Cough
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- Cough treatment
- Diet for cough
- Nutritions and supplements for cough control
- Cough herbal treatment
- Aromatherapy treatment for cough
- Homeopathy treatment for cough
Coughing is a natural protective mechanism designed to clear bacteria, viruses, dust, and pollen out of the body. Coughing clears the lungs and throat of irritants and fluids. A productive cough forces sputum from breathing tract, thereby clearing the air passages and allowing oxygen to reach the lungs.
A cough is a common symptom of diseases of the ear, nose, and throat. Coughing may be related to a bacterial or a viral infection of the respiratory tract, such as bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia, or croup. A cough can also be caused by inhaling irritating substances, such as dust, chemical fumes, or cigarette smoke. Food sensitivities and environmental allergies can cause a cough, as can inhaling very cold or very hot air. If you have a persistent cough emotional stress is another important factor to consider. Some people develop a chronic cough as a result acid reflux, which occurs when digestive acids are regurgitated from the stomach into the esophagus. Certain medications can cause a chronic cough as well.
Depending on the cause, a cough may be loud and gasping, harsh and high-pitched, or barking. It may be dry and rasping, or moist with mucus. If asthma is involved, you may wheeze with every inhalation or exhalation.
Although coughing is a necessary and helpful physical response, it can be distressing and very tiring. Continuous, uncontrollable coughing makes sleeping difficult, and it can cause you to feel as if ache all over. The chest and abdominal muscles can be pulled or strained by continual coughing. Coughing may also cause further irritation to an inflamed respiratory tract.
A sudden coughing fit may signal the presence of a foreign body in the airway. The other signs indicate a blocking of the airway, you become unable to speak or begin gasping for breathe.
In some cases, a cough may indicate the onset of a more serious or chronic illness. If a cough comes on rapidly and is accompanied by wheezing, a feeling of tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing, you may suffering from asthma, and should consult a doctor at once or have someone take you to the emergency room of the nearest hospital. A persistent, lingering cough can be caused by bronchitis; a harsh cough that comes on after a cold and is accompanied by fever, fatigue, and difficulty breathing can be a sign of developing pneumonia. Blood in the sputum can be a symptom of an infection such as bronchitis or tuberculosis, or a more serious problem, such as a tumor.
In general, any cough that persists for a week or longer should be evaluated by a physician. Persistent coughing can have many causes, including allergies, chronic bronchitis, cancer, gastroesophageal reflux, heart disease, or tuberculosis. Your doctor's examination and testing should uncover the cause and point the way to appropriate treatment. Even an ordinary cough should never be ignored. An untreated cough can lead to pneumonia, and the constant irritation coughing causes may result in damage to the respiratory tract.
- Treatment for cough: This section provides information about cough treatment.
- Cough diet: It gives information and guidelines to choose your sample diet to eliminate your cough.
- Cough nutritions and supplements: This section provides comprehensive list of nutritional supplements for cough.
- Herbal treatment for cough: This section focuses on various traditional herbal treatments used to cure cough.
- Cough aromatherapy treatment: This section provides information about essential oils which are helpful to cure cough.
- Cough homeopathy treatment: It provides information about homeopathic medicines required for curing cough.