Suffering from a constant cough can be extremely annoying and slightly embarrassing even, not just for you – but for those around you as well. We sometimes associate a cough as a sign of sickness, and while this is mostly the case, it is not true one hundred percent of the time. There are many things that cause a constant cough in both adults and children – lets review them now.
1. Colds: When a person comes down with the common cold, phlegm and post-nasal drip can lead to those types of coughs. Much like a fever and body aches, coughing is a side-effect of your body’s defense system being weaker. An over the counter decongestant is the common “cure” for this because it cuts down on post nasal drip.
2. Environmental irritants: Allergies, pet dander and pollen are common environmental occurrences that can trigger a constant cough. If you suffer from these, chances are you already know to treat it with an antihistamine. If you are unaware of any allergy and aren’t suffering from a common cold – you may want to visit an allergist who can run tests just to rule this out. This is especially true if you are a new pet owner, many people don’t become aware of a pet dander problem until they have an animal that lives in their home. Again, this can be treated with either a prescription or over the counter antihistamine.
3. Air-borne irritants: If you find yourself coughing a lot at night or when you are in a specific place – it could be the air within that room or home that triggers your cough. If it is a room within your home or a place that you have control over, a humidifier or air purifier may be just the solution that you have been searching for.
4. Asthma or Bronchitis: Any medical issue that has a direct impact on the throat, lungs and airway is prone to cause bouts of coughing. The restriction of your breathing passages will cause you to gasp, struggle for air – and in turn, trigger your cough reflexes. Your doctor prescribed inhalant should be sufficient treatment for this.
There are several things that you can do to proactively prevent your coughing fits in both natural methods and over the counter medicines. Mucinex does a wonderful job of clearing out that yucky mucus and it works really quickly as well. There aren’t any side effects like drowsiness associated with it either. Sucking on peppermints or another hard candy works great too. Sometimes that nagging cough is rooted in an overly dry throat, by sucking on candies – you are keeping your throat moist. Hot teas and soups also have the same general effect as candies, but the warmth of the liquid is also soothing, which is perfect for a dry and achy throat.
Most coughs are easily diagnosed and treated, but if you have a cough that is violent, painful, last longer than 10-12 days even with treatment, or produces a foul smelling, odd looking mucus – seek medical attention immediately. For more on causes, and treatments, visit us right now at >> << Article Source:
