come out is called dry or unproductive. A kind of opposite is a cough accompanied by sputum production. It is called wet.
Depending on the time during which the cough is observed, it is divided into:
- Acute – lasting less than 2 weeks.
- Protracted – lasts up to 4 weeks.
- Subacute cough – prolonged for 2 months.
- Chronic cough – continuous cough for more than 2 months.
Causes of persistent cough
It is worth mentioning that a cough that lasts several weeks or months, in the absence of other symptoms, can signal the presence of serious diseases: tuberculosis and lung cancer. In addition, without adequate treatment, chronic cough in adults can develop into pneumonia (pneumonia), bronchial asthma, pleurisy or lung abscess, which is life-threatening. Self-medication can be dangerous; it is better to consult an experienced therapist, ENT doctor and pulmonologist.
For staging accurate diagnosis the specialist will prescribe a number of tests and examinations: blood tests, sputum analysis, fluorography, external respiratory function tests (tussography, body plethysmography, spirography and spirometry).
How to cure an old cough
Depending on the patient's condition, clinical symptoms Based on the examination results, the doctor will recommend one or another treatment regimen. They try to transform a chronic nonproductive cough into a productive one, that is, into one in which sputum is released. To do this, expectorants are prescribed to help clear bronchial mucus. In addition to them, medications that stimulate expectoration are recommended: drugs with reflex or resorptive action, as well as those that dilute sputum. These include mucolytics, cysteine preparations and proteolytic drugs.
In accordance with the nature of the old cough and the disease that provoked it, antiviral drugs, antibiotics and antihistamines.
For a dry, unproductive cough at night, medications containing codeine, as well as Sinecod, are recommended. At night, warming ointment can be applied to the chest and back.
Inhalations are a very effective method of treating cough. They can be carried out using an ultrasonic or compressor inhaler. The drug vapors enter the bronchi along with the air flow. This helps restore the mucous membrane, increase blood circulation and improve phlegm removal. Folk remedies testify to the usefulness of inhaling the vapors emanating from a hot pan in which a collection of medicinal herbs has been infused. An example would be oregano with elderberry, raspberry with lime color and coltsfoot, as well as raspberries with sage and coltsfoot.
Inhalations with aromatic oils have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Take a shallow, wide container and pour water into it with a temperature no higher than 40°C. Add 2-3 drops of eucalyptus, menthol or mint oil into water. Cover your head with a towel and inhale the vapors for 5-7 minutes. After half an hour, this procedure can be supplemented with warm-moisture inhalation.
When treating chronic cough, it is very useful to do such inhalations. The thermal effect accelerates the liquefaction and removal of mucus from the lumen of the bronchi. Plus, the dryness of the mucous membranes is reduced. Antibiotics recommended by the doctor, sulfonamides, hormonal agents or other components. In some cases, inhalations are carried out with warm soda solution or alkaline mineral water. The procedure should last no more than 10 minutes.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies for a prolonged cough can be inhalations with infusions and decoctions of medicinal plants. To do this, add 2 tablespoons of dry herbs (chamomile, eucalyptus leaves, fragrant violet, sage and others) to 0.5 liters of boiling water and cover with a lid. Wait for the solution to cool slightly, and then breathe for 5-10 minutes.
Folk remedies for coughs recommend inhaling a hot infusion of onion and garlic. Onions and garlic are peeled, cut and poured up to ¼ volume into a ceramic teapot. Boiling water is poured into about a third of the container. Inhale the steam coming out of the kettle's spout.
Another remedy for coughing is cupping. It is advisable to find special small jars with a rounded bottom. Please note that this procedure requires an assistant.
Drink a decoction of linden flowers. Pour 3 tablespoons of dried inflorescences with a glass of boiling water and keep in a water bath for 15 minutes. Filter the slightly cooled infusion and drink warm 3 times a day.
Thyme infusion has expectorant properties. Pour 2 tablespoons of the herb with a glass of boiling water and heat in a water bath for 20 minutes. Strain and drink a third of a glass three times a day.
To soften a cough and remove phlegm, you can make a decoction of tricolor violet herb. To do this, pour one tablespoon of chopped herbs into a glass of boiling water. Keep in a water bath for up to half an hour, filter the solution and drink half a glass 3 times a day.
In the treatment of acute and prolonged cough, an infusion of coltsfoot flowers and leaves is prepared as an expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent. Add one tablespoon of dry herb to a glass of boiling water and leave for an hour. Take a quarter glass of infusion 4 times a day.
