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A cough is not always a symptom of illness. Although in most cases it is caused by a viral or bacterial infection, if it is equally dry, it may mean that we are in a room where the air is too dry or the smog, which is omnipresent in the autumn-winter-spring season, has an exceptionally bad influence on us. Stomach diseases can also contribute to unpleasant coughing. Find out when to stop the cough and when to use expectorant drugs.

Diagnose the type of cough

First of all, it is worth considering whether the cough that appears is rather dry or more moraine. A dry cough sounds a bit like a barking, it is definitely more tiring and has practically no function. It is the effect of irritation of the mucous membrane. There can be many causes of irritation of the mucous membrane:

• smoking of cigarettes,
• high concentration of smog,
• bronchial asthma,
• staying in rooms with heating on,
• viral or bacterial infections,
• allergies,
• gastric reflux.

If, in addition, you feel weakened, have a high temperature and feel that it is an infection, then there is nothing to talk about. However, if the cough appears without a clear reason, it requires a specific diagnosis. Very important in this case is the time of day, when it increases or occurs more often after a lavish meal or maybe when you go outside. In the case of coughing after eating, the cause may be the gastric contents that retreats with hydrochloric acid into the oesophagus, causing irritation. This is a very common condition in people suffering from reflux. Everything will be important for the doctor to diagnose the primary cause of dry coughing.

In the case of an infectious cough, a dry cough usually appears at the beginning and takes 2 or 3 days to turn into a wet cough. This one is definitely more productive and fulfils a specific function. Our lungs continuously produce mucus, which is naturally removed from the lungs. However, there is more mucus infections. It contains bacteria or viruses that the body tries to get rid of - precisely by expectoration. If we refrain from coughing, we only harm ourselves. The disease will pass faster and its course will be milder if we use measures that help dilute the secretion and make it easier to get rid of it.

First aid - mucolytic drugs

Wet cough drugs include mucolytic drugs, i.e. drugs with a dilution effect. Such substances tear apart the connection of disulphide bridges in mucoproteins and thus liquidate the substance that is formed in the lungs. The mucus is less viscous and easier to detach. During the cough reflex we first rapidly gain air to cough in a moment, which causes a rapid ejection of secretions and that's what it's all about.

When administering any expectorant drugs, the time of administration is very important. The last dose should be planned so that the medicine has a chance to stop working before you lie asleep. Otherwise, a cough attack can also make us tired at night, and sleep is very important in the process of convalescence. If the cough does not disappear after a few days of use or if the patient's condition deteriorates, it is necessary to visit a doctor. However, the infection may require stronger drugs or antibiotics.

Home coughing methods

The best way to improve a patient's condition at home is to increase air humidity by using humidifiers or even wet towels located on a radiator. It is equally important to ventilate the rooms in the absence of the sick person. Warm-up soups and nutritious dishes will put such a person on his or her feet faster. In addition, infusions made of ginger, lemon and honey will strengthen its resistance. Ginger is known for its antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It has a moisturizing effect on the pharyngeal mucosa, so it facilitates expectoration in wet coughs and brings relief in dry coughs. It contains B vitamins, silicon, magnesium, potassium and a lot of vitamin C, so it is an ideal medicine for colds.