Allergic cough: symptoms, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Do not confuse the usual and allergic cough, at first glance the symptoms are similar, but the treatment will require another.
In the cold season, you will not surprise anyone with a dry cough: each of us at least once in a season manages to catch a cold or ARD. Cold cough is usually accompanied by a runny nose, reddened throat, fever.
[What causes an allergic cough?
The cause of an allergic cough is almost always in the environment: it can be plant pollens, animal hair particles, house dust, cigarette smoke. Allergens, getting into the body, irritate the respiratory tract, which causes attacks of dry cough. The problem is that it is difficult to determine the allergen that affects the body, and it is all the more difficult to avoid it.
Symptoms of an allergic cough
It is not difficult to distinguish an allergic cough from a cold if you closely follow the symptoms. If coughing starts suddenly, last for 2-4 minutes, and then also suddenly stop; if the cough is dry, irritating to the throat and not accompanied by high fever, then, most likely, it is of an allergic nature. Allergic cough symptoms of which resemble bronchial asthma are also called the cough form of this disease.
Allergic cough is characterized by the appearance of seizures most often at night, which are accompanied by such symptoms as: a runny nose, the presence of pruritus in the nose, sneezing, shortness of breath, even asphyxiation. A distinctive feature of an allergic cough is the absence of temperature.
How to recognize an allergic cough
If you notice that at certain times the body reacts to the environment with the appearance of such a symptom as an allergic cough, do not waste time. First of all, contact an allergist specialist who, using a simple diagnosis, will help identify an allergen that is dangerous to you. Diagnosis will include an examination in the ENT, a survey of the presence of chronic respiratory diseases or hereditary diseases. Also, the doctor will ask questions about household conditions, pets or plants. There are cases when an allergic cough is a consequence of illnesses borne in childhood, so if you at an early age suffered from allergies to certain foods, the chances of getting an allergic cough increase.
Allergic cough: how to treat?
After using a medical examination to find out the cause of the cough, you will have to make every possible effort to eliminate the allergen. If you are allergic to wool, then, it is better to part with your pets: health is more important. If allergic to flowering trees or pollen of plants, then reduce the time that you will spend in the fresh air. If you have an allergic cough to the house dust, you will inevitably have to become more clean: a wet cleaning twice a day, an ionizer of air will help to maintain the necessary atmosphere in the apartment.
In order to quickly eliminate an unpleasant allergic cough, take antihistamines: they will not cure you definitively, but within 10-15 minutes will calm your throat. Lozenges and cough syrups will also help. Supporters of alternative recipes can try to cook a decoction of laurel leaves, spoons of flower honey and a teaspoon of soda. Chilled drink can be drunk several times a day, immediately after a fit of coughing.
An allergic cough whose treatment is started in a timely manner has a good prognosis, as this prevents the development of more serious diseases, such as chronic obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma.
The above methods are good for instant relief, but with their help it is impossible to cure allergies. Allergic cough is a symptom that requires careful diagnosis, examination of the body by specialists of different profiles, changes in diet and lifestyle. If you notice that allergic seizures occur frequently and it becomes more difficult for them to cope, immediately consult a doctor to prevent more serious diseases in time.