Cough inhalations for dry and wet coughs

Cough is one of those unpleasant symptoms that do not let you forget about it for a minute. It is especially hard when a slight cough and isolated urge to cough up the contents of the respiratory tract turns into a painful paroxysmal or constant dry/unproductive cough. This cannot be an accident, because such a cough is an indicator or consequence of the body's ill health and irritation of the respiratory tract, a reflex reaction designed to help remove pathogens, allergens and other foreign substances from the lungs and bronchi. And inhalations for cough are one of the ways to help your body in this difficult task.

Are inhalations necessary for cough?

Inhalation is a simple and relatively safe method of administering medicinal or folk remedies by inhaling vapors or a gas mixture. Let us remember that oxygen is also a gas, and the atmospheric air we inhale includes several gases in different proportions, but by a gas mixture for inhalation we mean a suspension of particles of the medicinal mass in the air.

Natural inhalations based on breathing in the healing air at resorts or in pine forests are recognized by doctors as general health and preventive. But they are usually not enough to treat diseases, so it is necessary to resort to artificial introduction of medicinal compounds into the respiratory tract.

Inhalation treatment is used either to provide an inhibitory effect on the body (inhalation anesthesia), or for inflammatory respiratory diseases (colds, allergies). But the question of whether inhalations are necessary for coughing, even from this position, remains relevant. After all, this symptom can have different nature. Thus, a distinction is made between wet and dry cough, and the latter can be unproductive or without any sputum production at all (painful, barking).

In case of a wet cough, when phlegm comes off without difficulty, inhalation treatment is irrelevant and sometimes even dangerous. After all, additional stimulation can provoke blockage of the bronchi with secretions, bronchospasm, asphyxia. But in case of a dry and unproductive cough, such treatment will be just right.

Inhalations for coughs, depending on the chosen medications and compositions, can have different effects:

• expand the bronchi, which facilitates the removal of phlegm and,
• reduce the viscosity of inflammatory mucus and decrease the strength of its adhesion to the bronchial epithelium,
• relieve inflammation, and therefore irritation of the bronchial mucosa. All this should help remove excess mucus and pathogens from the respiratory tract,
• reduce the viability of disease-causing microbes.

Do inhalations help with cough?

There is no clear answer to this question, because everything depends on the correct selection of the inhalation composition and the body's reaction to it. Doctors themselves definitely recommend inhalations for dry and unproductive cough, because this is one of the fastest ways to alleviate the patient's condition. This is also a relatively safe method of treatment, because the medicine practically does not enter the blood and does not have a pronounced systemic effect. But the inhalation method helps to deliver the medicinal composition directly to the lesion, which gives a quick and often quite decent result.

Indications for the procedure

As we have already noted, a cough can be dry (unproductive) and with sputum production. The treatment tactics in both cases are different, but when prescribing inhalation treatment, doctors pay attention not only to the nature of the cough, but also to its cause.

Inhalations are not always necessary for coughing up phlegm. If mucus comes away without problems with mild coughing, the body does not need help. It is important to observe that the nature of the symptom does not change. Drinking plenty of warm drinks and massage help to facilitate expectoration.

If phlegm accumulates in the bronchi, but it is very difficult to cough it up, and coughing causes pain in the throat and along the respiratory tract, inhalations for cough with mucolytics and expectorants are just what is needed to alleviate the patient's condition. Such procedures are relevant both for colds and for allergic coughs, because allergies are a kind of inflammatory reaction caused by a specific irritant.

Inhalations for dry barking cough are prescribed only after studying the cause of the symptom and the time of its appearance. This is a reaction to irritation of the bronchi, which usually occurs in response to a viral attack. At the beginning of the disease, the symptom may appear in parallel with a sore throat or without it. The spread of inflammation to the vocal cords provokes the appearance of a rough barking sound when coughing.

Quite quickly the cough becomes productive, and at this stage you need to be careful. If sputum is separated with difficulty or in small quantities (unproductive cough), you need to facilitate its release and increase the productivity of the cough. With an unproductive symptom, preference is given to drugs that stimulate the production of mucus and optimize its rheological properties.

It often happens that a person has recovered from an illness, but the cough has not gone away. But when coughing, nothing is removed from the bronchi. The remaining unpleasant symptom and the throat irritation that has not completely gone away exhaust a person who is already weakened by the disease. In this case, it is inappropriate to use mucolytics or secretomotor agents in inhalations. But anti-inflammatory drugs and those that suppress the cough reflex (for example, lidocaine) will be just right.

Inhalations with antitussives are often prescribed to children if the painful symptom prevents the child from sleeping and eating, exhausts the baby, preventing a quick recovery.

For colds, doctors often prescribe inhalations for runny nose and cough. Anti-inflammatory drugs and mucolytics are relevant for runny nose, but they are used for nasal congestion to ease breathing. Liquid discharge does not need to be treated with inhalations.

Inhalations for cough can be done in different ways, so there are dry and wet procedures, the latter are divided into wet, warm-wet and steam. If the patient does not have a temperature, you can choose any of the options. When the thermometer readings rise to 37.5 degrees, it is better to forget about thermal procedures.

Inhalations for cough at a temperature above 37.5 degrees can be carried out only with the permission of a doctor, using a nebulizer. In this case, dry and wet (up to 30 degrees) inhalations are relevant, if the patient has no contraindications.

An increase in temperature is usually associated with viral infections, but sometimes such a reaction of the body can also occur in response to the introduction of bacteria into the respiratory tract. If tests show the presence of a bacterial infection, inhalations with antibiotics are prescribed in addition to others. In case of severe inflammation and swelling, hormonal agents (inhaled corticosteroids) are prescribed.

Preparation

When it comes to preparing for inhalation for cough, everyone immediately thinks about the medicinal composition, missing one important detail. First of all, you need to think not about what and how to treat a cough, but about knowing a reliable diagnosis and the cause of the disease. The first stage of preparation for inhalation should be a consultation with a specialist and the necessary diagnostic tests (if necessary).

It is important to know not only the name of the disease, but also its pathogen. For example, inhalations with antibiotics are carried out only for bacterial diseases or complicated viral diseases. In most cases, respiratory diseases are viral in nature and, with proper and timely treatment, go away without complications.

