Dry cough for several months. Why does a dry cough not go away for a long time? Why does the cough not go away after pneumonia?

When a cough does not go away for a long time, it is always unpleasant. Moreover, more often people suffer from attacks at night. This means that a person is deprived of normal rest, the larynx is constantly irritated and, over time, serious diseases develop. The ways to get rid of it depend on the underlying cause, which is the primary task of doctors and the patient to determine. So if you've had a cough for three weeks or more, it's time to take immediate action.

TEST: Why do you have a cough?

How long have you been coughing?

Is your cough combined with a runny nose and is most noticeable in the morning (after sleep) and in the evening (already in bed)?

The cough can be described as:

You characterize the cough as:

Can you tell that the cough is deep (to understand this, take more air into your lungs and cough)?

During a coughing attack you feel pain in your stomach and/or chest(pain in the intercostal muscles and abdominals)?

Do you smoke?

Pay attention to the nature of the mucus that is released during a cough (it doesn’t matter how much it is: a little or a lot). She:

Do you feel dull pain in the chest, which does not depend on movements and is of an “internal” nature (as if the center of pain is in the lung itself)?

Do shortness of breath bother you (during physical activity Do you quickly become out of breath and get tired, your breathing becomes faster, followed by a lack of air)?

Main reasons

There are many reasons why a cough does not go away for a long time. It is not always possible to identify them quickly. Especially when the cough has been going on for more than a month, and there are obvious accompanying symptoms No. If you do not pay attention to it, serious bronchopulmonary diseases gradually develop. Therefore, it is advisable to find out as soon as possible what is happening in the body and why it does not go away. prolonged cough in adults.

Among the main reasons the leading ones are:

Residual cough is considered the most harmless of all the reasons listed above. It occurs after a cold, acute respiratory infection or acute respiratory viral infection and disappears without any treatment in about 2 weeks. If the cough does not go away for a month or more, then this is a reason for a second visit to the doctor. This may be a sign of reduced immunity or low-grade inflammation. In any case, it is better to undergo additional treatment.

With strong allergic reaction There is a profuse secretion of mucus and a paroxysmal cough, which is easily recognizable. But if the exposure to the allergen is weak, then a slight cough may be present for a long time– 2 months or more. Tuberculosis, a dangerous lung disease that is easy to detect at an early stage, begins in the same way.

Therefore, when you continue to have a cough for which there seems to be no visible reasons, it is better to get examined.

First of all, an x-ray of the lungs. If it does not reveal any pathologies, consult an allergist. He will appoint several laboratory tests which will help identify the allergen, and antihistamines to relieve cough. We will have to talk about other reasons in more detail.

Smoker's cough

One of the most common reasons why an adult may develop a lingering cough is smoking. Moreover we're talking about not only about tobacco products, but also considered harmless electronic cigarettes Oh. Irritation from tobacco is stronger because cigarette smoke contains nicotine, carcinogens and harmful tars, which clog the lungs and bronchi and settle on them in dense clots. The body tries to get rid of them with a cough, which can last for years.

When smoking electronic cigarettes, you inhale not smoke, but water vapor. But the concentration of pure nicotine is increased. Nicotine causes spasm of capillaries and poor circulation, and also damages the fuzzy lining of the bronchi, making it impossible to normally expectorate accumulated mucus. Gradually developing Chronical bronchitis, and carcinogens can provoke cancer.

To get rid of smoker's cough once and for all, there is only one way - to give up this habit once and for all. Otherwise, any measures that will be taken will have only a temporary effect.

After quitting smoking, they will help cleanse the respiratory system and stop long cough expectorants. They perfectly dilute mucus and promote its active discharge.

Harmful work

A prolonged cough in an adult may have professional reasons. Moreover, it can appear not only among those who work in hazardous industries. This type of cough is easier to identify - that’s all negative factors obvious. Moreover, for such people it is mandatory to undergo regular preventive examination. They also usually have the means personal protection(respirators, special bandages, masks, etc.). Another thing is that many neglect them, violating basic rules safety precautions.

But often people who work with wood, fabrics, and iron begin to cough. When processing these materials, tiny particles enter the lungs when inhaled, gradually accumulate there and provoke a constant, incessant cough, which can last 3-4 months or more. If left unattended, bronchitis may develop, bronchial asthma and other unpleasant diseases.

Nail technicians, hairdressers, and people working with paint and varnish materials are also at risk. There are two ways to get rid of the problem: change your profession or constantly use protective masks when working.

Chronic diseases

First of all, an incessant cough, which periodically intensifies, is caused by chronic respiratory diseases: pneumonia, bronchitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, etc. During the period of remission, which sometimes lasts a month or more, it may hardly manifest itself. During an exacerbation there are frequent attacks which are accompanied by suffocation, severe irritation larynx and spasms.

