Coughs are common right now with poor air quality. This is a great time to filter the air you breathe and hope for some rain to wash away all of the particles like what has descended on Chicago recently. It’s no mean feat to have had the worst air in the world (for a day or two), and we are seeing lots of flare ups of coughing.
When thinking about coughs in general, there are a few common causes which account for most of the hacking that people do. Remember that a cough is a protective reflex that protects your airway and keeps junk out of the lungs. Unfortunately, it’s hard to turn off the cough reflex even when there’s no imminent danger. The cough symptom can become habitual, just like clearing the throat.
Causes of the common cough:
1. Infection — it can be due to viruses, bacteria or fungi. The worst case is pneumonia.
2. Allergy — post nasal drip and sore throat may accompany the cough.
3. Reflux — acid washing up in the back of the throat can cause a lot of irritation and cough.
4. Medication — A side effect of some drugs is cough, such as ACE medicines for high BP.
5. Asthma — There are people who don’t wheeze, but mostly cough as a part of airway constriction.
6. Aspiration — food or liquid going “down the wrong tube”.
7. Smoke — Whether it’s from Canadian wildfires or Marlboro, smoke is always an irritant.
The main idea is that a cough is a response to something bothering the back of the throat. Remove the source of irritation and you have the best chance of getting rid of the cough.
Cough suppressants quiet the cough reflex but don’t fix the underlying condition.
Let’s hope for cleaner air soon!
Ossu!
Sensei Steve