Dry and productive cough. Why does it occur and how to get rid of it?

The symptom, in the form of coughing, is commonly seen in acute or chronic respiratory diseases. Dry cough is at the onset of these conditions, and manifests as short but frequent attacks. In the following days of the disease, there is a more pronounced inflammation of the respiratory mucosa, which will lead to a productive cough. This is followed by expectoration of sputum and is deeper.

A cough that persists for several weeks or is accompanied by coughing up blood may indicate a medical condition requiring medical attention.

Causes of cough

There are various reasons that can lead to coughing. Some may cause a cough in the short term, while others may lead to a cough in the long term.

• Upper respiratory tract infections. These infections affect the sinuses, trachea or throat. They include flu, colds, sinusitis and laryngitis.
• Lower respiratory tract infections. In this case the problem is lower down in the lungs. Two common examples are acute bronchitis and pneumonia.
• Chronic bronchitis. Repeated bouts of acute bronchitis, air pollution, smoking, tonsillar hypertrophy and deviated septum are the main causes of chronic bronchitis. Fever, fatigue, bad breath, sinus congestion, shortness of breath and chest discomfort may also occur.
• Allergies. The most common is allergic rhinitis. Other symptoms are sneezing, watery nasal discharge, itchy or watery eyes.
• Bronchial asthma. In bronchial asthma, the dry cough is accompanied by shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness.
• Various irritants. Dust, smoking or pollution can also cause dry cough.
• Smoking. 'Smoker's cough' is also a type of dry cough.
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease. In this case, the cough occurs due to irritation of the throat, as acid refluxes from the stomach into the esophagus and oral cavity.
• More serious conditions. Persistent dry cough can also be a symptom of a more serious condition, but this is less common. The list includes lung cancer, tuberculosis, a blood clot in the lungs and heart failure.

The difference between dry cough and productive cough

A dry cough is when there is no catarrh and mucus. In this case the cough is caused by inflammation of the upper airways caused by bacteria, viruses or irritants.

It usually occurs in the first few days of infections of the throat and nose and is particularly annoying.

A cough is productive when there is increased production of catarrh and mucus.

This type of cough can be:

• evolution of dry cough, when inflammation of the upper airways involves the production of more viscous and dense mucus, which flows from the nose into the pharynx, where it stagnates;
• the consequence of acute and chronic infectious diseases of the lower airways (bronchi, trachea and lungs) causing mucus production.

Treatment dry and productive cough

In general, short-term dry cough does not require cough medicines. In most cases the causative agent is a viral infection and the cough passes on its own in a few weeks.

However, following viral infections, the sensitivity of the airways increases and they become easily irritated by coughing. Coughing irritates them even more, creating a vicious circle. This is why you can start various herbal cough remedies to relieve the problem.

For starters, make sure you drink enough fluids. Water, cough tea, lemonade and natural fruit juices are best. You can drink them warm or at room temperature. Also avoid ice, cold air, cigarette smoke and other irritants.

Then if your cough doesn't get better, you can turn to cough remedies:

• antitussives (dry cough remedies): they contain menthol, honey, eucalyptus, substances that relieve coughing and soothe irritation, e.g. Coldtusin dry cough syrup, Herbion syrup;

Cough syrup with natural ingredients Coldtusin, 120 ml, Perrigo

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• expectorants ( in case of productive cough): enhance the motor properties of the respiratory system, i.e. excretion of mucus and stimulate its elimination, e.g. ACC cough lozenges, which facilitate coughing and expectoration of secretions, Bromhexin, Ambroxol which is more often used as a dry cough medicine in adults;

• Natural cough syrups ( more commonly used for dry cough in children): patlagina, cybucotis, pine buds e.g. Bronhosuport, Calmotusin;

Calmotusin syrup, 200 ml, Dacia Plant

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Naturalis Bronhosuport - 7 herbs + honey x 100 ml

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When cough is not adequately treated, it can worsen, leading to various complications. Your specialist is in the best position to prescribe the treatment you need for any type of cough.