Along with this expectorant effect, plantain is famous, from which an infusion is prepared. For a glass of boiling water use 1 teaspoon of crushed plantain leaves. After 30 minutes, the solution should be filtered and drunk 1 tablespoon three times a day. To boost immunity and speed up recovery, your doctor may recommend alcohol tincture ginseng, echinacea, rhodiola rosea or eleutherococcus.
It is possible to treat an old cough with folk remedies, but only as an addition to drug therapy prescribed by a doctor.
It is important not only to stop the cough, but also to destroy bacteria that multiply on the bronchial mucosa, remove all phlegm and increase immunity.
– small symptom major diseases. Every person has encountered it at least once in their life. The cough can be dry, wet, infrequent, frequent, suffocating - the nature of the cough can roughly suggest the source of the disease. If the cough does not go away for a long time, you need to look for the cause of the problem.
Cough during normal and acute respiratory viral infections can be dry at the beginning of the disease and wet as you recover.
Features of the treatment of dry cough:
- Provide the person with bed or semi-bed rest. Physical activity and work are contraindicated - this will weaken the body, cause a decrease in immunity and increase the duration of the disease.
- Diet – exclude spicy and heavy foods; food should be light and quickly digestible. You can eat porridge, soups with a second or third broth, boiled or steamed meat and fish. Provide sufficient water – preferably fruit drinks and natural juices– they will provide the body with vitamins and protect the immune system.
- We humidify the air and often ventilate the room - simple methods will help reduce irritation of the mucous membranes and soothe. Not every family has an air humidifier, so you can use a small trick - hang washed clothes around the room or wet a towel and hang it on the radiator.
- Have you taken all the measures, but your cough does not go away? Let's remember the proven recipe: heat a glass of milk, add butter, soda and drink in small sips.
- A forgotten way to combat dry cough – and mustard foot baths. These techniques can only be used when normal temperature bodies. Mustard plasters are applied for 5-10 minutes depending on the sensitivity of the skin. The degree of heating is assessed by the degree of skin irritation. Baths are even easier to make - 1 tablespoon of mustard in a small bowl of water. The feet are warmed for 10 to 20 minutes - a good distracting procedure that has helped many generations avoid the use of antibiotics.
- If you have an inhaler at home, you can perform inhalations with saline solution, mineral water (Borjomi or Essentuki), Ambroxol or Rotokan.
Have you tried all the tricks and your cough still won't go away? Feel free to start taking medications. Harmless medications that can be used without a doctor’s prescription:
Cough syrups and tablets:
Treatment of wet cough
The person is recovering, the body has coped with the infection, but the wet cough does not go away for more than a week - it is necessary to take appropriate measures.
An inhaler at home is an indispensable aid in the fight against wet cough. Inhalations are carried out using a huge range of medications:
- Expectorants that thin sputum. Ambroxol - diluted with physiological solution or mineral water (Borjomi, Essentuki) 1:1, the procedure is done 2-3 times a day; Bromhexine is diluted 1:1 with saline, inhalation is carried out 2-3 times a day.
- Antibacterial and antiseptic drugs: 0.5 (children's) and 1% (adult) solution is widely used, diluted with 0.9% sodium chloride 1:2 and 1:4. The procedure is carried out 2 times per day for 5-7 minutes.- a well-known drug, approved for use even by pregnant women in the 2-3 trimester. It does not need to be diluted, but when inhaled, monitor your well-being. If you have a dry cough or sore throat, you need to dilute it in a ratio of 1:1 or 1:2. The procedure lasts 5-10 minutes.
- Bronchodilators - if more simple remedies do not help and the cough continues resorting to. 20-25 drops per 4-5 ml of saline solution, inhalation is carried out for 5-10 minutes. The drug is effective and is used even in young children, but before use, consult a doctor.
Colds and viral infections often progress to inflammation of the larynx and trachea. Hoarseness of voice and a dry, painful cough appear. Similar symptoms appear when - infectious disease, the main symptom of which is paroxysmal spasmodic cough.
Often so strong that they provoke nausea, vomiting, and hemoptysis when small vessels and capillaries rupture.
What can help:
- Oil drops in the nose - drip 3-4 drops 4-5 times a day, preferably warm.
- Vinilin is an antimicrobial, wound-healing drug with a good anti-inflammatory effect. Apply 2 times a day to the tonsils and take 1/2 teaspoon at night. The taste of the “magician” is unpleasant, but it relieves cough quickly and effectively.