If the doctor has prescribed inhalation treatment, he will also recommend medications, and sometimes folk remedies, that help with this disease and are suitable for inhalation. You will only need to decide on the method of carrying out the procedure (with or without an inhaler) and properly prepare the inhalation composition.

So, for steam procedures, decoctions of herbs and potatoes, healing essential oils, soda. Decoctions are heated to a temperature of 45 degrees, and oils are dripped into hot water.

If you do not use an inhaler, it is very important to take care of the container in which the healing composition will be located and the necessary accessories (a towel on the head during steam inhalations, although doctors consider this treatment option to be quite dangerous due to the risk of hypoxia and facial burns).

If a special device is used for inhalation, you need to make sure it is clean, assemble the components together if necessary, and check the functionality of the device. If you are using the inhaler for the first time, it is important to carefully study the instructions for it and treat the internal parts of the reservoir and mouthpiece with antiseptic compounds.

Technique Cough inhalations for dry and wet coughs

If a person is in a hospital, he does not have to arm himself with knowledge about the technique of inhalation for cough. The medical staff takes care of this, and the patient only has to strictly follow their instructions. But in most cases, inhalation is carried out at home, because this procedure is effective for many diseases of the respiratory system that do not require hospitalization. And if there is no relative at home who is a doctor, willy-nilly you have to look for information on how to properly carry out the procedure.

Let's look at the technique and features of different types of inhalations.

Steam inhalation for cough

Steam inhalation is considered one of the methods of traditional medicine, the most effective for diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Moist warm air, entering the respiratory tract through the mouth, moistens and softens the mucous, makes sputum less viscous, alleviates the symptoms of the disease, and by adding healing compounds to the water, you can also achieve a therapeutic effect.

Compositions for steam inhalation can include: potato broth, infusions and decoctions of herbs and medicinal mixtures, mineral water, weak soda solution, essential oils, propolis and even the aromatic balm "Zvezdochka" known since Soviet times. It is important to understand that soda is an excellent antiseptic and emollient, most herbs have anti-inflammatory and disinfectant properties, propolis is a strong antimicrobial component, mineral water softens and moisturizes the mucous membrane, and potato steam is a generally recognized folk remedy that has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, eliminating congestion in the bronchi.

Inhalations with potatoes for cough are safe for children and pregnant women who are not suitable for medications and herbs that can cause allergic reactions. They are easy to carry out and even pleasant, if you do not overdo it with the temperature of the composition. Very useful for dry cough.

To prepare the mixture, take 3 medium potatoes, wash and boil them in water until done, then mash them slightly or use only the broth. You can breathe in the steam over a saucepan or any other container where the broth was poured, after cooling it a little so that the steam does not burn your skin when you need to bend over the saucepan. To prevent the steam from dissipating, you can cover your head with a towel, leaving the lower edge free so that air can penetrate under it.

It is believed that for an adult it is enough to breathe in potato steam for 10-15 minutes. For a child, a 3-5 minute procedure is enough.

Steam inhalations with herbal decoctions and infusions are carried out in a similar manner. The prepared decoction is first cooled slightly. To prepare an infusion, the herb is poured with boiling water and left to infuse in a warm place, after which it is allowed to cool slightly. Usually, herbs for inhalations for coughs are taken in the following ratio: 1 tablespoon of chopped herb or herbal mixture per 1 glass of water.

The following herbs can be recommended for inhalation procedures:

• Chamomile. Inhalations for cough with this plant, which has a mild antiseptic and pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, are effective for dry and wet coughs, runny nose, and sore throat. The decoction is prepared according to the above scheme in a water bath for 20-30 minutes, after which it is brought to a volume of 1 liter with hot boiled water.
• Eucalyptus for cough. Inhalations can be done using a homemade herbal infusion, a pharmacy alcohol tincture, or essential oil of the plant. To prepare the infusion, the ratio of components is standard. After 15 minutes of infusion, add 3 cups of boiled hot water to the container and perform inhalations. The alcohol tincture can be used in an inhaler, but in this case, it is added not to hot water, but to a saline solution at room temperature (15 drops per glass of sodium chloride).
• Inhalations with sage for cough. The plant is very popular in the treatment of cough, as it is rich in essential oils, due to which it has anti-inflammatory, tonic, antiseptic and expectorant properties. The herb in inhalation compositions is used both independently and in combination with others, for example, with chamomile and mint. The decoction for inhalation is prepared as follows: 2 tbsp. of the herb (or 1 tbsp. of sage and chamomile) are poured with a glass of boiling water and kept on low heat for 2-3 minutes, then removed. The strained and sufficiently cooled decoction can be used in inhalers or you can breathe in the healing vapors over a bowl.

The above herbs are universal and can be used to prepare an inhalation composition for any cough. For a dry cough, it is worth paying attention to plants that increase the amount of sputum secreted, facilitate its easier removal, relieve irritation of the mucous membrane and make the cough less painful: coltsfoot, linden, clover, moss, mullein. For a wet cough with difficulty removing sputum, you can offer: thyme, lungwort, mint, fennel, juniper, comfrey, pine needles, pine buds, lavender.

In folk medicine, herbal inhalations for coughs are also used. With the right selection of plants, they will mutually enhance each other's action and the effect will be stronger. In addition, in the collections, you can combine plants with different therapeutic effects, getting a medicine for almost all symptoms at the same time.

For inhalation treatment of unproductive cough, the following collection can be recommended: eucalyptus leaves, coltsfoot, mint and sage, birch buds, oregano herb, chamomile flowers in equal quantities. 1 tbsp. collection per glass of boiling water. The infused composition is filtered and cooled to a temperature of no more than 70 degrees.

Ideally, for steam inhalations for coughs, it is recommended to use compositions with a temperature of 40-50 degrees. At a higher temperature, do not lean too much over the steaming vessel and cover yourself tightly with a towel, as this can lead to a burn of the face and mucous membrane of the eyes.

With the help of this collection, you can simultaneously achieve the following effects: moisturizing the mucous membrane and relieving irritation, eliminating sore throat and swelling of the respiratory tract, thinning phlegm, and a noticeable reduction in the activity of pathogens.

Also, for dry cough, the following herbal mixtures can be recommended:

• Coltsfoot herb, mint leaves, linden and calendula flowers.
• Raspberry, sage and mint leaves.
• Chamomile and calendula flowers, St. John's wort and coltsfoot.
• Linden flowers, raspberries, coltsfoot (for bronchitis).

