THE DRY COUGHS AND ITS IMPLICATION

DISEASE: DRY COUGH

Dry cough is one where there is no phlegm or no sputum production. In wet cough, the person expels a lot of phlegm (or sputum), because of problems arising from the lungs like bronchitis, pneumonia,asthma or some rare uncommon disorders like lung cancer or GERD as well. Sometimes, people with a dry cough will feel the presence of a lump in the throat; others may feel a tickling sensation and cough to get rid of it, but find no relief. It is usually seen in the case of allergies, those exposed to smoke or other irritants, or those with mild sinusitis and viral infections of the upper respiratory tract.

               Coughs are basically divided into two types – dry cough and wet cough. Dry cough is one where there is no phlegm or no sputum production. In wet cough, the person expels a lot of phlegm (or sputum), because of problems arising from the lungs like bronchitis, pneumonia,asthma or some rare uncommon disorders like lung cancer or GERD as well.
     

Causes

Dry cough may be caused due to a number of reasons, some of the common ones are;

• A sore throat
• Inhaling an irritant like dust or smoke
• Asthma
• An allergic reaction

  However, we have more serious conditions that could give rise to a dry cough, h these are extremely rare occurrences like -

• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• GERD (gastro oesophagal reflux disease)
•  Heart disease (in rare cases)

Types

Dry cough can be of two or three types namely -

Dry hacking cough — Most commonly you see a dry hacking cough which is seen in viral infections of the nose and throat. In which you get a continuous cough with a feeling of something being stuck in the throat. 

Barking cough or croup — The other type of cough is what is called a barking cough or croup, which is mainly seen in laryngitis. (Swelling or infection of the larynx).  When the patient coughs, there is pain in the throat and difficulty in breathing. 

Whooping cough — The third type of dry cough would be a whooping cough, caused by bacteria. This is a very uncommon occurrence nowadays because of the presence of  vaccine programmes run by the government of India. This condition is usually seen only in children. It is a cough where the patient coughs continuously, after which there is a characteristic whoop sound and strong intake of a breath.

Diagnosis

On visiting a doctor, he/she will most likely ask you about your symptoms and listen to the sound of your cough. He/she will then listen to your chest sounds to check for any congestion and check your throat for any infection or inflammation.

In some cases you may need to undergo a chest X-ray in order for the doctor to make sure that there is no other underlying reason for the cough.

Treatment 

Though finding the root cause of the cough is key to treating it completely, certain home remedies and OTC medication can give some symptomatic relief. If your cough is accompanied by sore throat.

•  Steam inhalation: moistens the airways and helps relieve a sore and irritated throat. Other remedies include using lozenges to soothe the throat and OTC cough syrups specifically formulated to treat a dry cough. 

In cases where the cough is due to an allergy or infection, one may be prescribed and antibiotics and anti-histamines respectively to relieve the associated symptoms. If the patient’s condition worsens it may be necessary to use a nebulizer, which is a method to help the patient breath easily by dilating the bronchioles.

Home remedies

Here are  10 natural remedies that work to not only keep a cough and cold at bay but also help relieve the symptoms.

• Gargles
• Drink Warm Liquids
• Throat Lozenges
• Use Vaporubs
• Sleep With the Head Elevated
• Turmeric Remedies
• Honey Remedies
• Ginger Remedies
• Garlic Remedies
• Jaggery Remedies

Apart from these, hing or asafoetida, jeera, mint leaves, tulsi leaves and aloe vera are also effective in providing relief from cough.

Complications

A dry cough, if left untreated can cause a lot of problems. Therefore, it is important that we know when to visit a doctor or when it is dangerous. Usually, when a cough lasts for longer than a week and over the counter medication do not help, it means you need a doctor. Here a person can develop complications due to the underlying conditions like inability to breathe, fainting, or even death.

Another complication is the physical nature of the cough itself. Sometimes the nature of the cough is so severe that it can cause vomiting, fractures specifically that of the ribs, muscle pain around the back and urinary or stool incontinence.

Prevention

Here are some simple and easy ways to stay away from a cough -

• If you are suffering from cough, cover your nose and mouth while coughing or sneezing
• Always wash hands thoroughly with water and soap

In addition to this, there are few things you should avoid when you’re suffering from a cough. This include -

• Avoid eating cold foods
• Avoid overeating at night
• Avoid sleeping flat on the back
• Avoid eating fried foods
• Avoid smoking
• Avoid caffeinated beverages
• Avoid over-exertion

Also follow these 10 tips to reduce coughing bouts at night.

The content has been verified by Dr Mehul Thakkar, pulmonologist, practising in Mumbai.