Depending on the diagnosis, the cough can be dry or wet and treatment in in this case should not so much stop an attack as prevent its onset. Such people are usually under the supervision of a doctor. Self-medication in this case is ineffective.

But some folk remedies help relieve an attack and relieve throat irritation. These are rinses, inhalations, homemade medicines and syrups, warm drink and frequent gargling.

Other diseases that are not directly related to the respiratory system can also cause a persistent or periodic cough:

A persistent cough can also be a symptom of the presence of tumors in the respiratory system. But in this case, the cough is usually dry, unproductive, and if sputum is coughed up, it contains a small amount of blood. The sooner they are identified, the more likely full recovery.

Cure cough caused by chronic diseases it is forbidden. It will periodically decrease and then increase again during the acute stage. Sometimes periods of remission last up to six months, and sometimes no more than a month.

Attacks can be treated with antitussives or expectorants, depending on the underlying disease.

Infectious diseases

If a persistent cough for the reasons listed above usually occurs without fever, then when viruses or infections enter the body, it usually rises sharply. Some dangerous diseases they like to “hide”, so after 2-3 days the temperature may disappear on its own, but the cough remains.

In this situation, it is important to find out as soon as possible why the cough does not go away and what kind of infection it is caused by. IN otherwise after some time, an exacerbation may occur again, and curing the disease will be much more difficult. You should immediately consult a doctor if any cough does not go away for a long time, it is accompanied by a temperature (even low!) and is accompanied by other alarming symptoms:

  • yellow, orange, or green sputum;
  • severe wheezing, whistling in the lungs when breathing;
  • traces or streaks of blood in expectorated mucus;
  • shortness of breath even with minimal aerobic exercise(running, fast walking, etc.);
  • pain in the chest when inhaling;
  • constant night attacks;
  • cough is dry, sharp, with a feeling of suffocation.

If a persistent cough does not go away for a long time, then you definitely need to visit a doctor, get tested, and, if necessary, undergo a comprehensive diagnostic examination. These symptoms may indicate dangerous diseases: chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc. And incorrect, and even more so home treatment or its absence can lead to serious complications, even death.

Treatment is prescribed individually depending on the diagnosis. Usually these are antibiotics wide range actions, antihistamines, syrups or tablets, anti-inflammatory drugs.

Physiotherapeutic procedures help to quickly overcome a prolonged cough: UHF, electrophoresis, paraffin therapy, etc. They are prescribed already at the stage of recovery, when the body temperature has stabilized and does not rise above 37.2.

Prevention methods

Measures to prevent a prolonged cough are simple and familiar to everyone from childhood. But maybe that's why most people neglect them. A frivolous attitude towards own health does not remain without consequences. We take the liberty of reminding you of the measures that will prevent the disease from staying with you for a long time:

Important! If a residual cough persists for 3 weeks or more, be sure to consult a doctor again.

It is easier to prevent a disease than to cure it. And cough is no exception. Therefore, be more attentive to your health and take care of your respiratory system. After all, they supply the body with vital oxygen.

Cough is a protective reaction of the body to various stimuli which most often become various infections. This problem can occur in a person of any age at any time. Cough causes a lot of discomfort, disrupting the usual way of life, especially annoying at night, when the body requires sleep and rest.

My story about dry cough with a happy ending

Since childhood, I have often suffered from all sorts of acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections, so I am familiar with coughing firsthand. When I moved out from my parents to live in my own small apartment without a balcony, with cast iron batteries, which mercilessly dried out the air in winter, laryngitis settled in my life. I coughed all the time, no medicine helped, and more often than not it ended in hospitalization in the hospital. The situation was resolved when I changed my place of residence.

Having two children, being sick became an unaffordable luxury for me. When youngest child I was 1.5 months old, and the whole family was just lying there with fever, snot and cough, I almost got sick myself. It all started with a sore throat and a dry cough. But, since I was breastfeeding, I could not be treated with regular adult medications. My nightly attacks of dry cough began to wake up the baby, so I actively began treatment.

  1. Inhalations using a nebulizer with regular saline 4-5 times a day, literally in a couple of days they saved me from an incipient cold.
  2. Whenever possible, I herded everyone into one room and ventilated the rest of the apartment.
  3. I can't stand warm milk since childhood, but... warm tea with chamomile and milk significantly relieved coughing attacks.
  4. Cough lozenges lysobact are allowed even during pregnancy and breastfeeding. They have antiseptic properties. I still don’t understand whether they had an effect. But I took it just in case.
  5. Gargling a solution of salt and soda after 2 times immediately eliminated the itching effect. Baking soda is great at killing germs and viruses, but frequent gargling can dry out your throat, causing an even worse cough.
  6. 2 humidifiers worked in our apartment non-stop for several days. As soon as they ran out of water, I immediately added new water and turned it on again.

