Original title: Do not blindly take medication for coughs
Ginger Chen Hui
In winter and spring, respiratory diseases such as influenza and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection are highly prevalent. Many patients with respiratory diseases will develop cough symptoms. What should you do if you have cough symptoms? Which medications should be used? Based on clinical practice, the author summarizes the relevant knowledge about cough and shares it with everyone.
Coughing is a protective breathing reflex action of the human body. When foreign matter, inflammation, secretions or allergic factors irritate the respiratory mucosa, it is easy to cause coughing. According to the duration of the disease, cough can be divided into acute cough (less than 3 weeks), subacute cough (3 to 8 weeks) and chronic cough (more than 8 weeks). Depending on the nature, cough can be divided into dry cough (no phlegm) and wet cough (phlegm volume greater than 10 ml per day).
The causes of cough mainly include the following aspects: ①Respiratory tract infection. Respiratory tract infections are a common cause of cough. The pathogens of respiratory infections include respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and various fungi, mycoplasma, and chlamydia. ② Postnasal drip syndrome. Postnasal drip syndrome is also called upper airway cough syndrome. In patients with rhinitis and sinusitis, inflammatory secretions in the nasal cavity flow back, irritating the mucous membrane of the throat and causing coughing. ③Allergic asthma. Allergens irritate the airways and cause airway hyperresponsiveness. Typical symptoms are recurrent wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness or coughing. ④ Drug side effects. Certain antihypertensive drugs and drugs used to treat arrhythmia may induce coughing. ⑤Food allergy. People who are allergic to fish, shrimp, eggs, milk and other foods are prone to coughing attacks after eating these foods. ⑥Gastroesophageal reflux. After food or gastric acid refluxes into the pharynx, passes through the glottis, and is inhaled into the airway, it can also cause coughing. ⑦Suffering from airway disease. If you have bronchial tuberculosis or bronchiectasis, you will have cough symptoms.
If an acute cough occurs, routine use of cough suppressants and expectorants is not recommended. Coughing is not only a common symptom of respiratory diseases, but also a protective reflex of the respiratory tract, which helps to clear airway secretions or foreign bodies to keep the airway open. When acute cough symptoms occur, you can first observe and then decide whether to take medication based on your actual situation. If there is cough, excessive phlegm, or sputum obstruction, cough suppressants and expectorants can be used as appropriate. It should be noted that drug treatment takes a certain amount of time, so try not to change cough medicines frequently.
Some people have misunderstandings about coughing. They think that cough symptoms mean inflammation and they should take anti-inflammatory drugs as soon as possible. Whether you need to use antibiotics depends on the cause of your cough. Antibacterial drugs are mainly used to treat inflammation caused by bacterial infections. They can only fight bacteria but cannot kill viruses. If the cough is caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics can be used. If the cough is caused by a viral infection, antibiotics are not recommended. In addition, coughs caused by asthma, food allergies, drug side effects, etc. do not require the use of antibacterial drugs. When comrades develop cough symptoms, they should actively identify the cause and take medication according to the actual situation.
Most coughs are caused by respiratory diseases. Preventing respiratory diseases is the key to preventing coughs. It is recommended that comrades pay attention to the following points in life: appropriately strengthen exercise to improve the body's disease resistance; pay attention to keeping warm and cold to avoid catching colds; go less to crowded public places and try to avoid contact with cough patients; open windows more for ventilation; Get your flu vaccine promptly. The peak time and duration of influenza peaks vary across my country each year. It is recommended that recipients receive the influenza vaccine one month before the influenza season. If vaccination is not completed before the influenza season arrives, vaccination can be done throughout the season.
If you cough repeatedly and affect your work and life, you should go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible and receive timely treatment. Patients with chronic cough can complete infection and pathogen testing (such as blood routine, mycoplasma, influenza testing, etc.) under the guidance of a doctor to find possible pathogens. At the same time, a chest X-ray can also be done to see if there is any lower respiratory tract disease. If the cause of the disease cannot be determined by chest X-ray examination, or if there are other specific signs such as expectoration, and the cough is suspected to be caused by lung disease, a chest CT examination can be performed.Patients with normal chest imaging can also undergo screening such as lung function, bronchoscopy, nasopharyngoscopy, and allergen testing to clarify the cause of cough.
Tips to relieve "cough, cough, cough"
■ Feng Yu
Winter temperatures are low and the air is dry. The respiratory system is affected by factors such as cold air stimulation, viral and bacterial infections, and cough symptoms are prone to occur. If the cough persists for a long time, or is accompanied by other symptoms such as expectoration, chest tightness, asthma, etc., it will affect normal work and life. Here, we introduce to you some simple and practical traditional Chinese medicine methods for relieving cough.
Rinse with salt water. After viruses, bacteria and other pathogens invade the human respiratory tract, they may cause inflammatory changes such as congestion, edema, and infiltration of inflammatory substances in the respiratory mucosa, causing coughing. Salt water can play a sterilizing and anti-inflammatory role. Gargling with salt water can prevent the further spread of viruses and bacteria in upper respiratory tract infections, thereby reducing inflammation of the respiratory mucosa and relieving cough symptoms. The specific method is as follows: add a little salt to the mineral water until you can taste the saltiness (the salt concentration is close to 0.9% at this time). Rinse your mouth with salt water three times a day for about 1 minute each time. Stop gargling with salt water when your cough subsides.
Fritillaria Fritillaria Steamed Pear. The dry air in winter can easily cause dry cough. The main symptoms are dry cough without phlegm, dry nasal cavity, dry mouth, etc. Steamed Fritillaria pear has the effect of clearing away heat, moistening the lungs and relieving cough, and has an obvious effect in treating dry cough. Grind 6 grams of Fritillaria fritillaria into powder, put it into a cored Sydney or Yali pear, steam it for half an hour and then eat it. It is recommended to take it once a day. It should be noted that people who cough with a lot of phlegm are prohibited from using this method.
Pickle ginger in vinegar. The temperature is low in winter. If you don't pay attention to protection, the human body is prone to external wind and cold. The main symptoms are cough, nasal congestion, runny nose, etc. Ginger is pungent and warm in nature and can induce sweating; vinegar contains acetic acid, which has a certain bactericidal effect. Ginger soaked in vinegar can effectively treat coughs caused by exogenous wind and cold. Peel the clean ginger, cut it into thin slices, then put it in vinegar, seal it and put it in the refrigerator, and it can be eaten after a week. It is recommended that people with exogenous colds take 3 slices of ginger daily. It should be noted that people with frequent acid reflux and patients with wind-heat and cold (such as yellow phlegm, yellow and greasy tongue coating) should not use the method of soaking ginger in vinegar, otherwise the condition may be aggravated.
Soak tangerine peel in water. Chenpi contains a variety of active ingredients, which can stimulate the respiratory mucosa and promote the discharge of phlegm. When cough patients are accompanied by expectoration symptoms, they can soak tangerine peel in water to dry dampness and resolve phlegm. Take 3~5 grams of tangerine peel, wash it thoroughly, dry it and soak it in water. Soak in boiling water for 5 to 10 minutes before drinking. It is recommended to drink 1-2 times a day, 100-200 ml each time. It should be noted that tangerine peel is warm in nature according to traditional Chinese medicine theory, so patients with dry mouth, dry nasal cavity, and dry cough without phlegm should use it with caution.
When cough symptoms occur, you can take the above methods according to your actual situation. It’s important to note that there are many causes of coughing. If the cough is severe and lasts for a long time, you should go to the hospital in time to determine the cause and receive comprehensive treatment. (Guo Yinghua Yang Cuiping)