- Preparations, Sinekod, Tussin-plus - take 1 measuring spoon 4-5 times a day, an hour after meals. They have a good antitussive effect.
- Antihistamines - it is best to use 1st generation drugs (Diazolin, Suprastin, Tavegil) 1 tablet 3 times a day. Despite the pronounced hypnotic effect, they have an excellent anti-edema, anti-inflammatory effect, and reduce the excitability of the nervous system.
- Inhalations with mineral water - Essentuki 17 - procedures are carried out every 2-3 hours.
- Antibacterial drugs: 875/125 mg for TB 2 times a day for 7-10 days. Clarithromycin 0.5 tablet 2 times a day for 7 days. IN severe cases resort to Levofloxacin 0.5 per TB 2 times a day for 7-10 days. For severe coughing attacks, use Ceftriaxone 2.0 intravenously in saline 1-2 times a day for a week.
It should be remembered that antibiotics cause intestinal dysbiosis, which also provokes cough. Therefore, together with antibacterial drugs It is advisable to use Lactobacterin - Acipol capsule 3 times a day half an hour before meals for 1 month, Bifidumbacterin 1 powder 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. Bifidumbacterin is stored in the refrigerator, otherwise medicinal product loses its strength.
Long cough - examine the intestines
Cough can be a symptom of intestinal diseases - stomach ulcers and duodenum, pancreatitis, esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus).
Here, treatment is carried out only after consultation with a gastroenterologist, but you can ease your well-being with simple techniques:
- Maintain a gentle diet: exclude spicy, fried, smoked, fruits and vegetables only boiled and baked.
- Omeprazole 20 mg capsule 2-3 times a day 20 minutes before meals.
- Vinyline 1 teaspoon at night for 7-14 days.
- Pancreatin for TB 3 times a day orally with food.
Useful video: an effective remedy for dry cough
If your cough does not go away for more than three weeks, you should see a doctor and get tested. A large number of oncological diseases manifests itself as a slight cough or a prolonged cough.
For example: cancer of the nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, esophagus, lungs; sliding hernia esophagus, intestinal dysbiosis. Especially, a cough should alert men over 40 years of age who have a long history of smoking. Consultation with an otolaryngologist will help rule out laryngeal cancer. If necessary, MRI and CT scan of the neck is performed.
Cough as a symptom indicates that the respiratory tract is being affected by an irritant (infection, virus, allergen). A cough, especially a prolonged one, can be a symptom of more than 50 different diseases (from a harmless cold to serious problems with heart).
Causes of prolonged cough
The most common reason- this is an acute respiratory viral disease upper respiratory tract (ARVI). The human body with strong immunity copes with such an illness in a few days, but if the cough does not go away for a week or more, it is worth connecting additional measures treatment. Conventional symptomatic medications will no longer help here.
Dry cough
The harbinger is a sore throat. A dry cough is quite difficult to tolerate, this is due to the fact that the airways are irritated; the patient clears his throat and cannot stop until he vomits.
The reason may be:
- Laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx). The main symptom of this disease is a severe sore throat.
- Bronchitis
- Tracheitis
- Whooping cough (occurs in both children and adults)
- Constant inhalation harmful substances(for example, in production)
As ARVI progresses, a dry cough usually turns into a wet cough. What is the reason for the fact that during ARVI a dry cough does not go away for a long time?
- Significant weakening of the body's defenses (immune system)
- Associated factors that affect the functioning of the upper respiratory tract. This includes smoking, frequent alcohol consumption, as well as unfavorable conditions in the room where the patient is located - for example, too dry air
- Complication of the disease in the form of a secondary infection (bronchitis or pneumonia)
Moist cough
A wet cough is also called “productive” - this means that mucus (“sputum”) is rejected from the bronchi. A wet, continuous cough is a sign that the infection has spread to the bronchi and lungs. The secretion of mucus is a consequence of the entry of plasma from the blood into the lungs (with pulmonary edema), as well as the separation of purulent contents from the lung cavity. A persistent, wet cough may be a symptom of one of the following:
- Allergic rhinitis
- Pneumonia
- Lungs' cancer
- Bronchitis
- Heart failure
The type of sputum discharged is used to judge the nature of the disease - for example, glassy sputum is a sign of bronchial asthma; mucus-like appearance rust, secreted during pneumonia, lung abscess is characterized by purulent contents when expectorated.
