Coughing is a simple human reflex that doesn’t look like any potential threat. Though whooping cough that lasts for more than two weeks can be an indication towards some serious illness or viral infection that may require immediate medical attention. Coughing starts when the air passage becomes irritated or inflamed with foreign bodies like dust particles or smoke. This activity helps in removing the irritants from the air passage.
Virus is primarily responsible for generic cough which is curable with the aid of simple home remedies and sometimes even without any treatment.
Pattern of coughs:
There are various reasons responsible for the cause of cough that requires special treatment. Cough can be classified based on its duration and severity. Some of the most common cough is acute cough, chronic cough, dry cough, nocturnal cough and hemoptysis.
When the cough persists for more than three weeks without any visible improvement, the patient must visit a doctor for a proper diagnosis. Coughing is seen in many medical conditions. The duration and features of the cough helps the doctor in detecting the underlying disorder in the patient.
Acute cough is generally characterized by upper respiratory tract infection. This is a kind of viral throat infection. Acute cough is often associated with high pitched whooping sound.
Lower respiratory tract infection is also a kind of acute cough that affects the airways and causes infection into the lungs.
One of the most potentially life threatening condition happens when the clot blood from the leg veins travel to the lungs causing difficulties in breathing associated with cough.
Chronic cough persists over time and include certain risk factors related to the lungs. There are different causes behind chronic cough like COPD, asthma, lungs infection and lungs cancer. Chronic cough if not diagnosed timely can put the patient in life threatening situation.
Inhaling of harmful pollutants in the air and long term smoking are the prime reason behind such acute respiratory syndrome.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by tightness in the chest, difficulties in breathing, the condition is typically an amalgamation of three respiratory disorders like asthma, bronchitis and emphysema. People after the age of 60 are more prone to COPD attack.
Lungs infection is another fatal condition that is caused by TB bacteria. Tuberculosis is a grave contagious disease that spread from one person to another. Person infected with TB bacteria when sneezes or cough in public area without covering up the nostrils zone release the germs that affects the nearby person who inhale the air. The symptoms of tuberculosis include whooping cough that last for more than three weeks including high fever, night sweats, dark urine and jaundice. TB if not diagnosed timely can claim the life of the ailing patient.
Neglecting cough can lead to chronic respiratory syndrome:
Lack of proper awareness lead to many health complications among the Indians and neglecting cough as a normal activity leads to severe chest complications in many.
Dr. Ashish Tandon, a renowned chest physician and the centre head of Haridaya Super Speciality Hospital located in Allahabad, puts emphasis on early diagnosis of the initial symptoms of cough in order to avert unwanted critical situation. Haridaya Hospital is a name that is setting a revolutionary example in the treating various chest and respiratory complications in India. The centre is well facilitated with global standards of medical services and amenities that solely aim to offer the best treatment to the ailing patients at affordable medical packages.
Dr. Tandon is known to be a compassionate and competent physician holding more than over two decades of experience in treating patients with severe respiratory disorder. Dr. Tandon is a visiting consultant to many hospitals in Allahabad and is also a chief spokesperson in many medical conferences in India and abroad.
In India, patients suffering from cough are generally treated with herbal home remedies in the initial phase which Dr. Tandon considered okay until the cough sustain for more than a week. Considering the increasing level of air pollution and the presence of harmful allergens that we inhale, Dr. Tandon suggests consulting an eligible chest physician if the condition worsens.
The Symptoms that indicate the worsening condition of cough are:
With such visible symptoms a patient must visit a general physician to detect the syndrome. For acute cough or viral infection it is necessary to soothe down the throat with simple natural remedies like honey or lemon. An experienced physician will ask the concerned patient to leave smoking and tobacco addiction in order to facilitate the process of treatment and may suggest inhale form of medication rather than intake of tablets or syrup.
How coughing can be avoided?
Cough is normally seen as a muscle action that helps in cleaning the air passages from allergens or foreign bodies. But if someone is prone to allergy or have a tendency to catch cold or flu, then that individual needs to stop smoking and avoid dusty and smoky areas.
Other consequences of cough:
Not only acute respiratory disease, prolonged cough can also indicate other disorders too. Such as:
Lung Cancer: Persistent cough for more than three weeks can be a sign of lungs cancer. Abnormal cells growth in the bronchial walls is responsible for this grave disease. In its advance stage the sufferer is likely to cough up blood which is an indication that the individual requires immediate medical attention.
Cystic Fibrosis: This is an inherited disease that is characterized by abnormally thick and sticky mucus that blocks the air passage of the lungs and traps bacteria leading to serious infections. This condition severely damages the lungs and cause respiratory failure.
Congestive heart failure: Dry hacking cough while lying down is an early symptom of this disease. In this condition the patient's heart becomes unable to pump blood and prevent it from accumulating in the lungs leading to sudden heart failure and premature death.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): This is one of the most contagious fatal viral respiratory infections and the symptoms are very much similar to that of pneumonia or flu. A chronic and sustaining cough can be an indication of SARS.
Home care for chronic cough may bring some relief but is unable to detect the underlying cause. Suspicious form of cough requires immediate referral to a specialist. Hence a proper diagnosis and doctor’s recommendation is needed to eradicate the root cause of any respiratory disorder.
