These days the number of people suffering from diseases is increasing rapidly. Health care has taken a backseat in our busy schedules. And such behavior of ours is not right, as we ourselves are responsible for our depleting health. So in order to keep our health under a check, it is always guided to take precautionary actions rather than finally getting that disease and then curing it.
Further in this article we will learn about recognizing asthma cough and its treatment in detail ESPE
Asthma symptoms
Different persons show different symptoms of asthma and their intensity also varies from one person to other. The common symptoms of asthma includes producing whistling or wheezing sound while breathing out, tightening in chest or pain felt in chest, shortness experienced in breath, difficulty while sleeping due to coughing or shortness of breath, coughing etc.
Cough
It is also known as tussis. Coughing is a mechanism of our body to throw out, mucus, irritant particles, harmful bacteria, Microbes, and other harmful and annoying particle matter. Our body performs this function by forcing air out of the lungs with enormous pressure. So the coughing assist in cleaning the throat. There are two types of cough one is itchy while the other is chesty which is also called productive since it generates phlegm. And many a times coughing is very annoying and makes a person restless. Although it makes person feel uncomfortable and uneasy but it cannot be ignored that coughing in people suffering with asthma is helpful as it act as body’s natural defence mechanisms.
Causes of asthma
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Bacteria and Viruses
Respiratory tract infections [RTI] such as flu, cold in the common, laryngitis, pharyngitis/tonsillitis, acute rhinitis, acute rhinosinusitis and acute otitis media. Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) and Upper respiratory tract infections are two of its type (URTIs). Most of the times RTI is caused by virus
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Smoking
The cough due to smoking is also known by people as smoker’s cough. The cough caused by cough lasts for a longer period of time and gives very distinguishing kind of sound.
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Medicines
The medicines used for treatment of high blood pressure and heart conditions sometimes may cause coughing, although it is very unusual. A person alone cannot decide by himself whether the medicine taken by him is causing any cough problem it can be determined by doctor after listening to patient.
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Asthma
Coughing can be a telltale of asthma. Further in this article we will learn about cough due to asthma, and its treatment.
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Other causes
Cough may also occur due to other factors such as pulmonary embolism etc.
Predicting asthma cough
Since there are more than just one cause of cough and asthma is one of those causes it becomes a task to determine whether the cough you have got is due to asthma or not. It’s very general to make a opinion that coughing might be due to a cold or bronchitis, but if that cough becomes chronic, it might be a sign of asthma. Chronic cough implies the cough which lasts for seven to eight weeks in your body.
Generally coughing which is due to asthma is coincided by wheezing. And a very peculiar sound is often made during it which is high pitched caused due to narrowed airways. Many a times cough is the sole symbol of asthma. To determine the cough problem you have got is due to asthma or not, it can be useful to analyse if you have got any other related symptoms of asthma. And other than cough symptoms of asthma include:
- Problems in doing exercise
- Chronic illness and infections
- Tightness experienced in chest
- Wheezing
- Fatigue
Night coughs are usually linked with asthma or other breathing problems. When a person is suffering from asthma, coughing ca be more annoying, particularly at night time. It doesn’t allow the person to take peaceful sleep and requires a lot of care. The diagnosis is essential for asthma cough.
In asthma cough is divided into three categories known as CVA, cough-predominant asthma and cough that takes place to continue despite standard therapy with inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators. CVA is a subtype of asthma which is often present solely with cough without manifesting any other symptoms like wheezing and other. In the case of cough-predominant asthma, cough is the most chief symptom but their also exist other symptoms like wheezing and/or dyspenea. The third subtype is defined as cough that persists despite the control of other symptoms such as wheeze and breathlessness with standard treatment such as inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and beta-agonists.
General asthma cough triggers
- Rapidly varying weather patterns and weather conditions such as humidity, cold air
- The allergens found outside home, like pollen from weeds, trees and grass
- Allergens present inside the houses like mould, dust mites and pet dander. Pet dander is there in the houses of people who keeps a furry pet as they are the source of this pet dander.
- Food additives or some particular types of drugs may trigger your cough to worse.
- The irritants spread out in air like smoke emitted from burning wood and plastic waste among other substances, pollution from vehicles and industries, chemical fumes, strong smells such as perfume or room fresheners.
- Colds, the flu or other illnesses
- Exercise [ Though exercise in some cases also help to keep disease in control so its recommended to consult your doctors about the pattern of exercise you follow or intend to follow. So it implies that person suffering from asthma should follow doctor’s instructions earnestly and accordingly follow the prescribed pattern so as to avoid any kind of possible problematic situation.]
- Taking over stress.
Treatment of asthma cough
Traditional treatments
Controller medications are often prescribed by doctors for the treatment of asthma. Inhaled corticosteroids are used to decrease lung inflammation, which is one of the causes of asthma cough. These are used for long period, as opposite to oral corticosteroids, which are used for short span of time during harsh flare-ups.