As a result, the cough stopped after a couple of days, and I felt that I had successfully dealt with the disease using very humane measures.

A little about dry cough: its causes

Anything can cause a cough: from a trivial hit foreign body in the throat to the point of swelling.

But still the most common reasons The appearance of this symptom may be:

  • infections of various nature;
  • allergy;
  • excessively dry air;
  • side effects of medications;
  • a lot of dust or chemical compounds in the inhaled air;
  • neurological abnormalities.

If we are talking about infectious nature cough, it can be caused by the following diseases:

  • diseases of the ENT organs (pharyngitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, various acute respiratory viral infections);
  • diseases of the respiratory system (bronchitis, pneumonia, pleurisy, bronchial asthma);
  • whooping cough;
  • pulmonary tuberculosis.

Dry cough remedies in my medicine cabinet

Having tried many cough remedies, I chose the most effective and safe drugs and methods that have shown effectiveness in the treatment of viral diseases.

Medicines

  • Ascoril (syrup). A fairly inexpensive but very effective expectorant that helps quickly thin mucus and promote its removal. However, it cannot be used together with antitussives, otherwise all the phlegm will simply be stopped and remain inside.
  • Lysobacter. Antiseptic cough lozenges that help relieve coughs due to their bactericidal effect. They have practically no contraindications and even help my children very well.

  • Tantum verde (spray, lozenges). A good anti-inflammatory agent with pleasant taste mint. It is also suitable even for children and quickly helps cope with an attack of dry cough.
  • Miramistin (spray). Possesses bactericidal effect. Effective in complex treatment, although on its own it can help cope with a dry cough in the first stages of the disease.
  • Prospan (syrup, drops). Expectorant, antitussive and antispasmodic, which is effective for any cough caused by viral infection. Herbal preparation Based on ivy leaf extract, it does not contain alcohol, sugar or dyes. Showed good effect, but it appeared only on the third day of use. The cost is above average.
  • ACC (effervescent tablets). The strongest and effective remedy with a dry cough, when it is necessary to thin the sputum as soon as possible. The result is felt after the first use. Upon admission of this medicine You should not take any other mucolytics to avoid excessive sputum discharge, which can cause complications.

Folk remedies

  • Breast collection. It has 4 categories depending on the severity of the disease. All options contain chamomile, which has an antiseptic effect, and licorice root, which is rightfully recognized as one of the best folk remedies for combating dry cough.
  • Linden tea with honey. Linden helps not only cope with viruses, but also helps reduce the temperature in acute period diseases. And honey is recognized as the best folk remedy for almost all diseases, including dry cough. However, it is not recommended for allergy sufferers to consume honey.
  • Radish with honey. To prepare it, take a radish root, preferably black, cut a hole in the middle and pour it with honey for several hours. The resulting juice mixed with honey is consumed 1 spoon 3 times a day. I remembered this recipe from childhood, when my mother cooked it at painful cough, which did not allow me to sleep peacefully. Perhaps this has become the most effective folk remedy for cough that I now treat children with. The cough goes away incredibly quickly.

  • Burnt sugar. Melt a few tablespoons of sugar in a metal saucepan until Brown, scrape with a spoon and roll the resulting caramel onto sticks, and then cool. Oddly enough, such lollipops helped my daughter a lot when, in the first days of her illness, a terrible cough led to choking and vomiting.
  • Peach oil. It helped me very well with laryngitis. The oil must be instilled into the nose so that it flows into the larynx. In addition to the moisturizing effect Peach oil rich in natural antiseptic ingredients.
  • Gargling with herbal infusions and soda. Possessing an antimicrobial effect, these solutions can literally wash away the bulk of bacteria in oral cavity and disinfect it.

Other treatments

As my experience has shown, a dry cough can be easily overcome without the use of drugs, if the disease is not too severe.

  • This is the number 1 remedy in my family in the fight against dry cough. It is enough to take several inhalations with saline solution or just salt water for instant relief. Due to the fact that the liquid is sprayed into the oral cavity with cold steam, inhalations can be done even with elevated temperature, with which steam inhalations over potatoes or hot water it is contraindicated to do. The device is not cheap, but it fully pays for its cost, thanks to high efficiency applications. The nebulizer quickly helped my children when they were sick at a very young age, when the use of many medications is prohibited.
  • Room humidification. Obviously, a dry cough must be treated with moist air, because such a cough may appear not necessarily due to infection, but due to excessively dry air. If there is no humidifier in the house, you can hang wet towels on batteries or place basins of water. This method helped me very quickly: turn on the hot water in the bathroom to maximum, first closing the door to the room, and then sit there for several minutes, inhaling the moist air.