To soften the mucous membrane and make it easier to remove phlegm, you can add baking soda to the prepared herbal inhalation composition immediately before the procedure, which is especially effective for bronchitis.

During pregnancy, it is very important to carefully select herbs, because some of them can provoke uterine contractions and miscarriage. Doctors consider the following plants to be optimal for inhalation treatment of expectant mothers:

• For the treatment of dry cough: chamomile, St. John's wort, thyme, marshmallow, plantain.
• For the treatment of difficult wet cough: eucalyptus, yarrow, succession, wild rosemary.

Features of steam inhalation

When performing steam inhalations, it is very important to follow a special diet. The procedure cannot be performed earlier than 1.5 hours after eating. And after the procedure, you should refrain from eating and drinking for 40-60 minutes, allowing the particles of the inhalation solution to act on the surface of the mucous membrane for some time.

During the procedure, you need to breathe deeply enough but evenly, avoiding too deep a breath. When inhaling, hold your breath for a couple of minutes. Shallow breathing is unacceptable when it comes to treating a cough. You cannot talk or be distracted by other things. It is important to focus on the procedure and proper breathing.

To treat cough, there is a special breathing pattern during inhalations. Inhalation is done through the mouth, and exhalation is best done through the nose.

When using herbal compositions for inhalation, do not think that the higher the concentration of the solution, the better. All decoctions and infusions are diluted with water, most often in a ratio of 1:3.

The temperature of the inhalation composition for adults is recommended to be kept within 40-50 degrees, in some cases, if the nature of the herbal collection requires it, it can be raised to 70 degrees, but this requires maximum caution. For children, the optimal temperature is considered to be 30-40 degrees. Moreover, the smaller the child, the lower the temperature should be. For small children, inhalations are generally difficult, so it is better to get a special device - an inhaler.

To avoid burning, do not lean too much over the container with the hot solution. The optimal distance is about half a meter.

Light, loose clothing made of natural fabrics is suitable for inhalations. It is very important that it does not squeeze the throat and does not interfere with deep breathing.

As for the duration of steam inhalation, doctors recommend 5 minutes for adults and 2-3 minutes for children.

For the steam inhalation to be effective, it is important not to stop during the procedure to breathe. A sauna effect is specially created under the towel, and it is not recommended to “leave” it before the end of the procedure. If breathing difficulties arise, the inhalation is stopped early.

Not all people tolerate the effect created under the towel well. As an option, you can consider other methods of steam inhalation:

• the use of a funnel, which ensures a narrow focus of movement of healing vapors,
• using a teapot with a tightly closing lid and a rubber tube placed on the spout,
• inhalation over a thermos.

In this case, you can prepare the inhalation composition in the same container, using purified, distilled or boiled water for its preparation.

Essential oils for inhalation against cough

Herbal cough treatment involves using both plants and flowers, as well as essential oils, in inhalation formulations. It is not for nothing that plants rich in oils are chosen for inhalations: eucalyptus, mint, sage, savory, coniferous plants, etc.

Essential oils for inhalation against cough can be purchased in pharmacies and stores. They are useful because they help break down phlegm and stimulate its removal, relieve inflammation, effectively fight pathogenic microorganisms that cause illness and irritation in the throat, and heal wounds. Essential oils also soothe inflamed mucous membranes, reducing the number of painful coughing fits, soothe the nervous system, and normalize sleep, which is so necessary for a sick body to restore strength.

Cardamom, mint, cypress, anise, rosemary, chamomile and sage oils are used to treat coughs. Fir, cedar, pine, eucalyptus and tea tree oils will also have a beneficial effect on infectious diseases accompanied by coughs. If well tolerated, they are all approved for use in early childhood and during pregnancy.

Essential oils can be used for 2 types of inhalations: cold and hot, or more precisely, warm-moist, because at high temperatures (above 40 degrees) ethers can lose their healing properties. Cold dry inhalations are carried out using devices such as an aroma lamp, aroma fan, aroma medallion, etc. Alternatively, you can apply a few drops of oil to a handkerchief or pillow. But it will not be very comfortable to breathe through the mouth, which is a condition for the effectiveness of cough treatment. It is important to remember that during inhalations for cough, you need to inhale through the mouth.

Warm-moist inhalations are based on the use of water (1 liter is enough), to which 3 drops of any of the recommended oils are added. Covered with a towel, we breathe in the healing vapors for 10 minutes.

For treating children, an aroma lamp or other folk method is better. Add 4 drops of eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil or another oil with an antibacterial effect to a glass of hot water and leave it in the room where the patient is. This way, you can treat the cough and disinfect the room.

The same requirements apply to cough inhalations with essential oils as to steam inhalations: compliance with dietary regimens and dosing of the inhalation composition, proper breathing during the procedure with inhalation through the mouth. The duration of the procedure should be 10 minutes. Usually, inhalations with oils are carried out once a day. It is better not to use several oils at the same time, unless the selected recipe requires it.

Inhalations are not performed on a full stomach, so as not to provoke a gag reflex and not to distract the gastrointestinal tract from its work of processing food. But such procedures cannot be performed on an empty stomach either, especially considering that you will have to give up food for the next hour.

Inhalations with mineral water

There is a method of treatment that is approved by doctors. Mineral water in inhalation for cough is not only a source of clean water necessary for moisturizing the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and liquefying phlegm. It contains useful minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the body. This is a storehouse of unique substances that increase the internal forces of the body to fight the disease and have a beneficial effect on the mucous membrane of the respiratory organs, reducing inflammation and swelling, promoting rapid regeneration of damaged tissues.

In sanatoriums, hydrogen sulphide, carbon dioxide or radon waters are used for procedures. Inhalation for cough at home is most often carried out using mineral water Essentuki, Borjomi, Narzan, but if they are not available, you can use other mineral water. True, the effect in this case will be weaker. Although moisturizing the mucous membrane itself can alleviate the painful cough syndrome and make the cough more productive.

You can take mineral water without gas or leave the bottle open for a couple of hours or more to let the gas out, otherwise the cough may only get worse. The procedure can be done in two ways:

• using an inhaler (take 4-5 ml of the solution, pour it into the device’s reservoir and breathe in the healing air for 10 minutes),
• using available means (steam inhalation: heat mineral water in a bowl or teapot to 40 degrees and inhale the steam for 5-10 minutes).