Long-term oral medications like leukotriene modifiers may also assist in providing respite in asthma cough.
It is prescribed by doctors to use quick-relief inhalers to have control in case of coughing flare-ups and wheezing.
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, quick-relief inhalers are meant for use once or twice a week. Doctors also recommend them to use before going for exercise or during an illness period. A person should faster contact doctor if he/ she feels that they rely on quick-relief inhaler more usual than recommended.
Alternative treatments
They may also help to reduce asthmatic cough, but always to remember that they are complementary treatments. A person should never ignore prescribed medications for homeopathic medicine. A person can take the help of alternative options of treatment but he/she must inform his/her doctor and follow doctor’s advice. Here below are listed the alternative treatments:
Meditate
Types of meditation a person can do
- Concentration meditation: It is a technique in which a person has to focus on a single point. This may be done by repeating a single word or mantra, continuously looking at a single point, or by way of listening to a repetitive noise.In beginning it might be difficult, a person can do only for few minutes, but it definitely improves with leading time.
- Mindfulness meditation: Mindfulness meditation is a technique of analysing wandering thoughts as they pass through the mind. The purpose is not to get into the thoughts deeply or to make opinion about them, but to keep ourselves aware of each mental note as it arises
- Acupuncture: A person can go to acupuncture specialist and take their treatment for some respite. Acupuncture points which are present on the back and chest may be considered local points for treatment of asthma. In acupuncture specialists do the treatment with the help of needles and for every disease there are different points are there.
- Hypnosis: In some cases the use of this therapy may be able to minimise the effect of the allergens to the extent that it seems that person’s asthma is cured. But it’s not more than a complementary treatment and should be performed only after doctor advice.
Yoga breathing
Bharastika
It is also called breath of fire. It comprises of exhaling and inhaling in order to provide complete oxygen to our body. This asana gives power to lungs, helps in asthma, respiratory diseases, improves immune system and also helps in curing common cold.
Nadi Shodhan Pranayama
This is also called as Alternate Nostril Breathing. Nadis are energy channels of our body which tend to get blocked due to unhealthy lifestyle, physical trauma and stress. Shodhan means cleaning and unblocking of nadis. This asana assists you in getting rid of tensions, stress and helps to keep the mind peaceful.
Anulom Vilom Pranayama
This breathing exercise is very easy to perform and has many benefits too. It helps to reduce stress and coming out of depression. It is an effective way of improving the functioning of lungs. It is an very efficient practice for asthma patients and when regularly done helps abundantly.
Kapalbhati Pranayama
Kapalbhati Pranayama asana is a well-known breathing exercise which is done for the purpose of improving the functioning of respiratory system.
Savasana
This asana is like sleeping position and helps in relaxing down mind and body.
Herbs
Herbs such as dry ivy, turmeric, garlic etc. should not be taken without informing doctor.
Prevention
Apart from taking the treatment for your asthma cough, you yourself can help reduce the chances of asthma cough by adopting few lifestyle changes. Measures like keeping a humidifier in your room can help reduce night coughs. And if the air quality is not good you can avoid going outside and try to limit your outdoor activities. Taking the right medication at right time and rigidly following procedure for treatment of asthma cough. Regularly consulting your doctor and informing them about your improvements, or any other kind of development.
As a way of prevention it is very helpful to identify and analyse your asthma triggers. You can take the help of your doctor for their identification. And once identified you should adopt every possible measure to keep your asthma cough trigger under check. The triggers for asthma cough have been discussed earlier in this article. And when you will start to avoid the triggers for your asthma cough you will start to feel improvement in your cough problem very rapidly and feel relief.
And in case allergies are making your asthma cough worse, you need to prevent and treat allergen exposure.
Conclusion
The disease like asthma can be controlled only if proper care is taken and there is no scope for ignorance for such type of chronic problems. The possible way in this direction is to control and manage your arising symptoms. Treating asthma cough is extremely crucial to prevent lung from getting damaged, which if occurred is hard to handle. Especially children need special care as they are very easily prone to this cough problem and their immune system is not as strong as adults. But with proper care and prevention measures you can successfully help yourself to keep your cough at ease. Along with following proper medication treatment measures from your sides are very influential
Our health is the most important treasure we have got and it is our responsibility to keep it safe. Without good health life becomes harder to live. So if you have got issue there are solutions also.
Here in this article we have seen asthma cough triggers, causes, how to identify asthma cough, and treatment for asthma cough and also alternative measures of treatment which are complementary in nature and can be taken after doctor consultation.
With the good management, the problems resulting out of asthma cough will eventually become better.
Make sure to contact your doctor before getting worse.
Sirisha B