  • Saline solutions for rinsing the nasal cavity. With ARVI, a dry cough can often be caused by secretions from the nose flowing down the wall of the larynx and irritating it, causing a cough. In this case, it is enough to clear your nose by rinsing it saline solution or sea water.
  • Ice cream or ice water. Oddly enough, even with a sore throat you can eat a spoonful of ice cream or drink a sip cold water to eliminate an attack of dry cough. The cold will help constrict blood vessels and relieve sore throat, temporarily stopping the cough. Of course, there is no need to drink buckets of cold water, but this remedy can be used if a dry cough attack does not allow you to breathe freely and causes suffocation.

Useless methods for treating dry cough: what is not worth wasting time on?

  1. Antihistamines. It is believed that anti-allergy medications help relieve swelling of the mucous membranes, stopping coughing. In the case of allergies, they undoubtedly help. However, use them against dry cough when infectious diseases doesn't make any sense. When my daughter coughed for several hours at a time at night, these remedies were completely ineffective.
  2. Throat warming. Our mothers and grandmothers always tied scarves around their children’s necks when they started coughing. Maybe, this method It makes sense to use it in complex treatment, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to cure a cough with only a scarf.
  3. Pepper plaster and mustard plasters. Previously, many tried to cure coughs with these remedies, hoping for a warming effect. But a dry cough cannot always be cured in this way, and in some cases it can even harm your health if it is not diagnosed accurate diagnosis doctor.

There can be many reasons why a cough does not go away for a long time. In some cases, this condition is caused benign formations in the lungs, smoker's bronchitis, dysfunction or blood vessels.

In addition to constant coughing, other symptoms may be present (wheezing in the lungs, runny nose, blood in the sputum, a feeling of heaviness in the chest, etc.).

The most common cause of persistent cough is asthma. With this disease, coughing may bother you constantly or periodically (in case of exposure to allergens).

An untreated cold can also provoke a lingering cough; as a rule, this condition is caused by increased susceptibility of the lungs, which is why coughing can appear at a reflex level.

Why does the cough not go away after a sore throat?

If after suffering from a sore throat the cough does not go away for some time, then there may be several reasons for this. First of all, this condition is facilitated by weakened due to illness and treatment. the immune system, which is unable to resist both new viruses that attack the body and “old” ones that are not treated. Sometimes it happens that the diagnosis was made incorrectly or that the sore throat occurred against the background of another disease.

For example, with viral rhinitis, mucus from the nasal cavity enters the throat, which causes a reflex coughing, thus the body rids the throat of pathological contents.

By external signs Sore throat is often confused with viral pharyngitis. An accurate diagnosis can be made using a smear and culture. Sore throats are caused by bacteria, while pharyngitis is caused by viruses. For angina, antibiotics are invariably prescribed, but such drugs are only harmful to bacteria, while viruses continue to attack the body. As a result, the immune system, weakened by antibiotics, cannot resist viruses, which leads to the progression of the disease and prolonged coughing. Viral pharyngitis against the background of inflammatory processes in the throat, it can cause a dry cough with spasms in the larynx.

Coughing can also be a sign of rheumatic fever; usually, in addition to coughing, chest pain is also a concern, fast fatiguability, shortness of breath, rapid pulse.

If the cough does not go away for a long time, you need to see a therapist and undergo an examination, take an x-ray, after which the doctor will prescribe treatment.

It often happens that after a cold, the cough continues to torment. If cough treatment does not show proper results and this condition lasts more than two weeks, then you should not postpone your visit to the doctor. In most cases, coughing is caused new infection or a virus that a weakened immune system cannot cope with.

Why doesn't my cough go away for a week?

If the cough does not go away for a week, and other symptoms are observed (runny nose, low temperature), then most likely the body has been affected by a common cold. With timely and proper treatment Both colds and coughs are quite easy to deal with. At improper treatment, non-compliance with the regime or complete absence treatment, a severe inflammatory process may develop in the trachea or bronchi.

For the treatment of cough early stages It is recommended to do inhalations. It has long been known that inhaling warm vapors creates a moist environment that improves the formation and removal of sputum. For inhalations, decoctions and infusions of medicinal plants and essential oils are used.

To prepare a solution for inhalation you need 1-2 tbsp. medicinal plant(chamomile, sage, mint, thyme) pour 400 ml of boiling water (you can also dissolve a few drops essential oil V hot water). You can carry out inhalation in several ways: breathe over a bowl of herbal infusion, covered with a towel, roll a tube out of paper and inhale medicinal vapors with it, or use a special inhaler.