Inhalations with mineral water can be done up to 5-7 times a day. They are safe for children, the elderly, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

Requirements for inhalation of mineral water for cough: adherence to diet, proper breathing, consideration of contraindications (especially for steam inhalations), adequate care after the procedure.

Inhalation with Zvezdochka for cough

Many of us remember a balm with this name from Soviet times. With its help, our mothers and grandmothers treated colds, headaches and toothaches, diseases of the musculoskeletal system and pathologies of blood vessels, cared for the skin and removed toxins. But the Vietnamese medicine gained particular popularity in the treatment of colds and viral diseases accompanied by headaches and dizziness, nausea, aching joints, fever, cough, runny nose.

When treating cough, such useful components of natural medicine as essential oils (mint, eucalyptus, cloves, cinnamon), as well as menthol and camphor come to the fore. As an auxiliary remedy for respiratory diseases, the balm has found recognition among both folk healers and qualified doctors.

True, inhalations for cough with Zvezdochka have not gained much popularity. In addition, they are prohibited in the treatment of children under 3 years of age, patients with bronchial asthma and a tendency to bronchospasms. The balm is not used in inhalers either.

But for steam procedures, in the absence of contraindications, this is a very useful and effective remedy. In hot water (40-60 degrees), you need to add 3-4 mg of balm and breathe in the steam for 5-10 minutes (children up to 3 minutes). Inhalations can be done up to 4 times a day, taking into account the requirements for steam procedures.

Inhalations for cough with soda

When it comes to inhalation treatment of colds, folk remedies are not much inferior to pharmaceutical drugs in terms of effectiveness and popularity, but they are even safer, which doctors agree with. It is not without reason that at the first stages they recommend inhalations for coughs with soda and herbal compositions, and if they do not help or cannot be used, they resort to medications.

Inhalations with soda are undoubtedly one of the most popular methods of combating unproductive cough. The popularity of the procedure is explained by the fact that baking soda is available at home in almost every kitchen, and the method of treating cough itself works without fail in most cases. As they say, cheap and cheerful.

Inhalations with soda for dry cough are classified as steam. The patient inhales water vapor with tiny crystalline particles that envelop the mucous membrane, soften and disinfect it. Moisture in the form of steam liquefies phlegm and facilitates its removal.

The procedure is carried out following the rules for steam inhalation. The inhalation solution is prepared by adding powder to hot water. You need to take about 1 spoon of soda per liter of water after the inhalation procedure for cough with soda, the symptom intensifies, but becomes less painful. Sputum is coughed up more easily and without acute pain in the throat. As an antiseptic, soda fights microbes settled on the mucous membrane, which means the recovery process is faster.

Pharmaceutical products for inhalation procedures

Despite the fact that doctors do not refute the effectiveness of folk cough treatment using steam and warm-moist inhalations and sometimes even recommend it, soda and herbs are not always able to give the expected result. In addition, if you feel unwell and weak, it is better not to inhale in this way, so as not to further aggravate your condition.

It is incredibly difficult to carry out the procedure for small children who do not know how to breathe correctly and follow the rules. And considering the contraindications of steam inhalations, it becomes clear that this is not a universal remedy. So we have to pay attention to non-pharmacy drugs and devices that help to carry out the useful procedure with maximum benefit and safety.

Pharmacies offer solutions, drops, mixtures, and inhalation medications for coughs that can be used in modern inhalers that do not require heating the liquid. Steam inhalations are not an option in this case, because many medications are destroyed by high temperatures, which does not help cure the cough.

Inhalation for cough with a nebulizer is the most modern method of treating cough, which is suitable for patients of different ages, including newborns. A large range of devices (compressor, ultrasonic, mesh inhalers or membrane) and the ability to choose a stationary or portable nebulizer for home use make this type of treatment quite popular.

Despite the different mechanism of action, when using nebulizers, we have an aerosol cloud with tiny particles of the drug at the outlet, which, when inhaled, get deep into the respiratory tract directly into the lesion. The depth of penetration of the particles depends on their size. Different nebulizers produce particles of different sizes, but some models allow you to adjust this process. Devices with a size of the resulting drug particles no more than 5 microns are suitable for treating coughs, otherwise they will settle only in the oral cavity and nasopharynx.

Modern nebulizers come with different attachments. For treating cough in adults, it is preferable to use a mouthpiece or mouthpiece attachment. In this case, inhale through the mouth, without opening the lips tightly grasping the mouthpiece, and exhale through the nose after 1-2 seconds.

It is more convenient to inhale cough in children using a mask. In this case, the child can breathe freely, and the treatment goes on as usual. If the child is small, the procedure can be carried out even during sleep. The mask does not interfere with the baby's sleep, it is only important to ensure that the inhaler is in an upright position. The best option would be a stationary nebulizer. If a portable one is used, the child should be in a sitting or reclining position.

Inhalations for cough in adults should be carried out in a sitting position. If a person is in a serious condition, then his treatment is carried out in a hospital using inhalers. The mask is attached to them by means of a hose, which makes it possible to carry out treatment lying down.

For the procedure, use a clean, pre-disinfected device. We prepare the inhalation solution by diluting the medicine with saline, as prescribed by the doctor or according to the instructions for the drug and device. We do not use herbal decoctions and essential oils in nebulizers, only pharmaceutical drugs.

Treatment can be started no earlier than 1-1.5 hours after eating or heavy physical exertion. Inhalations are carried out up to 3 times a day, trying to do this between meals.

During the procedure, you need to sit up straight, with your shoulders back. You need to breathe neither too deeply nor too shallowly. After inhaling, take a short pause (1-2 seconds) so that the medicine has time to settle on the mucous membrane. Wear loose clothing, preferably made of natural fabrics. When inhaling, nothing should restrict the chest and neck area.

Inhalations for cough are a treatment procedure that requires a certain concentration on the process. Doctors do not recommend talking, reading or being distracted by other things that affect the characteristics of breathing: its depth, frequency, etc. It is not so difficult to adhere to this rule, if you consider that inhalations for an adult should be carried out for no more than 15 minutes (ideally, until the medicine in the nebulizer tank is used up), and for a child under 5 years old - 3-10 minutes. The procedure can be finished earlier if it begins to cause noticeable discomfort and deterioration in the patient's well-being.