What to do if, after suffering from an acute respiratory viral infection, the cough does not go away for a long time - how to cure it? Here we are dealing with a post-infectious cough. This unpleasant symptom it only means that the airways are irritated and damaged. It turns out a vicious circle - the more often and longer we cough, the more irritation respiratory tract.
Let's see a doctor.
The very first step if the cough does not go away for a month or longer should be to see a doctor. Firstly, the doctor will rule out re-infection and complications after the illness. If necessary, additional tests and examinations will be prescribed to complete the picture.
Even if your problem is a common post-infectious long-term cough, the doctor will be able to select the most adequate treatment so that you can cope with this unpleasant symptom as soon as possible.
- Most often, for a prolonged cough, medications such as Codelac Phyto, Doctor Mom are prescribed (if the factor that provoked the prolonged cough is ARVI).
- Gedelix and Bronholitin are effective for treating dry cough.
- To speed up the removal of mucus residues from the lungs, “ACC”, “Ambroxol”, “Mukaltin”, “Bromhexin” are good
Medicines should only be prescribed by the attending physician; do not self-medicate under any circumstances.
Folk remedies.
You can help the body with the help of folk remedies. As a rule, they are harmless, a combination is also possible drug treatment And folk recipes in the treatment of persistent cough in adults.
Sage decoction. Pour 1 bag of sage (sold in pharmacies) with a glass of milk and put on low heat. Bring the resulting liquid to a boil and strain, take hot with a teaspoon of honey. After drinking the decoction, you need to lie down quietly, wrapped warmly. It is recommended to use this remedy for 5 days (once a day).
Potatoes against cough. Boil 4-5 medium potatoes, drain the water, cover with a large towel along with the pan and breathe hot air until the potatoes cool. Boiled potatoes are also used as a compress. Crush the hot potatoes with a masher, wrap them in cloth and apply them to your chest, wrapping a warm scarf around the top. Keep this compress until it cools down.
Decoction onions . Peel and finely chop half a kilogram of onion, add 2 cups of sugar and 2 tbsp. l. honey Boil the resulting mixture in a liter of water over low heat for 3 hours. Cool and strain, pour into a tightly sealed container and store in the refrigerator. For persistent cough, take 1 tablespoon 5 times a day.
Garlic, onion and milk. Chop a head of garlic and 5 onions and boil in 0.5 liters of milk. Add a tablespoon of honey to the prepared broth. This decoction should be drunk every hour, one tablespoon throughout the day.
Onions, garlic and honey - frequent components of folk recipes for coughs - have bactericidal and tonic properties.
Breathing exercises.
With prolonged cough, very effective means Strelnikova's gymnastics is considered. Performing gymnastics involves observing the following rules:
- The inhalation should be strong, but short, quite sharp. Make active, noisy inhalations through your nose, and soft inhales through your mouth.
- Exhale - slow and smooth;
Here are the main gymnastics exercises by Strelnikova.
Fists. This is a warm-up exercise. It is advisable to perform it while standing, arms relaxed, try to relax the body as much as possible. Take a short and sharp breath through your nose, while clenching your hands into fists. Then - soft and free exhalation, relaxation of the hands. Do 5-6 sets of 4 repetitions (resting 5 seconds between sets).
Drop load. Starting position: standing, hands on the belt, hands clenched into fists. As you inhale, the arms are lowered along the body, the fingers are spread out - as if a load is being lifted from the shoulders, exhale - returning to the original position. 10-12 sets of 8 repetitions.
Pump up the ball. Starting position - standing, arms down along the body and relaxed. Take a strong and sharp breath through your nose, lower your head forward, round your shoulders and relax your arms, hanging them like whips. Exhale through the mouth - return to the starting position. 12 sets of 8 repetitions.
Preventive measures
To prevent persistent cough, several directions can be recommended.
First of all, this is prevention during influenza epidemics. In spring and autumn, strengthen your immune system by taking multivitamins and immunomodulators. Be sure to get vaccinated against the flu. During a seasonal outbreak of ARVI, take antiviral drugs in a prophylactic dose - they will help you not catch a cold in crowded places and at work.
Long-term smoking can cause a lingering cough in an adult. Give up cigarettes if you want to keep your lungs healthy and prevent such an unpleasant symptom as a constant, incessant cough.
To exclude the development of tuberculosis, undergo fluorography in a timely manner, because when the disease process is advanced, tuberculosis is difficult to cure.