Do not inhale over boiling water, or with high blood pressure.

Why does the cough not go away for 2 weeks?

Sometimes situations arise when, despite the prescribed treatment, the cough does not go away and continues to torment more than a week. In this case, you must consult your doctor and undergo additional examination and if necessary go through new course treatment.

Coughing that continues for a long time in most cases is caused by a new infection that the weakened body cannot cope with. The most common causes of prolonged cough are mycoplasmosis, pneumocystosis, and in more rare cases, cough is caused by fungal infections(candida, chlamydia) or mycobacterium tuberculosis.

It is worth noting that misdiagnosis and treatment can cause severe complications even with a common cold.

Why does the cough not go away for a month?

Coughing may appear as a reaction of the body to pollen, fur or medications. In this case we are talking about an allergic cough.

If a cough does not go away for several weeks under the influence of allergens, then in most cases it turns into bronchial asthma, so it is important to promptly identify and eliminate the irritant.

Prolonged coughing may also be caused by respiratory infection, against the background of which an inflammatory process occurs in the tonsils, pharynx, nasal mucosa, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.

The cause of a prolonged cough in children may be the presence of a foreign body in the upper respiratory tract. With paroxysmal coughing deep breaths the development of whooping cough can be assumed.

Less often, if the cough does not go away for several weeks, the cause is fibrous cystosis, bacterial pneumonia, tuberculosis, tumors in the lungs.

Why doesn't my cough with phlegm go away?

Sputum is a discharge from the bronchi and trachea; it may be normal (in healthy person) and pathological (with the development of certain diseases).

In the human respiratory tract, mucus is constantly produced, which protects the body from pollutants (dust, small debris, etc.), and also resists pathogenic microorganisms.

The color of sputum can change from transparent to green due to the development of various respiratory diseases, and it may also contain various impurities (blood, pus, etc.).

Producing phlegm when you cough is a good sign because it helps your body get rid of germs. To help the body are prescribed medications, facilitating expectoration, promoting the removal of sputum (ambroxol, bromhexine) and restoring bronchial secretions (ACC).

For allergic cough, antihistamines (loratadine, fexofenadine) are prescribed.

If the cough does not go away, sputum is produced, and there is no fever, then the cause of this condition may be allergies, heart failure, toxic substances in the air, smoking, and mites that live in feather pillows.

To alleviate the condition of a wet cough, you need to drink more fluid, it will help reduce the viscosity of sputum and improve its removal from the bronchi.

If the cough with sputum does not go away during treatment, you need to inform your doctor about this and undergo additional examination (blood test, sputum test, x-ray).

Why does a dry cough not go away for a long time?

Coughing without sputum production is called dry coughing; it usually occurs against the background various diseases upper respiratory tract.

If a dry cough does not go away for a long time, it is advisable to start drug treatment. There are several types of medications, drugs based on codeine and ethylmorphine (codeine, glaucine) have central action and suppress the cough reflex, affecting medulla, drugs based on acetylaminonitropropoxybenzene (Codelac broncho, Omnitus, Falimint, etc.) act on cough receptors.

As auxiliary treatment you can use proven folk remedies, which alleviate the condition of a debilitating dry cough. The most effective method for the treatment of this type of cough is warm milk With baking soda, this drink helps reduce the cough reflex and improve your well-being.

You can also drink a decoction of blackcurrant, peppermint, radish juice with honey, and anise fruit extract 2-3 times a day.

For dry coughs, inhalations with baking soda help a lot.

Why does the cough not go away after pharyngitis?

With pharyngitis, the mucous membrane of the pharynx becomes inflamed; it can occur in both acute and chronic form. Against the background of the disease occurs dry cough, which usually gets worse at night and leads to spasms of the larynx.

If even after treatment the cough does not go away, then most likely the disease is not completely cured or ineffective therapy was prescribed.

Situations arise when treatment stops on its own, even after a slight improvement in the condition. Usually, in such cases, a person does not want to “poison” himself with chemicals and stops taking medications, in the hope that herbal infusions or strong immunity will help cope with the disease. However, such an attitude towards treatment is unacceptable, since after stopping the medication, the remaining viruses and bacteria can attack the weakened body more strongly, which will lead to the development of severe complications.

Why does the cough not go away after laryngitis?

With laryngitis, you are worried about a dry cough, without sputum discharge, hoarseness of voice. Usually the disease is a complication of a cold, but can develop independently, after cold drinks, hypothermia, overexertion vocal cords, inhaling icy or polluted air.

On initial stages inhalations, rinsing, warm drinking are indicated, medications to improve expectoration. Usually, after a few days, sputum production begins, and the disease gradually passes. If coughing does not go away for a long time after recovery, then additional examination is required. Cough may occur when inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx (adenoids, tonsillitis), also long-lasting moist cough may indicate infection in the lower respiratory tract.

