During the winter months, often once in bed at night, one is overcome with bouts of coughing!
That persistent cough may be very irritating, but in actual fact it plays a vital role in the body’s defense against infection and inflammation in the lungs, by expelling mucus, microbes and foreign particles from the respiratory tract.
A lingering cough usually accompanies the typical winter illnesses such as a cold, hay fever, or bronchitis. These coughs usually resolves in a matter of days or weeks.
A chronic cough however carries on long term for weeks, or months, or even years. In many cases a chronic cough may result from noxious chemical irritation, such as caused by smoking.
For non-smokers, most chronic coughs are caused by 5 conditions: postnasal drip, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic bronchitis, or treatment with ACE (angiotensin-converting-enzyme) inhibitors, that are usually prescribed for hypertension.
The most common villain responsible for this lingering cough: Postnasal Drip.
Postnasal drip can be caused by viruses, allergies, sinusitis, dust particles and airborne particles that irritate the nasal membranes. These membranes respond by producing more mucus, usually in a thin, watery and runny format. It drips out of the nose and also down the throat where it tickles the nerves of the nasopharynx, resulting in a cough.
Treatment for postnasal drip can start with daily, frequent tongue scraping. Simple home remedies such as inhaling steam (from a hot shower or kettle), and nasal irrigation with a saline solution is of great help. Non prescription decongestant or antihistamine tablets are generally effective and safe. If these remedies fail to help, you can ask your doctor about a nasal steroid spray.
The postnasal drip may also result from sinus infections, in which case the postnasal drip will consist of thick gluey fluid. Severe cases may require antibiotics to clear up the infection.
What is the role of cough medicine and cough suppressants? Not all of them may be effective. Best to ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice for the appropriate cough remedy for your particular symptoms.
The winter’s tale ends with a word of advice: Do not ignore a chronic cough! If the self-medication and home remedies do not help, do visit your doctor. There may be more villains involved than just postnasal drip.
Source:
Harvard Health Publications, Harvard Medical School. “That nagging cough” published online 17 August 2016.
