When in the breast the bomb bursts, and throat tearing barbed wire, I want to burrow in a warm blanket, shuttered Windows and a quiet lie down, but coughs does not relax.

Coughing is a natural (though unpleasant) reaction when something prevents the passage of air into the throat and bronchial tubes. Put simply, it's self-cleaning of the respiratory tract. By the way, cause it can do a lot - smoke, dust and even some medicines. But most of all we associate a cough with a cold. No matter it is caused by the virus, bacterium or fungus, inflammation of throat, dryness, or, conversely, the painful humidity provoke a cough.

A variety of causes and a variety of types. The type of cough can even determine, the flu, bronchitis or SARS. But in any case it is important to not treat the cough, ero a reason. After all, it can inform not only about the cold, but also heart disease, pneumonia and even cancer. Therefore, with the cough to the doctor!

Try to distinguish between

Bronchitis and pneumonia, usually accompanied by a barking cough cough silent, which if choke occurs when paralysis or severe vocal cord damage. The third type in the classification of the cough is hoarse, most often it occurs because of a dead voice.

Dry cough doctors call unproductive, he had no sputum. Usually occurs when allergies due to smoke, dust or chemical odors.
But in the case of respiratory infection this is bad: the mucous membranes of the hot, dry, painful cough and no relief. So by all means it is important to ensure that the cough has become wet.

Cough doctors called productive. It stands out phlegm, which means that the bronchial tubes are cleared of the infection. As a rule, from the transformation of dry cough in the damp starts recovery from respiratory illness. Thick greenish or yellow sputum indicates a strong bronchitis or even pneumonia. Treating the cause of a cough can not do without antibiotics. Gradually, the mucus becomes clear and easier to cough. Feel free to cough and spit, no matter how it may seem awkward.

Cause for concern

On the one hand, mild cough usually goes away. On the other — even a slight cough can be a sign of a serious disease. How to understand?

Be sure to contact the doctor if:

1. The cough and fever lasts more than 3 days.
2. Cough lasts more than 3 weeks.
3. The cough is accompanied by choking, shortness of breath, chest pains, nausea.
4. Dark phlegm or blood-tinged.

A slight tickle and a small cough on the background of explicit colds will go along with it, so again it is necessary to treat the cause.

Right help

Today presented in pharmacies many drugs that help with coughs and colds. How they navigate?

Antitussives suppress the cough mechanism. They operate or on the centre of cough in the brain, or on the receptors in the respiratory tract. Colds can not use them! Indeed, in this situation, the cough helps to clean the lungs and bronchi, and, if it is to suppress, all the infection will remain inside. In addition, there is a risk that the sputum, it will accumulate and will start pneumonia already because of her. They are valid only for the night, if the cough becomes intolerable.

Mucus-thinning (mucolytic) medicines help to transform dry cough into wet. They make the sputum less thick, easier then it appears. On the backdrop of these drugs need to drink plenty of fluids.

Expectorants enhance excretion of sputum. However, they only work with a wet cough, or the cough will only intensify, and a dense mass still will not come out. Modern drugs often combine the mucolytic and expectorant components, they can be taken with any cough.

Drugs that act on the cause of cough. In bacterial infection, usually antibiotics are. In viral — a tonic that helps get rid of the disease. Sometimes in the treatment of viruses good effect is given homeopathic medicines at the same time facilitating and cough.

Colds nothing to do with it?

How to identify external signs that the satellite is not the cough of a cold.

The first whooping cough similar to the common cold, but after 2 weeks starts spastic cough: a few short strong little cough for one short exhale and whistling breath. The attack is repeated up to 15 times, appears retching, clear sticky discharge.

Respiratory Allergy and bronchial ASMA is a dry painful cough, similar to asthma. Can be chronic, often with seasonal exacerbations. Especially at contact with the plant pollen, animal dander, nuts, etc. Sometimes have night seizures. Precursors — itching in the area of the chin, neck or chest.

Smoker's cough — the mucous membrane of the trachea and bronchi can not cope with the self-cleaning smoke. Business card — cough in the morning, shallow and frequent coughing during the day.

Heart cough occurs with angina or chronic heart failure. When the heart is unable to cope with the pumped blood volume and it stagnates in the organs. Including in the lungs, which swell the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Occurs dry cough, which increases in the supine position, accompanied by shortness of breath and feeling of lack of air. Of course, it is necessary to treat heart.

Medicinal cough can be a side effect of some drugs. For example, dry exhausting cough day while taking certain blood pressure meds, takes place 3-7 days after drug withdrawal. Another reason medicinal cough, some nasal drops: they should put like a couple of hours after started to cough.

Gastric cough occurs when gastroesophageal reflux disease. Symptom — heartburn cough. This happens after a heavy meal, lying down, tilted forward, with a loud laughter, singing, shouting.

Cough in diseases of the ear are accompanied by the problem of the external auditory canal, for example, sulfuric tube. In the ear a lot of cough receptors, which causes irritation and dry cough.

Cough of worms. Some worms (roundworms, Strongyloides, Ancylostoma) at certain stages of its development, penetrate into the lungs. Identify them on dry cough with pain in the chest and shortness of breath. It may last up to 6 months. Alerted, if the cough appeared during the warm time of the year when colds little dirty and a lot of fruit!

Prolonged cough (2 months and more), wet or dry, without apparent reason — a clear and unequivocal reason to do x-rays and to get directly involved in their own health.