Why does the cough not go away after pneumonia?

Pneumonia is infectious inflammation lungs. At the beginning, the cough is dry, but over time, as inflammation in the lungs intensifies, it becomes moist and mucous sputum appears. With pneumonia, the cough does not go away for quite a long time; on average, pneumonia lasts about a month, but after recovery, coughing is a necessity for the body, as it helps remove remaining mucus from the lungs; it is usually also called a post-infectious cough. The duration of a post-infectious cough can range from two weeks to several months, depending on the condition of the body.

To improve your well-being after pneumonia, it is recommended to exercise breathing exercises, and also undergo a course of physical procedures.

After treatment, the sensitivity of cough receptors decreases, which is why coughing may occur when inhaling cold air, dust, etc., this condition is a consequence of an infection, but not a manifestation of the disease.

Why doesn't my cough go away after a cold?

A cough almost always accompanies a cold or viral diseases. As a rule, cold symptoms disappear after a few days, and after a week the body is completely healthy, but coughing may bother you for several more weeks.

It is believed that coughing after a cold (residual) is normal, but if it lasts more than three weeks, then in most cases it is associated with the development of complications (pneumonia, whooping cough, bronchitis, etc.).

The acute phase of the disease lasts several days, but during this period pathogenic microorganisms destroy the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, which leads to hypersensitivity bronchi. After a cold, a person is often bothered by a sore throat, a slight cough, and the discharge of a small amount of sputum. After past illness a weakened body needs some time to return to normal and restore the mucous membranes. During this period, it is necessary to avoid hypothermia, it is advisable to take a course of vitamins.

If after an illness the cough does not go away, becomes stronger, or other symptoms appear (chest pain, fever, sputum with purulent or bloody impurities, etc.), you must consult a doctor to establish the cause and exclude the development of serious diseases.

Why does the cough not go away after bronchitis?

After bronchitis, coughing is observed in approximately half of patients. Most often from residual cough Children suffer because their bronchi are more vulnerable than those of adults, and the recovery period takes longer.

If a cough does not go away after bronchitis, the reasons may be the following:

  • slow healing process;
  • severe damage to the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract;
  • complications;
  • erroneous or inadequate treatment;
  • allergic reactions (particularly to medications).

Acute bronchitis lasts an average of 7 to 10 days, but even after visible improvements, the bronchi need time to recover.

On average, coughing completely disappears two weeks after bronchitis, provided that the treatment process proceeded normally and there are no complications. If the cough intensifies and lasts more than three weeks, you need to consult a specialist, since this condition may be associated with the development of other diseases (asthma, pneumonia, bronchial obstruction, allergies).

Why does cough not go away during pregnancy?

If a pregnant woman's cough persists for a long time, this can lead to severe consequences. Tension occurs when coughing abdominal wall and uterus, resulting in tone internal organs rises. Uterine tone on early stages pregnancy is at risk of spontaneous abortion, later– premature birth.

Coughing is usually a symptom of a viral or infectious disease, it can also appear when exposed to irritants (allergic cough). Severe debilitating cough requires immediate treatment, which should be prescribed by a specialist, taking into account the duration of pregnancy, the woman’s condition and the cause of the cough.

What to do if a child’s cough does not go away?

If a child’s cough does not go away for a long time, the first thing to do is to identify the cause of this condition. If coughing bothers you after an illness (ARVI, influenza, bronchitis, etc.), then in this case the cough may be associated with recovery period. Harmful microorganisms weaken the body, provoke inflammation and irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, and the body needs time to completely free the bronchi from mucus residues and restore the epithelium.

In this case, coughing does not pose a danger; usually the child coughs occasionally, and there may be a slight discharge of sputum.

It is worth noting that each organism is individual, and the recovery process in each special case progresses in its own way and can sometimes drag on for months.

If the cough continues for more than three weeks, while the amount of sputum increases, the cough becomes stronger, it is necessary to show the child to the doctor, as in this case there may be secondary infection, development of complications or severe allergic reaction.

Folk remedies for cough

If the cough does not go away for a long time, you can use folk remedies that will help soothe the irritated mucous membrane, improve the process of removing phlegm and speed up the healing process:

  1. Infusion dill seeds– take 1 tsp. dill seeds, crush, pour 250 ml of boiling water, leave for 20-25 minutes. It is recommended to drink this infusion instead of water throughout the day until complete recovery.
  2. Serum with garlic – 2 tbsp. garlic pour 250ml whey cow's milk and put on fire, immediately after boiling, remove from heat and cool. This decoction should be drunk throughout the day.
  3. Honey – has unique anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial actions, at lingering cough can be dissolved in the mouth 1 tsp. honey several times a day.
  4. Medicinal decoction - mix in equal parts licorice, marshmallow root and elecampane, take 1 tbsp. mixture and pour 200 ml of cold water, leave for two hours. Then put on fire and bring to a boil. Drink the cooled and strained broth in three doses during the day, the course of treatment is 10 days (it is recommended to prepare a new portion every day). If coughing continues, you can repeat the course of treatment after a week.

