Wednesday 27 January 2010

Treating Chronic Coughs Is Necessary

By Jennifer Huang

Coughing is usually accompanied with flu and common cold, and causes acute pain and dryness in throat. It is important to seek proper medical help and get it treated appropriately.

The defence mechanism of the body causes coughs to clear the air passage in the throat which restricts proper air flow to the lungs. They are not only a result of physiological problems but can also be triggered by psychological reasons. The former is caused when the cough results from external agents like dust, cigarette smoke, environmental pollutants etc or because of a medical disorder. As for the coughs triggered by psychological reasons, it is normally a habitual problem called Streruphilia, which is totally mental and not caused because of any physical disorders.

Cough can often be a chronic problem with identifiable features and can also be acute based on how intense and painful the symptoms are. Acute coughing which last less than 3 weeks can be a symptom of either infectious or non-infectious ailments. Conditions such as pneumonia and infections in sinuses cause acute coughs while chronic diseases like asthma cause chronic coughs.

It is important that you consult a doctor and get a proper diagnosis of the root cause and severity of your cough diagnosed so that appropriate treatment can be done. Based on the underlying root cause, specialists can prescribe many types of medicines such as antibiotics, antihistamines, or other cough suppressants. In a few cases, particularly chronic ailments, the cough treatment can last for prolonged periods, even months, to fully cure or control the problem.

Like any other serious medical problem, taking precautions to prevent cough attacks is more sensible than having to seek treatment for it when your condition gets bad. Abstaining from smoking, exercising regularly and taking a balanced diet that develops immune system and improves overall health can help keep cough at bay.

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