What Exactly Means Cough??? A cough is a defensive mechanism by the body which brings out the mucus secretion or foreign particles from the air passage which hinders in the regular breathing cycle.Mucus consists of water and Glycoproteins which act as a natural barrier for the body to keep the airway moist, but the mucus becomes thick due environmental condition then it affects the circulatory system which ends up in a cough to bring out the viscous sputum out.
Causes for Cough??? There are Humpty number of causes for a cough. The causes can be due to External Factors like Dust, pollen, smoke or due to Internal Factors which can be of induced cough due to alcohol consumption, medication or congenital factors(Birth defects) like Laryngomalacia, Bronchogenic Cyst, Tracheomalacia, Adenomatoid malformation.
Let’s know more about the cough types in detail.
15 Different Types of Cough:
Classified According to Secretion Produced During Cough:
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Productive Cough:
A productive cough is a wet cough .While coughing Sputum is secreted out during the course of cough .The mucus running back of the throat during the night know as the Postnasal drip which tickles the nerves and triggers in coughing.This type of a cough is most common in the night.The most common cause is allergens, dairy product intake during the night and also during the course of viral infection.
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Non-Productive Cough:
This is a useless cough which can also be suppressed.This is also called as Dry-Cough which does not bring out mucus while coughing.The later stage of cold usually ends up with a dry cough, since all the mucus has been drain out.Other respiratory symptoms like Dyspnea, hoarse voice also tags along with this Dry cough and adds up in irritation of the throat
Read: Cough Syrups Names List
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Mucus Cough During Winter:
Due to the decrease in defending mechanism by the body, there is an increase in production of mucus, especially during winter.
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Breathless, Painful Cough:
Due to chest congestion caused due to congenital disease leading to breathlessness and painful cough.
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Chronic Dry Cough:
It is usually an unexplainable cough, doctors have found out that a chronic cough caused due to the hypersensitive upper respiratory tract.This hypersensitivity increases the risk of a cough even when dust or cold air is taken in.
Respiratory Distress:
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Coughing Accompanied by Wheezing:
This is a useless cough which can be supressed.This is also called as Dry-Cough which does not bring out mucus while coughing.The later stage of cold usually ends up with dry cough, since all the mucus has been drain out.Other respiratory symptoms like Dyspnea, hoarse voice
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Asthmatic Cough:
A lingering cough is one of the main symptoms of asthma due to bronchial hyperactivity.People with the asthmatic condition have an inflamed airway passage and restricted alveoli expansion of lungs.In order to protect from foreign particles the bronchial tubules are contracted which lead to a dry cough accompanied by high pitched wheezing sound.
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) Cough:
A lingering cough is one of the main symptoms of asthma due to bronchial hyperactivity.People with the asthmatic condition have an inflamed airway passage and restricted alveoli expansion of lungs.In order to protect from foreign particles the bronchial tubules are contracted which lead to a dry cough accompanied by high pitched wheezing sound.
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Bronchitis Cough:
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tube due to viral infection.Viruses like rhinovirus, influenza and other.It is also called a chest cold.
Read: Dry Cough Remedies
Bacteria:
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Whooping Cough:
Also called as Pertussis which is a bacterial infection.Seen most commonly in kids.It starts as a mild cough then sneezing, low temperature and in next days it aggregates into a whopping cough.The child coughs so harder that all the oxygen content in the lung decreases and leading to gasping for air.Due to continuous whooping cough, the face turns out red or purple and some kids and adults may tend to vomit.
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Pneumonia induced Cough:
A cough is an induced reflex from the small nerve endings seen in the passage of the lungs which helps to bring out the material which causes damages the lungs.Pneumonia is a disease caused by bacteria which leads to inflammation of the airway and leading to cough and secretion of sputum which is usually rusty green tinged with blood.In adults usually, it takes two to three week to cure, for babies it is a deadly disease.
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Croup Cough:
This type of a cough is most commonly seen in children especially kids below three years of age who have developing airway passage. A croup cough begins as a normal cough which aggravates in a week which inflames the airway passage which leads to cough which is loud and resembles like a barking.Children are seen with swollen upper tracheal tube also called the windpipe which is caused due to viral infection.Heavy breathing is experienced by children after coughing which is usually high pitch sound also called as “Stridor”. This worsens during night with an increase in body temperature and voice becomes hoarse and chocky. Hospitalization is required for children when a croup cough does not subside or breathlessness or developing blue to grayish skin seen on the fingernails, mouth or around the nose.
Gastro-Disorder:
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Gastroesophageal Re-flux Disease(GERD) Cough:
People with chronic gastritis problem face this condition, in this condition the gastric juice reflexes back to the mouth due to acidity caused by the food consumed as well as the acidic nature of the stomach.The acidic nature differs for each person.It is the second most common chronic cough according to the review published in “Nature” in 2006.This type of a spasmodic cough is caused during eating or night during sleep when the gastric juice regurgitate.
Medication:
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A cough caused due to Medication:
Most common Chronic and persistent cough is experienced people who are taking Blood pressure drugs like ACEs (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) inhibitors which causes accumulation of bradykinin on the respiratory pathway leading respiratory distress and also beta blockers which is associated with bronchoconstriction which induces the urge to clear the throat and leading to a dry cough.Another common Medication is the nasal steroids in a spray form.
Allergens:
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An Allergic Cough:
Sensitive hair follicles present inside the nose when disturbed by various external factor leading to allergic cold and cough.This type of a cough is a seasonal cough seen during the spring season.Some people are very sensitive even to air condition which causes cold and cough.
Read: Cough Only At Night
Prevention of Cough:
- Quitting the habit of smoking and with right diet plan will help in preventing cough for adults.For kids, it is necessary to follow good hygienic rules with right food habits.
Diagnosing the correct type of a cough and treating with right medication is the key to getting rid of a mild and chronic cough. Apart from specific remedies, a cough can be treated according to the symptoms represented with Pharyngeal demulcents, expectorants or antitussives like opioids, Non-opioids& antihistamines & Bronchodilators. A cough is useful in exploration of thick mucus from the air passages which should not be suppressed and withdrawn in which will lead to an accumulation of the mucus and bacteria content present in it.