As already noted, coughing is a protective reaction of the body that helps clear the airways from fine particles dust, various contaminants, viruses, etc. If the cough does not go away for a long time, you need to determine the cause of its occurrence. It is worth remembering the residual effects that are observed during the period of recovery of the body and help cleanse the bronchi from mucus residues. Also, coughing may appear due to increased sensitivity of the receptors; in this case, coughing is disturbing after inhaling cold air, dust or the action of allergens.

Prolonged coughing, which becomes stronger over time, is accompanied by copious discharge sputum or other symptoms (chest pain, fever, runny nose, weakness, etc.) requires urgent consultation with a specialist, since this condition may be associated with a serious illness (asthma, tuberculosis).

A cough is the body’s response to contact with the mucous epithelium of the respiratory tract by any irritant of a viral or bacterial allergic nature or evidence of the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract.

The causes of a dry cough should be sought among multiple diseases or allergens.

A dry cough in an adult can occur due to common cold or as a result cancer. Even heart pathologies can cause this phenomenon.

But in this case we are talking about reasons that are somehow related to respiratory system person. So, cough can be caused by the following diseases:

  1. ARVI – parainfluenza, influenza, MS infection;
  2. atypical pneumonia;
  3. pleurisy;
  4. measles;
  5. pharyngitis;
  6. whooping cough;
  7. tracheitis;
  8. laryngitis;
  9. sinusitis, sinusitis;
  10. false croup;
  11. tuberculosis;
  12. bronchial asthma;
  13. oncological diseases of the respiratory system.

The main factors of dry cough not associated with inflammation in the respiratory system:

  • inhalation of toxic substances;
  • allergic reaction;
  • professional dry cough;
  • gastroesophageal reflux;
  • helminthic infestations;
  • taking medications;
  • entry of a foreign body.

And now about each reason in more detail.

Pharyngitis, measles, laryngitis, false croup

Cough does not go away for a long time even with pharyngitis, moreover, this is the main syndrome of this disease. In addition to this symptom, pharyngitis is characterized by a sore throat, sore throat, and low-grade fever.

The disease should be treated with inhalations, gargling, systemic antibiotics and plenty of warm drinks.

The next cause of dry cough is measles. This disease is caused by a virus and is accompanied by the following symptoms:

  1. dry, persistent cough;
  2. a significant increase in body temperature, up to 40℃;
  3. runny nose;
  4. photophobia;
  5. characteristic rash;
  6. hoarseness.

Treatment consists of taking mucolytic, antipyretic, expectorant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial drugs. Measles has serious consequences, which is why if you suspect this pathology, you should immediately call a doctor at home. Measles itself never goes away; adequate treatment is required.

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat. The disease can be suspected by the following signs:

  • long and severe dry cough;
  • difficulty breathing;
  • loss of voice;
  • soreness;
  • there is pain when swallowing.

Treatment for laryngitis is quite simple. The patient should limit himself in conversations and irritating spicy food, drink as much warm liquid as possible, inhale and gargle. To prevent the disease from becoming chronic, it must be treated.

False croup is a special type of laryngitis in which a syndrome of decreased lumen of the larynx and spasm of the glottis occurs. It becomes difficult for the patient to breathe, and attacks of suffocation most often occur at night.

This condition can result in asphyxia, which is why when these signs appear, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. What to do while waiting for the ambulance to arrive?

The patient must be provided with good access fresh air, make a foot bath and give a warm drink.

If the cough does not go away for a long time, and it occurs in attacks, accompanied by pain in the throat and behind the sternum, sputum production and a slight fever, the doctor may well suspect the patient has tracheitis.

Treatment for this disease consists of antibiotics and antiviral agents. At high temperature body, the patient is given antipyretic drugs, and if there is no temperature, steam inhalations should be done.

Bronchial asthma is chronic illness, which is manifested not only by damage to the bronchi, but also by decreased immunity, impaired nervous system, allergies. The main symptom of the disease is a painful dry cough, which is accompanied by attacks of suffocation.

To relieve them, bronchodilators are prescribed; as maintenance therapy, the patient must constantly take:

  1. leukotriene receptor antagonists;
  2. Cromons;
  3. glucocorticosteroids.

Most often, asthma does not go away, but remains with a person for life.

