December 15, 2007

Control Asthma Cough before It Controls You!

Asthma cough usually occurs at night. It arrives without the typical wheeziness. It is one of the most annoying things to happen, because it not only disturbs the sleep of the sufferer, but also other family members.

Asthma cough is generally the first symptom of asthma in kids. If your child wakes up almost every night, coughing, it is a sign that his or her asthma is getting worse. It’s time to seek medical help.
 
Never ignore night coughs. You must consult your doctor for a treatment. Doctors usually recommend an inhaler containing medication as they provide instant relief from cough.
 
Many patients think asthma cough to be asthma itself. It’s not so. The cough is only a symptom of this condition. Hence, you need to dig deep into the cause of the cough, in order to control asthma efficiently.

You Must Seek Medical Help When…

The night cough is accompanied with:
  • Sweating and/or fever
  • Wheezing and/or shortness of breath
  • Coughing stained phlegm
  • Chest pain
  • Whooping cough
  • Inflamed and sore claves
  • Sudden loss of weight
  • Persistent coughs at night

Asthma Cough is caused due to…

allergens present in the home. When you react to the allergens, it causes inflammation of the air passages in your lungs. It leads to spasms of muscles present in bronchial passages. As the irritants do not lead to the production of mucous, you get a dry cough. As your lungs try to expel the irritants out of the bronchial passage, you cough harder and for prolonged period of time. This further leads to difficulty in breathing. This type of cough has a distinct sound. It’s not like the regular cough that you get with a cold. It’s horrible - you cough and cough, until you are left gasping for breath!

Asthma Cough Can Be Treated By…

…using bronchodilators. They are one of the best treatments available. They loosen the muscles, in and around the bronchial passages and relieve the cough. The air can pass through the passages easily, thus, providing respite to the patient.
 
Inhaling corticosteroids is also effective for night cough. It is anti-inflammatory, thus, reducing the swelling of bronchial passages. This makes is easy for your lungs to expel the irritants out of the body. And once the irritants are out, the symptoms subside.
 
If you are interested in going natural for treating your condition, then why not try herbal remedies? Black or green tea is said to be a great reliever for night cough. Honey, when taken just before sleeping at night, provides immense relief. There are number of home as well as herbal remedies for handling asthma cough. However, do not take natural therapies as a substitute for prescribed medication. Both should go together.
 
In addition, you should keep your home and environment free from allergens. Dust your carpets and furniture regularly to prevent the harboring of dust mites. If there are pets at home, you should not come in direct contact with them. Watch out for any perfume, cleaning agent, food, and other things that might trigger an allergic reaction and cause asthma.
 
Asthma is not something to be feared. It won’t lead you anywhere. Roll up your sleeves and get ready to fight asthma cough with proper medication and confidence. Take control of this condition rather than  letting this condition take a control over you.  

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