But let's return to the drugs that doctors recommend for inhalation and the specifics of procedures using them.

Inhalation of saline solution (sodium chloride) for cough

Saline solution is a liquid similar in osmotic pressure to blood plasma, so our body does not perceive it as something foreign. Inhalation of saline solution for cough using a nebulizer is one of the safest procedures, similar to inhalation of mineral water. Such treatment can be safely carried out on children and pregnant women, because saline solution does not contain substances that can harm health, has no smell or taste.

True, the effectiveness of saline solution in inhalation cough treatment is relatively low. Such treatment is more suitable for moisturizing the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, which relieves groundless urges with a dry cough and facilitates the removal of sputum with an unproductive cough.

4 ml of saline solution is poured into the nebulizer (a child can use 2-3 ml) and they breathe for 5-10 minutes. The procedure is carried out up to 3 times a day.

As such, 9% sodium chloride solution does not have a therapeutic effect, but there are other drugs that have a secretolytic, expectorant, bronchodilator effect. In inhalation solutions, they are used together with sodium chloride.

Inhalations for cough with Lazolvan

"Lazolvan" is an ambroxol preparation, a substance with a pronounced secretomotor, secretolytic and expectorant effect. In addition, it facilitates the penetration of antimicrobial agents into the bronchial secretion. The drug is available in tablets, syrup and solution. The latter is most convenient for inhalation when coughing.

For inhalation procedures, the drug can be used from a very early age, when children do not yet know how to cough up phlegm, so its stimulated removal is required.

The procedure can be carried out with any modern inhaler, except for steam. The solution can be used in pure form in the amount of 2-3 ml or mixed 1:1 with saline solution to improve the hydration of the mucous membrane. For children under 6 years old, 2 ml of Lazolvan is enough.

It is recommended to carry out 1-2 procedures per day. The prepared solution is preheated to body temperature and inhaled as usual.

In case of bronchial asthma and a tendency to bronchospasms, before inhalation with expectorant drugs, it is worth taking bronchodilators or resorting to an inhalation procedure with these drugs.

Inhalations with "Lazolvan" can be carried out both for children and pregnant women. However, it is worth being careful in the first trimester of pregnancy, having consulted a doctor about the safety of such treatment. Nursing mothers during the period of using ambroxol preparations should also refrain from breastfeeding, although there are no proven cases of negative effects of the drug on the child's body.

Inhalations for cough with Berodual

When talking about the features of inhalations with ambroxol preparations, we mentioned the need in some cases to use bronchodilators. Berodual is one of these preparations. It is a non-hormonal two-component product with a complex effect: bronchodilator (one of the active ingredients is a targeted antispasmodic), anti-inflammatory, normalizing (reduces hyperproduction of sputum, leading to bronchial obstruction), drainage.

The use of the drug helps to reduce the number of painful attacks, ease breathing, and get rid of wheezing. Moreover, these effects are observed within the first 20 minutes.

Inhalations with Berodual are prescribed for allergic and infectious diseases of the central and lower respiratory tract, accompanied by bronchospasms, with bronchial obstruction, which is often diagnosed with inflammation of the respiratory organs in children.

For inhalation, you can use the solution in bottles or aerosol "Beroduan N" (designed for 200 doses, so it is convenient as a first aid for bronchial asthma). The solution can be used in any inhalers, except steam. Avoid contact with eyes.

The aerosol is used according to the following scheme: for acute attacks, 2 injections (inhalations), after which, if there is no effect, the procedure is repeated. No more than 8 doses can be used per day.

The Beodual solution is used in any type of nebulizer, after mixing it in equal proportions with saline solution. The total volume is 3-4 ml. The inhalation solution should be at room temperature.

Inhalations for cough are carried out until the entire solution is used, but doctors recommend the following duration: for adults - no more than 7 minutes, for children - 3-5 minutes. At the same time, the children's dose will be significantly less: up to 6 years - 0.5 ml of "Berodual", 6-12 years - up to 1 ml of the drug 3-4 times a day.

"Berodual" as an antispasmodic and a potent drug has quite a few contraindications that must be taken into account. As an antispasmodic, it can be dangerous for expectant mothers in the 1st and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy. It is also not recommended for breastfeeding.

The active ingredients of the drug affect the blood vessels, causing them to contract, so it cannot be used in cardiomyopathy and tachyarrhythmia. Caution should be exercised by people with heart disease and endocrine disorders, cystic fibrosis, prostate adenoma, closed-angle glaucoma, and bladder neck obstruction.

For inhalation treatment, the drug is approved from infancy to old age. It can be used even at elevated temperatures.

After the procedure, a feeling of dry mouth most often appears. With individual sensitivity, coughing and skin rash are possible.

Inhalations for cough with "Miramistin"

"Miramistin" is a well-known antiseptic with a wide range of action and high efficiency in respiratory diseases. This is one of the safest drugs that can be used in the treatment of small children, pregnant women and nursing mothers, elderly people and the elderly.

"Miramistin" can be used to wash the nose, gargle, and use as an inhalation solution. This helps to quickly cope with the disease caused by a bacterial infection or in the case of a bacterial complication of a viral infection.

The antiseptic does not have an expectorant or mucolytic effect, so it cannot make a cough more productive and easier by itself. But microbes and their toxins cause irritation of the mucous membrane, its inflammation and sensitization, which are considered one of the causes of cough. "Miramistin" helps to reduce the number of painful attacks and promotes faster recovery. And so that inhalations for cough also have an expectorant effect, it is recommended to mix the antiseptic with a saline solution, which will moisturize the mucous membrane and liquefy phlegm.

Usually, 0.01% Miramistin solution is used for inhalations. In nebulizers, 4 ml of antiseptic or 2 ml of Miramistin and 2 ml of saline solution are used per procedure. The dose for children is usually half as much. Inhalations are carried out 3 times a day, using the entire inhalation solution, which should be at room temperature (in case of severe cough, it can be heated to body temperature, but not higher).