Sinusitis, rhinitis - these three diseases are the causes of “postnasal drip syndrome”. From time to time, mucus flows down the wall of the pharynx from the nasal sinuses; it stimulates the cough receptors, resulting in a dry cough. In this case, treatment should be aimed at the underlying disease.

Tuberculosis is very dangerous infectious pathology, the causative agents of which are mycobacteria. Unfortunately, the disease can be asymptomatic for a very long time and be discovered completely by accident during a medical examination.

Symptoms of tuberculosis:

  • dry cough that does not go away for a very long time;
  • general fatigue, weakness;
  • sweating;
  • low-grade fever;
  • sudden weight loss.

Treatment of tuberculosis is very complex and requires the use of anti-tuberculosis multicomponent chemotherapy.

If a patient has a dry cough, this may indicate cancer of the throat, trachea, bronchi or lungs. Therefore, when incessant cough it is necessary to consult a doctor who will refer the patient to full examination and, in accordance with the diagnosis, prescribe adequate therapy.

Some patients, knowing that they have cancer, prefer to do nothing and make a big mistake. Modern methods treatments allow you to get rid of it forever cancerous tumor, if measures are taken on time.

What else can cause a dry cough? Today great amount people suffer from allergic manifestations. Allergies to dust, flowering plants, chemicals, animal hair are accompanied by:

  1. itching;
  2. cough;
  3. lacrimation;
  4. runny nose

With this nature of the cough, the patient is prescribed antihistamines.

A dry occupational cough can appear in people employed in industries where the air is overloaded with numerous toxins that irritate cough receptors. In such a situation, there is only one solution to the problem - changing jobs.

Gastro-esophageal reflux – painful condition when stomach contents suddenly flow into the esophagus or throat. Gastric juice begins to irritate the mucous membrane, resulting in a cough.

This condition is accompanied by painful swallowing, heartburn, and chest pain. Treatment consists of diet, prokinetics, antacids and antisecretory drugs.

A dry cough can occur as a result of a foreign body entering the respiratory system. In addition to coughing, suffocation may occur, so similar problem you should immediately run to the doctor. What is a prolonged cough? and the video in this article will tell you what to do with it.

This cough is reflex reaction body, it is accompanied by a sharp exhalation, which helps clear the airways of foreign particles and body secretions. It passes without sputum discharge; experts call it unproductive, since it does not clear the airways, and only air is coughed up. A dry cough for more than a month may be a consequence of a cold, flu, or other respiratory diseases, if it lasts more than two weeks, then it is called chronic. It can also occur as a result of smoking and as an allergic reaction.

What to do if a dry cough does not go away for a month? Features of the treatment of lingering dry cough are the topic of this article. If the cough persists for a long time, you should immediately consult a doctor, as this may indicate serious illnesses.

Why a dry cough does not go away for a month: treatment features

A dry cough appears with the development of diseases such as flu, colds in the body, and appears after hypothermia, but most often it soon turns into a productive form. If there is no sputum discharge, then you should drink special drugs, prescribed by doctors, whose action is aimed at thinning mucus.

A dry cough may be due to an infection in the lung tissue, that is, the development of bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic pathology lungs – bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis.

A paroxysmal dry cough appears as a result of diseases of the external auditory canal, gastric and food reflux, and acute heart failure.

Dry cough for more than a month - features of the disease

Nonproductive cough appears with the development of diseases such as flu, colds in the body, and appears after hypothermia, but most often it soon turns into a productive form. If sputum does not discharge, then you should take special medications prescribed by doctors, the effect of which is aimed at thinning the mucus.

A dry cough that does not go away for a month may be the result of an infection in the lung tissue, that is, the development of bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic lung pathology - bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis.

Not only respiratory diseases can cause a paroxysmal dry cough for more than a month. It manifests itself as a result of diseases of the external auditory canal, gastric and food reflux, and acute heart failure.

How to treat a dry cough that does not go away for a month: treatment features

Treatment of dry cough, if it does not go away for more than a month, can be done by taking such medical supplies, for example, tablets or syrup.

If a dry cough does not go away for a long time in a smoker, then perhaps this is the body’s reaction to this bad habit, so it should be abandoned

If a strong dry cough does not go away and torments you at night, then you should change the angle of the pillow, as horizontal position In humans, mucus flows intensely down the back wall larynx and irritates it.

Folk method getting rid of a dry cough involves drinking a lot of hot liquid, for example, hot tea, milk. This contributes to the transition of a dry cough into a productive and speedy recovery.

If, along with a dry cough, you have been suffering from a sore throat for more than a month, then experts advise drinking a solution of a spoonful of honey and 200 ml of water, this will help soften the inflamed mucous membrane of the throat.