How to understand dry cough. How does cough come about

  1. Dry cough
  2. Wet or wet cough
  3. TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between dry and wet cough is as follows:
  4. Cough, what is it?
  5. Dry cough: hallmarks
  6. Wet cough: how to recognize it?
  7. Wet or dry cough?

Cough is a defensive reaction that occurs in the body to cough receptor stimulation. It is absolutely necessary for the removal of dust, smoke and pathological contents of the respiratory tract. If the cough is not eliminated in a timely manner, the process will be delayed for a long time, as the sputum will become more viscous. With the stagnation of sputum in the bronchial tree, an inflammatory process develops, which may later be complicated by such serious illnesses like bronchitis or pneumonia. Cough can be dry and wet, today we will try to figure out what is the difference between them.

Dry cough

A dry cough manifests itself at the very beginning of any cold (bronchitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis or ARVI), it can be hysterical, without sputum. The fact is that with a cold there is an inflammatory process in the pharynx and larynx, there is an abundance of mucus and I always want to clear my throat. Counter cough medications, which have a calming effect on the pharyngeal mucosa and eliminate bronchial spasms, will help to cope with such a cough. Such drugs include Libexin, Stoptusin, Tusupreks. For the treatment of strong dry cough can be applied drugs which restrain the cough reflex, but it is worth noting that this is just symptomatic therapy. Most often, doctors prescribe drugs central and peripheral effects. Such drugs are aimed at suppressing cough reflex This is ethylmorphine, codeine, dextrmethorphan, glaucine, oxedelin.

Wet or wet cough

Appearance wet cough occurs due to the accumulation of sputum in the tracheobronchial tree and in the lungs, most often it is preceded by a dry cough. It helps to clear the lungs of sputum, which becomes a favorable environment for the development of microorganisms. If a wet cough is very prolonged, and the sputum is thick and poorly separated, then the disease can take chronic form . To better cough up, it should be diluted with mucoltic means. Such drugs have a combined effect, namely, they reduce the viscosity of sputum, and contribute to its rapid removal from the body. Together with drugs that dilute sputum, you need to drink as much liquid as possible: juices, compotes, fruit drinks, herbal teas, mineral water.
The difference is dry and wet cough is that the first case is most characteristic inflammation of the pharyngeal mucosa and larynx, for the second - the presence of sputum in the bronchial tree. For the treatment of dry cough, sedatives are used, for the treatment of wet cough - expectorant drugs.

TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between dry and wet cough is as follows:

The cause of dry cough is inflammation in the nasopharynx and larynx, wet cough results from the accumulation of sputum in the bronchial tree.
If you do not treat a dry cough, it becomes wet as the nasopharynx infection descends below. A wet cough cannot go dry.

The basis of successful treatment is correct diagnosis. In order to correctly prescribe a therapeutic course, the doctor must know exactly what symptoms of the disease manifested in the patient.

Almost every person at the reception of a specialist was faced with the question: "What is your cough, wet or dry?", If you had the corresponding ailment. And although the answer played a big role in correctly identifying the disease, not everyone could give it.

In order to avoid a repetition of this situation, we will figure out how to distinguish a dry cough from a wet one.

Cough, what is it?

Contrary to popular belief, coughing is not a disease. it natural reaction organism to external or internal stimuli.

A cough can appear in a perfectly healthy person if he has got into a dusty room or choked. But it can also signal the development of a disease that caused inflammation of the mucous membrane of the airways.

Both in the first and in the second case, the body causes muscle contraction to normalize the work respiratory system . There are two types of cough:

  • Dry.
  • Wet (wet).

Each type signals about different diseases and requires appropriate treatment, so you need to know the difference between dry cough and wet cough.

Dry cough: hallmarks

The appearance of dry cough indicates the beginning inflammatory process . It can be a symptom of bronchitis, ARVI, pneumonia, asthma, allergic reactions, tuberculosis. Character traits:

  • dryness, sore throat;
  • labored breathing;
  • sputum is not separated;
  • vomiting may occur;
  • cough worse with time, interferes with restful sleep.

A dry cough occurs when the body does not produce enough mucus to moisturize the airways. To eliminate the symptom prescribed drugs to help dilute sputum. It is recommended to drink more warm liquid. Prescribe drugs aimed at combating the underlying disease.

Wet cough: how to recognize it?

With proper treatment dry cough gradually becomes wet, usually this process takes 2-3 days. A wet cough helps to clear the respiratory tract from the accumulated mucus, helps the patient to recover.

Sometimes this symptom signals the development of a disease in the body. In this case, expectorated sputum will have an unusual color:


Cough is a defensive reaction that occurs in the body to cough receptor stimulation

Blood clots in sputum can be a sign of tuberculosis, pulmonary artery blockage, Goodsupper syndrome (kidney disease).

The distinctive symptoms of wet cough include:

  • separation of mucus and sputum when expectorated;
  • whistling, wheezing sounds while breathing;
  • eye redness;
  • may intensify at any time of the day.

Frequent coughing attacks can lead to pain in the back and abdomen. If the sputum is not excreted, there is a chance that it will get into the stomach and cause nausea and vomiting.