Inhalation for cough "Ambrobene"

This is a popular drug, widely advertised in the media, which in reality turns out to be a derivative of ambroxol hydrochloride, like the above-described "Lazolvan". The popularity of "Ambrobene" is explained by the high efficiency of the active substance and a large range of forms of release of the drug, one of which is a solution for inhalation. From "Lazolvan" in the same form, the drug differs only in the auxiliary substances, which, however, may be important in case of intolerance to one of the additional components of "Lazolvan".

Ambrobene solution for inhalation against cough is used from the earliest age. The procedure is carried out with non-steam inhalers, using 2-3 ml of the drug, which can be diluted with saline 1:1 to enhance the effect. For children under 2 years old, take 1 ml, for children 2-5 years old, 2 ml of the drug is enough.

Inhalation treatment is carried out 1-2 times a day for no more than 15 minutes per procedure (for adults) and 5-10 minutes for children.

Contraindications to the drug are bronchial asthma (although in this case inhalations with berodual help), convulsive syndrome and epilepsy. Caution should be exercised in case of exacerbation of gastric ulcer, severe kidney and liver diseases, in the first trimester of pregnancy, breastfeeding.

Hormonal inhalation cough remedies

Corticosteroids are potent anti-inflammatory drugs, inhalation therapy with which is very difficult. On the one hand, they could quickly remove severe inflammation of the respiratory tract mucosa, facilitating breathing, reducing the amount of inflammatory exudate in wet cough, preventing the occurrence of bronchospasm. But on the other hand, the use of popular corticoids, such as hydrocortisone, prednisolone, dexazone, in nebulizers is undesirable, since in practice we get a systemic, not local effect.

"Pulmicort" for inhalation against cough is the only drug to date that is recommended for nebulizer therapy. This is a drug with a local anti-inflammatory effect, which has much fewer contraindications and side effects.

The medicine is produced as a suspension for spraying. It can be used for dry and wet inhalations for bronchial asthma, bronchial obstruction, wet cough with increased sputum production in small children. For the treatment of children, local corticoid is used in cases of bronchitis, laryngitis, bronchial asthma, vasomotor and allergic rhinitis, and any type of cough.

"Pulmicort" can be used in compressor-type nebulizers only. Dosage for adults is 1-2 mg (1 ml of suspension contains 0.25 or 0.5 mg of the active substance), for children from 1 year to 12 years - 0.5-1 mg, for infants 6-12 months - 0.25 mg twice a day.

Before use, the suspension must be diluted with saline (solutions of terbutaline, salbutamol, fenoterol, acetylcysteine, sodium cromoglycate, ipratropium bromide). The total volume of inhalation solution for infants is 2 ml. For older patients, 2-4 ml of the finished composition is used per procedure.

"Pulmicort" is not prescribed to children under six months, as well as in case of hypersensitivity to the drug. The use of the drug during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not prohibited, since inhalation treatment does not have a systemic effect. And yet, doctors insist on its very careful use, especially when it comes to small children, whose treatment with hormonal agents is best carried out in a hospital under the supervision of medical personnel.

With prolonged use of the drug in children, growth retardation is possible, but this is more true for children with bronchial asthma who regularly use Pulmicort aerosol in doses of more than 400 mcg per day.

Inhalations with "Validol" for cough

Perhaps this method of treating cough will cause bewilderment and even indignation in some people, but in reality the result of using a vasodilator is quite predictable. We are simply accustomed to seeing "Validol" as a means of effective help for cardiopathies and neuroses, so we cannot immediately accept other areas of its use that are not recorded in the instructions.

Inhalations with "Validol" are used to treat dry cough. It is believed that due to the substances included in the drug, it soothes the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, removing painful attacks, dilates blood vessels, activating regeneration processes, due to which swelling goes away and sensitivity of the respiratory tract decreases. Since a validol solution or vapors with the drug are used in inhalation, the throat is additionally softened and phlegm is liquefied, which makes it easier to expectorate.

"Validol" is available in the form of tablets and drops, but for the preparation of an inhalation composition, the first form is mainly used, although it is less convenient. In this case, 2 methods of using the drug are considered:

1. Grind the tablet into powder, add it to 400 ml of boiled water and stir thoroughly. This composition can be used in any inhalers or inhale the steam over a saucepan.

For greater effectiveness, adults are recommended to add 7 drops of iodine and 1 teaspoon of soda to the solution. Depending on the chosen method, inhalation is carried out from 5 to 15 minutes.

For children, it is recommended to reduce the dosage of the medicine: 1 tablet per 1 liter of water. The duration of inhalation is 2-3 minutes.

1. For steam inhalations for cough over a saucepan, tablets can be used in another way. Add a couple of Validol tablets to potato broth and breathe in the steam for 5-10 minutes.

Various sources recommend adding onion pulp or eucalyptus infusion to the hot Validol solution if there is no individual intolerance.

It is difficult to say who and when invented this method of fighting cough, and it is unlikely that a doctor will recommend it to you (although there have been such cases), but in the absence of effective drugs, you can try it. The low dosage used for inhalation is unlikely to harm health, but it can still alleviate the condition in the absence of an alternative or the ineffectiveness of purely home remedies.

Conditions for the effectiveness and safety of inhalations

Inhalations for cough are one of the most effective methods of treating a painful symptom, which is used for many diseases. The drug is delivered directly to the affected area using steam procedures or inhalers, where it begins to act from the very first minutes. When taking the drug orally, time must pass until the drug, having passed through the gastrointestinal tract, reaches the respiratory organs with the bloodstream.

With the correct selection of drugs and folk remedies, as well as taking into account the recommended dosages, such treatment will not have a systemic effect, which allows you to avoid unpleasant side effects. This makes the procedure safer than taking effective cough medications orally.

But the procedure also has some disadvantages, concerning certain aspects of its implementation.

Inhalations for coughs for adults are easy to perform, no matter what type of procedure you choose. But when choosing steam inhalations, you need to remember that high-temperature steam can cause burns to the skin and mucous membranes, so do not bend too low over the saucepan with the healing decoction.

Smokers will have to abstain from their favorite activity both before and after inhalation, not to mention that the procedure cannot be interrupted for a smoke break. Ideally, treatment of respiratory diseases implies a healthy lifestyle, at least for the duration of therapy.

Inhalations for coughs in children should be carried out by adults: medical personnel or parents. They must explain to the child that there is no need to breathe deeply in the mask. Older children can be explained that when coughing, they should inhale through the mouth, and that talking and playing around during the procedure is prohibited.