It is much easier to prevent the appearance of a lingering cough than to treat it - for this you need to be attentive to your health, refuse bad habits and strengthen the immune system. And if you are still overtaken by such an illness, be sure to consult a doctor for treatment, especially if the symptoms have not stopped for more than a month.
A person develops a lingering cough for various reasons. It can be either a common cold or oncology. Modern medicine has effective methods diagnosis and treatment of pathologies that cause prolonged cough.
Protracted cough: causes and characteristics
Coughing is a reflex by which the airways are cleared of secretions and pathogens. A cough is considered prolonged if unpleasant symptoms persist for more than three weeks. Pathology can develop in a person at any age. The following have an increased risk of developing a persistent cough:
- experienced smokers;
- people with reduced immunity;
- allergy sufferers;
- patients with autoimmune diseases;
- people with chronic diseases respiratory tract;
- anti-vaxxers.
A lingering cough can be a sign of dangerous illnesses, and therefore requires careful diagnosis and timely treatment.
Today it has become fashionable to refuse vaccinations, and this phenomenon has become widespread. However, it should be remembered that ignoring routine vaccination increases the risk of developing such terrible diseases as measles, tuberculosis, and rubella. These pathologies cause not only a lingering cough, but also more dangerous consequences up to and including death.
Why does a lingering cough occur?
Factors that provoke a persistent cough include:
Smoking can be the culprit not only of a lingering cough, but also of lung cancer. Statistics confirm this fact: 90% of patients with lung cancer are smokers.
Associated symptoms
With a prolonged cough, a person may experience the following accompanying symptoms:
- dyspnea;
- nausea;
- increased body temperature, the values of which can vary from 37 to the highest values;
- general weakness;
- intolerance physical activity. With active movements, a person’s cough intensifies;
- sputum production;
- chest pain;
- enlarged lymph nodes in the neck;
- runny nose;
- pain when swallowing;
- conjunctivitis, itching of the skin, sneezing - accompany an allergic cough.
Dangerous symptoms that pose a threat to life and health:
If you have “threatening” symptoms, immediately consult a doctor for medical help.
Video: doctor Lyudmila Lapa about cough
Diagnostic measures
If you have a persistent cough, you should visit a therapist or pediatrician. The doctor will prescribe the necessary examination, after which consultations with other specialists may be necessary:
- otolaryngologist;
- phthisiatrician;
- allergist;
- oncologist.
To make a correct diagnosis, the following laboratory research methods are used:
- general urine analysis;
- general blood analysis;
- blood biochemistry;
- PCR analysis to identify the causative agent of the disease;
- bacteriological examination of sputum.
Lab tests will help determine the cause of a persistent cough Instrumental research methods are also used for diagnosis:
- chest x-ray;
- computed tomography of the chest;
- bronchoscopy;
- electrocardiogram;
- ultrasound examination of the heart.
Methods to combat the disease
After conducting the necessary diagnostic tests, the doctor selects a treatment regimen for a lingering cough.
Drug therapy
For a persistent cough, the following medications can be used:
- antibiotics (Sumamed, Macropen, Clarithromycin). Destroy pathogenic microbes. Used for sore throat, bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia;
- antitussive drugs (Codeine, Stoptussin, Glycodin). Prescribed for dry, painful cough;
- mucolytics (Ambroxol, Bromhexine, Codelac). Used for thick sputum that is difficult to expectorate;
- antihistamines (Tavegil, Suprastin, Fenkarol). Reduce or completely eliminate symptoms of allergic attacks;
- antipyretic drugs (Ibuklin, Panadol);
- vitamin complexes (Complivit, Alphabet). Strengthen the body's defenses, speed up the healing process;
- interferons (Viferon, Genferon). Used for viral and bacteriological infections. Increases the body's immunity;
- gargling agents (Furacilin, Rotokan, Chlorophyllipt). Used for ARVI, sore throat, tonsillitis.
Drug therapy is the basis for the treatment of persistent cough.
Therapy for pregnant women and young children has the following features:
- do not use medications containing alcohol;
- Many antibiotics are prohibited - Tetracycline, Doxycycline, Biseptol.
Photo gallery: medications for the treatment of persistent cough
Sumamed is an antibiotic used for prolonged cough caused by bacterial infections 
Stoptussin is prescribed for a dry, lingering cough. 