Trying to suppress a wet cough is not worth it, as it helps cleanse the body. Expectorant drugs are prescribed as a treatment. It is advised to use a lot of warm drinking, to conduct inhalation.

Wet or dry cough?

We met with the distinctive features of both types of cough. They found out when they appear and what kind of treatment the doctor usually prescribes. Now summarize, giving a brief answer to the question: "How to determine a dry cough or wet?"

If you feel dryness and sore throat, it is difficult to cough, by night the attacks increase - this is a dry cough. The main symptoms of a wet cough are sputum, wheezing or gurgling sounds during breathing.

Even if you were able to determine what type of cough is, do not self-medicate. Consult your doctor to determine the exact cause of the symptom and receive appropriate therapy.

Child cough

To hurt is bad, but worst of all when children are ill.

First aid to the child when coughing

At the first signs of coughing of an infectious nature, tickling in the throat, it is good to make hot foot baths with mustard, after a bath, put on woolen socks, put mustard plasters. Mustard needles should be removed after persistent redness and heat cover Ryobenka. A good remedy for cough is warm milk with warm milk. mineral water "Borjomi" (half a glass of hot milk, half a glass of mineral water). Good to do steam inhalation.

It should be remembered that when elevated temperature bodies DO NOT float feet, put mustard plasters, do inhalation.

Treatment of cough in children

It is only necessary to treat cough medication when it disrupts the well-being and general condition of the child.

If the child has a so-called productive wet and obsessive cough, he needs to have antitussive therapy. Such a cough in children early age often due to increased viscosity of sputum. In such cases, pediatricians prescribe a means to thin the sputum.

If a child has a non-productive dry cough, intense, debilitating, accompanied by vomiting and sleep disturbance, then the treatment of such a cough is aimed at suppressing the cough reflex.

The decision of questions about the need and the correct choice of antitussive treatment for a child is accepted only by a pediatrician. Because for this you need to know the exact diagnosis of the disease that caused the cough in a child; it is necessary to evaluate its duration and intensity, productivity, degree of influence on the state of the child, the presence or absence of bronchospasm.

If an anti-cough remedy is chosen not TRUE!, It will bring only HARM to the child. Therefore, DO NOT FOLLOW YOUR TREATMENT for cough in a child !.

Mucolytics dilute sputum and facilitate its easier removal. Pediatricians usually prescribe children with ACC, Bromhexin, Ambroxol, Mucaltin, and others. Bronholitin (from the age of three) and the herbal preparation Gedelix (from the age of one) are also prescribed for dry cough.

Bronchodilators (aminophylline, theophylline) are prescribed if the cough is combined with bronchospasm (bronchoconstriction).

Combination drugs prescribed for the treatment of cough in babies caused by SARS. Dr. Mom, Codelac Phyto dilute phlegm, suppress cough, relieve inflammation.

Treatment of cough in a child at home

For the treatment of cough at home moisturizing mucous well. Aerosols are well suited for this purpose. steam inhalation . They reduce mucosal irritation. For inhalation using water vapor with the addition of medicines or medicinal plants. Also useful is the use of coating agents that create a protective layer for the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx and oropharynx. They can be in the form of lozenges in the mouth or syrups and tea containing plant extracts, glycerin, honey and other components.

For expectorants vegetable origin include: a leaf mother-and-stepmother and plantain, Altea, anise, elecampane, wild rosemary, oregano, thermopsis, licorice root, pine buds, thyme, violet, etc. They are also included in the composition of cough syrups, lozenges.

Folk remedies for coughing.

Fig for cough For the fastest recovery from cough, it is desirable to follow a certain diet. The diet should include a variety of milk cereals, cabbage, dietary mashed potatoes. An effective product in the fight against cough is grapes and its juice. They act as a natural expectorant. A glass of grape juice with honey, as well as lemon, ground together with the peel and mixed with honey, are a good tool in the fight against cough.

Herbal medicine helps to reduce body toxicity, enhances its resistance.

1. At the initial stages of cough, you can take one black radish, cut out of it the inner part . In the middle pour 1 tbsp. honey and leave to settle until the morning. In the morning an hour before meals to drink, the resulting liquid.

2. Cut the black radish into small cubes, place in a saucepan and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the oven for 2 hours. Strain and drain the liquid into the bottle. Drink 2 tsp. 3 times a day before meals and at night before bedtime.

3. Cough is effective honey with onions. Need not one very large onion. With it you need to remove the husk and grind. Then add the same amount of honey. Take this medicine after meals three times a day, one tablespoon until complete cure of cough. This medicine can be used at any age, except for babies up to a year.

4. With a dry, irritating cough: take half a glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice, pour two tablespoons of natural honey and one spoonful of medical glycerin into it. Mixture take 6 times a day, one teaspoon.

5. Dry cough also soothes. carrot juice , thoroughly mixed in a 1: 1 ratio with sugar syrup. Drink warm to 1 tbsp. spoon 5 times a day (small children and 1 tsp).