To keep the baby calm for a long time, you can turn on some calm music, a light cartoon, or just read an interesting book. Usually, this is enough for 5-10 minutes of the procedure.

If the child is afraid, which often happens when first introduced to the inhaler, you can turn the treatment process into a game or calmly talk to the child, telling a story about a brave boy/girl who was not afraid of anything, so the kind Nebulizer helped them cope with the enemies of children: the evil Cough and harmful Snot.

For treating infants, it is better to use an inhaler that allows the procedure to be carried out in a lying position. If the baby is capricious, inhalations can be carried out when the child falls asleep.

Steam procedures can be carried out on children only when they learn to understand and follow the rules told to them by their parents. For example, close your eyes when leaning over the steam, do not bend down too low and do not play around. A hyperactive child can simply turn over a bowl of boiling water on himself. A baby covered with a towel can lose consciousness and it is unknown how such carelessness of parents can end.

A nebulizer is the best device for inhalations for infants, toddlers, preschoolers and primary school children. But even in this case, you must strictly follow the doctor's recommendations. Bronchospasm is the scourge of small children, so if the doctor prescribes inhalations with bronchodilators before the procedure with expectorants, they must be carried out.

The same can be said about hormonal agents that prevent bronchial obstruction. Remember that babies do not yet know how to blow their noses normally and cough up the exudate that accumulates in the bronchi, which means they are at risk of bronchial obstruction, which prevents normal breathing.

Usually, inhalation procedures are carried out for no more than 5 days, but if the doctor prescribes a longer course, you need to listen to this.

Doctors prescribe inhalations for coughs to pregnant women as an alternative to oral administration of expectorants, mucolytics, and antimicrobial drugs. With inhalation treatment, a small portion of the active substance enters the blood, so the risk of systemic reactions dangerous to the child is reduced.

Most of the drugs used are relatively safe during pregnancy, with the exception of bronchodilators. Here you need to be very careful, because the drugs can also have some systemic effects, i.e. relax the muscles outside the respiratory system. In the early stages of pregnancy, this can cause a miscarriage. Therefore, in any case, expectant mothers should not undergo any treatment without consulting a doctor.

Caution should also be exercised when performing steam inhalations. Potato, soda or herbal infusion vapors themselves may not pose any danger, unless there is an intolerance to individual substances in their composition, but the reaction to evaporation in the expectant mother may be unpredictable.

You should not abuse essential oils either. Some of them, in addition to treating cough, can also affect the muscles of the uterus, which is most dangerous in the first months and last weeks of pregnancy.

When performing the procedure for the first time, you need to carefully monitor your condition (or the condition of the child). The fact is that individual sensitivity can be detected not only to plant extracts and ethers, but also to pharmaceutical drugs. Moreover, it is very difficult to foresee such a reaction in advance.

If during inhalation for cough the patient develops any suspicious symptoms: face turns red, breathing becomes difficult, runny nose appears or cough gets worse, etc., the procedure should be stopped and medical help should be sought.

Any means used to prepare inhalation compositions may have their own contraindications, which must be taken into account. Particular attention should be paid to this by people with heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, endocrine system disorders, closed-angle glaucoma, and some congenital disorders.

Effective inhalations for cough are those that take into account all the nuances: the type of cough, the body's individual reactions to drugs, safe dosages and requirements for inhalations, both steam and with a nebulizer.

Contraindications to the procedure

Contraindications to inhalation for cough are the factor that primarily causes the development of all sorts of complications. If they are not taken into account, an effective treatment procedure can cause the patient to become unwell. In this case, the benefits of inhalation will be out of proportion to the possible harm.

But in what cases do doctors not recommend resorting to inhalation treatment:

• the patient has a high body temperature,
• a tendency to nosebleeds and a history of them (this applies more to inhalations for rhinitis and steam treatments),
• cardiovascular pathologies complicated by respiratory failure,

Caution should also be exercised by those who suffer from arrhythmia, hypertension, patients with arterial and cardiac insufficiency, congenital vascular weakness, atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels, those who have recently suffered a stroke or myocardial infarction. In principle, inhalations with a nebulizer are not prohibited for such people, given that even breathing in this case has a normal depth and rhythm. But steam procedures that promote vasodilation can cause irreparable harm.

Inhalation procedures (especially with the help of a nebulizer, which produces tiny particles of medicinal solutions that penetrate the lower respiratory tract) should not be performed on people:

• with severe pneumonia,
• pleurisy,
• in severe pulmonary insufficiency,
• respiratory polyposis,
• pulmonary hemorrhages and a tendency to them,
• recurrent pneumothorax.

We are talking about severe conditions, when the beneficial effects of inhalations can have the opposite effect, i.e. worsen the patient's condition. Such patients must be treated in a hospital setting.

Oil inhalations are not carried out with a nebulizer for two reasons: to avoid damaging an expensive device and to avoid harming yourself. The fact is that oil particles entering the lower respiratory tract can provoke the development of oil pneumonia. This is one of the complications after the procedure that occurs with the wrong approach to choosing effective solutions and treatment methods.

Oils are not used to treat the lungs. They are preferable for upper respiratory tract diseases, and for bronchitis and pneumonia, it is worth paying attention to other means. With steam inhalations, the particles are larger and do not penetrate so deeply, so they are used for medicinal purposes.

As for children, the procedure should be carried out with special care. It is not for nothing that doctors insist that infants be treated only in a hospital setting.

During illness, small children may become capricious, restless, start crying and fidgeting. In such a state, inhalations for cough cannot be carried out. It is better to wait until the child calms down and falls asleep.

High body temperature is considered a contraindication for any inhalations in adults and children. But the temperature limits may differ. Steam inhalations are not recommended when the thermometer readings are 37.2-37.5 degrees. But the procedure with a nebulizer should be postponed if the temperature goes beyond the limit of 37.5-38 degrees. However, inhalations with antibiotics can be carried out even at higher readings, which helps combat hyperthermia.

A common, although relative, contraindication is individual intolerance to the components of the inhalation composition. But nothing can be done about it, and besides, the choice of inhalation solutions is large enough (including absolutely safe mineral water) to choose the most optimal one among them.