Ambroxol thins thick mucus 
Tavegil is used for prolonged allergic cough 
Ibuklin effectively reduces high fever and relieves inflammation 
The alphabet includes all the vitamins necessary for the body 
Viferon increases the body's defenses
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapeutic treatment can achieve positive dynamics with a prolonged cough, as well as reduce the likelihood of relapses. The doctor may prescribe the following physical procedures:
To carry out inhalations at home, purchase a compression nebulizer, which, unlike other types of devices, does not heat the medicine during the procedure. This allows the use of a wide range of drugs.
Diet therapy and drinking regimen
Proper nutrition for a persistent cough will help:
- speed up metabolic processes;
- cleanse the body of toxins;
- boost immunity.
Actively include the following products in your menu:
- vegetables (except spicy);
- fruits (except sour ones);
- lean meats and fish;
- cereals;
- vegetable oils;
- rosehip decoction;
- green tea.
And also with a prolonged cough it is important:
- do not eat fatty foods that overload the body;
- avoid spicy and salty foods that irritate the mucous membrane and increase symptoms;
- drink at least two liters of fluid per day.
Sufficient fluid intake during a prolonged cough helps thin the mucus, quick exit secret.
Photo gallery: useful foods for persistent coughs
Honey improves immunity 
Green tea thins sticky mucus and cleanses the body of toxins. 
Boiled veal is a healthy dietary product 
Fruits contain many vitamins
Folk recipes
To treat a persistent cough, you can use folk remedies.
Recipes for gargling:
- Pour two teaspoons of chopped ginger into a glass of water. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Cool and strain the broth. Add one teaspoon of honey to the solution. Gargle with the resulting solution 3 times a day. The course of treatment is a week.
- Pour 1 tablespoon of chamomile with a glass of boiling water, cover the container with a lid. Leave the product for half an hour. Strain the solution. Use the infusion to rinse 3-5 times a day. Duration of therapy is 7 days. You can brew other medicinal herbs in the same way: sage, mint, dandelion root, nettle.
Folk expectorants:
- Take equal amounts of horseradish root and honey, crushed using a blender, and mix the ingredients. Take a teaspoon before breakfast. Duration of treatment is 5–7 days.
- Boil 300 g of milk, add 4 dried figs to it. Cook the product for 5 minutes. Take 100 ml three times a day after meals. Duration of use - 5 days.
Warming potato compresses:
- Boil 2 potatoes, mash. Place the warm product in a bag and wrap it soft cloth. Place the compress on your chest and keep it there until it cools down. Perform the procedure once a day. Duration of treatment is a week.
- Boil 4 potatoes, mash the product with a fork until pureed. Add 1 tablespoon of vodka to the potatoes. Apply a thick layer of the product to your chest. Cover the mixture with cling film and a towel. Wrap the chest with a woolen cloth. The duration of the procedure is 1 hour. The course of treatment is 5 days.
Remember that folk remedies, like medications, have contraindications. Therefore, before using unconventional recipes, consult your doctor.
Photo gallery: folk remedies for persistent cough
Honey helps thin mucus 
Milk is an excellent expectorant 
Chamomile relieves inflammation and is used as a gargle 
Ginger has bactericidal properties 
Potatoes are used for warming compresses
Following some rules for a lingering cough will reduce symptoms and speed up recovery:
- sleep on a high pillow. This reduces the number of coughing attacks. If you still can't fall asleep, drink a glass of warm milk. This way you will “soften” your sore throat;
- Ventilate the room frequently. Fresh air has a detrimental effect on pathogenic microbes;
- avoid heavy physical activity;
- Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day, because when you cough, germs settle on the surface of your mouth.
Complications
A persistent cough can cause complications:
- fainting as a result of decreased blood supply to the brain during severe coughing attacks;
- sleep disturbance. A dry “barking” cough especially makes it difficult to sleep;
- vomiting;
- involuntary urination.
And if the cause of a prolonged cough is not identified in time, the symptoms may become chronic.
Prevention rules
To avoid a lingering cough, follow these recommendations:
- do not smoke;
- do not refuse necessary vaccinations;
- lead an active lifestyle that strengthens your immune system;
- undergo preventive medical examinations;
- complete treatment of ARVI and other diseases;
- Don't get too cold.
It is very important to have a chest x-ray once a year. The examination can detect tuberculosis and lung cancer at an early stage of development.
If you have a lingering cough, you need to be mobile and not put off treatment. This way you will quickly get rid of painful symptoms and also avoid sad consequences.
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