6. With a dry cough, birch sap with caked sugar helps. Incomplete tablespoon of sugar hold over the fire, until dark brown. Then pour in a saucer with milk. This “candy” is completely absorbed, washed down with birch sap.

7. When strong cough effectively take a decoction of the fruit of viburnum. A glass of berries pour 1 l hot water , boil for 10 minutes, strain. Cool slightly and add 3 tbsp. l honey Drink half a glass a day 3-4 times a day.

8. Broth viburnum berries with honey. 100 g of berries to cook 5 minutes in 200 g of honey, take 4-5 times a day for 1 dessert spoon to preschool children and 1 tablespoon each. school children. Wash down with warm water.

9. Figs boiled in milk (2-3 pieces per glass of milk) good remedy against cough especially in children. Broth taken at night in the form of heat.

10. Mother-and-Machiha and chamomile flowers - in 2 parts, oregano herb - 1 part. 2 tbsp. l crushed mixture pour 1/2 liter of boiling water, it is better to insist in a thermos for 5 hours, drain. Drink half a glass 3 times a day before meals in a warm form.

11. Honey with horseradish. Grated horseradish root mixed with honey in equal quantities. Take 1 tsp. 2 times a day.

12. Freshly squeezed cabbage juice with sugar is used as an expectorant. Drink it is necessary for 1 tsp. several times a day.

13. Plantain. 1 tbsp. l dry leaves brew in a glass of boiling water, insist two hours. Strain and take half an hour before meals for 1 tbsp. l 3 times a day.

14. When persistent cough, nettle root, boiled in sugar syrup (candied root powder), helps well. It is necessary to take ½ -1 teaspoonful of this mixture 3-4 times daily before meals, with warm milk or boiled water.

15. For infants, a common recipe for cough relief: add 1 tablespoon of honey to 1 tsp. Of honey. spoons of anise seeds and a pinch of salt. All this pour 1 cup of water, bring to a boil, let cool and strain. To water the child for 1 h. Spoon every 2 hours. Using this recipe, it is worth remembering that anise has a good laxative effect and does not recommend its use in a sick child with diarrhea.

Cough packs for children.

Compresses - effective remedy in the fight against coughing. They are cold and hot, alcoholic and oily, dry and watery. The effect of warming compresses is based on increasing blood circulation in the place of its application, resulting in a decrease in inflammation and pain. Warming compresses put on doctor's prescription.

Contraindications to compresses are various skin diseases.

In order to get rid of prolonged cough , wipe the breast with a dry cloth and rub into the breast interior lard or melted butter.

1. Good proven popular recipe against cough - a compress from boiled potatoes for the night. In boiled potatoes in the skin (2-3 pieces), add 1 tbsp. alcohol, 1 tbsp. turpentine and 1 tbsp. sunflower oil. All this knead and mix to a uniform consistency. Make two flat cakes, wrap them in cheesecloth. Put on the chest and back of the child, avoiding the heart area. It is good to wrap up the child, to remove a compress in 1-1,5 hours. Then wipe dry and change into dry clothes. It is advisable to do 3-4 such procedures.

2. At the first sign of a cold cough, another simple and effective hot compress can be made from water and natural apple cider vinegar. To do this, dilute them in a ratio of 3: 1, respectively, add a teaspoon of honey to the resulting solution. All ingredients are mixed, moisten a napkin in the resulting solution and attach to the throat and chest. Cover with a plastic wrap and a warm towel. Hold for 20 minutes.

3. Oil compress - one of the simple compresses. To make it, you need to heat the sunflower oil in a water bath, dip a towel in it, squeeze it well and wrap the child, avoiding the heart area. Top wrap with waxed paper (not only polyethylene) and a wool scarf. Leave the child wrapped overnight, give diaphoretic tea.

Cough inhalation.

Inhalations are one of the most popular ways. home treatment with cold and cough. At home, they can be carried out with the help of available tools or with the use of pharmaceutical inhalers.

Medicinal substances penetrated with steam into the upper Airways , contributes to their purification from germs and their toxins, reduce cough. Due to the risk of bronchospasm, inhalations are not recommended for children under three years of age. All inhalations are carried out between meals, the duration of the procedure - an average of 10 minutes. The course of treatment is 5-10 procedures.

The recipe checked by many generations at persistent dry cough inhalation of warm potato steam. To do this, boil the potatoes in a small amount of water. Bending down and covering yourself over a saucepan with steam, inhale it for no more than 15 minutes.

For the preparation of inhalation, you can also take the leaves of mother-and-stepmother, thyme, camomile and other herbs, brew boiling water, add two teaspoons of baking soda, a little essential oil, such as eucalyptus, geranium. Inhalation with iodine is also effective. They should be done with caution, as iodine often provokes allergic reactions in children.

REMEMBER THAT EVERY CHILD IS INDIVIDUAL AND BEFORE USING ANY KIND OF COUNCIL CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR!

Wet or dry cough?
Almost every person at the reception of a specialist was faced with the question: "What is your cough, wet or dry?
Cough, what is it?
Wet cough: how to recognize it?
Wet or dry cough?
Now summarize, giving a brief answer to the question: "How to determine a dry cough or wet?