My friend has a cough?!


Question: He has had it for about 5 years and its just short little bursts, but it never seems to go away. I always know where he is cause he is coughing. I am starting to get worried. ANy advice?


Answers: He has had it for about 5 years and its just short little bursts, but it never seems to go away. I always know where he is cause he is coughing. I am starting to get worried. ANy advice?

Coughs can be treated with cough medicines. Dry coughs are treated with cough suppressants (antitussives) that suppress the body's urge to cough, while productive coughs (coughs that produce phlegm) are treated with expectorants that loosen mucus from the respiratory tract. Centrally acting cough suppressants, such as codeine and dextromethorphan reduce the urge to cough by inhibiting the response of the sensory endings by depolarization, or a dulling, of the vagus nerve, the nerve leading from the brain stem and serving the chest area. A recent study indicates that, because of the presence of theobromine in chocolate, 50 grams of dark chocolate may be an effective treatment for a persistent cough.

Research has demonstrated that gargling with a mixture of warm water and salt washes away the layer of mucus on the throat containing bacteria and proteins that cause inflammation, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology.

The treatment of a cough will depend largely on its severity and underlying cause. A productive cough should not be suppressed except in special circumstances (eg, when it exhausts the patient or prevents rest and sleep) and generally not until the cause has been identified. An acute infection such as pneumonia may require antibiotics, an asthma-induced cough may be treated with the use of bronchodialators, or an antihistamine may be administered in the case of an allergy. Cough medicines may be given if the patient cannot rest because of the cough or if the cough is not productive, as is the case with most coughs associated with colds or flu. The two types of drugs used to treat coughs are antitussives and expectorants.

Cough lozenges or hard candy can help dry, tickling coughs. These should never be given to a child under 3 years old because of the risk of choking. A vaporizer or steamy shower may help a dry cough by increasing the humidity in the air. Drink extra fluids to help thin the secretions in your throat and make them easier to cough up. Zinc lozenges can reduce cold symptoms, especially cough. Coughs due to bacterial or viral upper respiratory infections may be effectively treated with botanical and homeopathic therapies. The choice of remedy will vary and be specific to the type of cough the patient has. Various vitamins, such as vitamin C, may be helpful in preventing or treating conditions (including colds and flu) that lead to coughs. Avoiding of mucous-producing foods can be effective in healing a cough condition. These mucous-producing foods can vary, based on individual intolerance, but dairy products are a major mucous-producing food for most people.

I hope your friend gets better

?

if he smokes than you should convince him to quit... then i don't know but maybe the cough will go away.





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