A cough is body's way of responding when something irritates throat or airways. An irritant stimulates nerves that send a message to brain. The brain then tells muscles in chest and abdomen to push air out of lungs to force out the irritant.
A cough is relatively painless, but it can be irritating and the effort of coughing can leave patient feeling achy and fatigued.
An occasional cough is normal and nothing to worry about, but a cough that lasts for several weeks or more or one that produces discolored or bloody mucus may be a sign of a medical condition.
Prolonged coughing can irritate the lungs and cause even more coughing. It is also exhausting and can cause dizziness or fainting, headaches, sleeplessness, urinary incontinence, vomiting, and even broken ribs.
Symptoms of cough-
it can be acute or chronic.
Acute cough- Acute coughs begin suddenly and usually last for less than two-three weeks.This type of cough is the one patient most often get with a flu,cold, or acute bronchitis.
Chronic cough- Chronic coughs last longer than eight weeks . A chronic cough can
occur with other signs and symptoms-
• A runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• postnasal drip
• Frequent throat clearing
• Hoarseness
• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Cough with blood-rarely
• Heartburn
Causes and Risk Factors of a Cough
Acute cough include-
• Common cold and flu
• Inhaling an irritant like dust, chemicals, or a foreign body
• Whooping cough
• Acute bronchitis
• Sinus infection
• Pneumonia
chronic cough include-
• Asthma
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Postnasal drip
• Chronic bronchitis
• Allergies
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Smoking
• Throat disorders
Ayurvedic Treatment and Medication for Coughs-
Some herbs used in Ayurvedic medicine may make healthy additions to your diet and help patient manage common cold and flu symptoms.
Some herbs and preprations-
• Tulsi -Tulsi water/tea -
Boil 7-8 tulsi leaves, a small piece of ginger, few cloves of garlic, 1 teaspoon of carom seeds, 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, turmeric and 4-5 black pepper in one litre of water, until it gets half, and drink it in the morning.
• Chew tulsi leaves or mulethi.
• Turmeric- one teaspoon turmeric, dash of black pepper and honey
• Avoid cold water- for shower and drinking.
• Drink warm water -to promote digestive function.
• Drink ginger, turmeric, lemon tea.
• steam
• Drink warm milk with turmeric.
• Gargle
Along with these, patient also need to reduce intake of fatty, fried, stale, and street food. eat light home-cooked food.
For more information about Health and Ayurveda stay connected with us