And one more thing. It is better to choose one composition for the procedure. Do not mix different medications in one solution without a doctor's prescription. Drug interactions can both weaken the effect of the drugs and increase the likelihood of side effects.

In addition, it is important to understand what effect the selected drug has. Bronchodilators should be used before mucolytics and expectorants. But antitussives should not be combined with the latter at all due to antagonism of reactions.

Consequences after the procedure

Inhalations are one of the most common procedures for coughing. Their popularity is explained by a number of reasons. One of them is the lack of need to take medications that treat one thing and cripple others. Even pharmaceutical compositions have a predominantly local effect, and a very small amount of medicinal chemistry gets into the blood, which is not capable of harming the body. With the right approach to the procedures, the risk of complications on vital organs (systemic action) and other unpleasant consequences is minimal.

Another reason for the popularity of inhalations is the rapid action due to the fact that the "medicine" is delivered directly to the affected area. After the first procedure, noticeable relief occurs. Attacks become less painful, breathing becomes easier, and the throat softens. True, during and immediately after inhalations, the cough may intensify, but it will not be exhausting due to easier expectoration of sputum.

The fact that inhalations make the cough worse should not be considered a bad sign. This is a natural process, because we ourselves stimulated the secretion of bronchial secretions, liquefaction of sputum, and respiratory motility. Naturally, the symptom has worsened, but this is better than suffering from an unproductive cough. Cough is needed to remove from the bronchi and lungs everything that prevents them from functioning normally.

It is another matter if, in addition to coughing, a person begins to choke, which may indicate bronchospasm, bronchial obstruction, or a severe allergic reaction accompanied by angioedema. These symptoms usually appear already during inhalation for cough, which is a signal to stop the procedure and take measures to relieve dangerous symptoms.

Most often, unpleasant consequences are noted after steam procedures. Using too hot water (over 60 degrees, for children over 40-45 degrees), a small distance from the steam source, eyes open during the procedure, breathing too deeply during inhalation, excessive wrapping that limits air access, are fraught with serious complications. Among them are burns of the face, mucous membrane of the eyes, pharynx and larynx, loss of consciousness due to lack of oxygen, exacerbation of heart disease, nosebleeds. All this can be avoided if you know when to stop and take the procedure consciously.

Care after the procedure

Doctors say that the outcome of treatment depends not only on what medications we take and what procedures we perform, but also on what we do afterward. Post-procedure care is no less important than the procedure itself, but many simply do not pay attention to it, considering it not so important. Hence the second group of complications caused by incorrect actions after inhalations for cough.

What happens if you go for a breath of frosty winter air right after steam inhalation? Nothing good. Any inhalation is a certain load on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, which for a while becomes more sensitive to any impact, including negative ones. So you will have to postpone walks for at least an hour, and even more in winter.

You should not combine treatment with sports. Physical activity immediately after the procedure is harmful, because it weakens the body, which has already spent energy on self-healing. Active breathing during exercise can cause dizziness, darkening of the eyes, loss of consciousness. The body must be given the opportunity to recover for 1-1.5 hours, after which you can show any activity.

Smoking can reduce the effect of a useful procedure to "nothing", and such a combination of procedures is unacceptable for some drugs. Give your lungs a rest at least for the duration of the illness.

Since the end of the procedure is not yet the end of the treatment (particles of the medicine that have entered the respiratory tract will continue to work for some time), eating should also be postponed for an hour or an hour and a half. In order not to feel hungry, doctors recommend doing cough inhalations 1-2 hours after eating, and postponing the next meal for the same period after the session. This is a completely normal interval for a healthy stomach.

If you do not follow the recommendations, the effectiveness of inhalations decreases (the medicine does not have time to act normally, especially if it is an antibiotic), and unpleasant symptoms may appear from the gastrointestinal tract: nausea, vomiting, heaviness in the stomach.

Ideally, it is best to lie down and rest. Let the medicinal particles continue to do their job, helping the body to heal. You can sleep a little or just lie down, without straining your muscles and head. No temperature changes or changes in conditions. Set yourself up to quickly recover from the disease, and not to quickly return to your usual activities despite the disease.

Reviews

Inhalation cough treatment is a common practice that even doctors adhere to. This type of effective therapy is applicable to adults, children, and the elderly. It is also available to expectant mothers and nursing women, replacing the oral administration of synthetic drugs that can harm a growing child's body.

Inhalations for cough can be carried out using different methods, using different inhalation compositions: mineral water, herbal decoctions, soda solution, essential oils, pharmaceutical products. The effectiveness of different compositions may differ, which to some extent explains the wide divergence in reviews of the procedure.

For example, mineral water and saline solution soften the throat and only slightly dilute the phlegm, so you should not expect a terrific effect from it. But ambroxol with its pronounced expectorant effect (even without exerting force) can already be used for more serious diseases, for example, in combination with antibiotics, for which it facilitates the work.

Each person's body is individual, so the reaction to even the most effective inhalations for cough may differ. Some are satisfied with the result, while others do not see a pronounced effect. But this does not mean that you should abandon an effective procedure. Maybe you should change the inhalation composition?

Sometimes you can find reviews in which mothers complain that after inhalation the child felt worse, the cough got worse, the child was capricious. There is nothing surprising in this. A small child does not yet know how to cough up phlegm normally, so increased coughing due to the accumulation of phlegm can exhaust him. Ambroxol is approved for use from an early age, and after it phlegm often comes off even without coughing. Perhaps it is worth considering this option.

The deterioration of the child's condition after the procedure can also be explained by improper care. Walks and active games should be postponed for a while, and if this is not done, it is likely that the disease will progress and may even cause complications. A weakened body is easy prey for microbes.

There is an opinion among specialists that there are no ineffective inhalations, there is an incorrect approach to their implementation: discrepancy between the declared effect of the drug and the real needs of the patient (for example, the use of antitussives in the midst of an inflammatory process in the respiratory tract), incorrect preparation of solutions and the procedure, ignoring contraindications and requirements for care after inhalations. In some situations, it is enough to simply change the drug, the body's sensitivity to which is either increased or, conversely, extremely low.

In order for cough inhalations to bring the expected effect, they must be treated as a serious medical procedure with its own requirements and limitations. Their observance will guarantee not only the removal of the painful symptom, but also a speedy recovery with little effort, which, however, does not exclude the complex use of other treatment methods that minimize the risk of complications.