An allergic cough in a child or adult is one of the symptoms of an allergy.
It appears for various reasons, because allergens affect the upper respiratory tract.
Cough appears due to the inflammatory process in the trachea, bronchial system, throat. Allergic cough can have a paroxysmal character, then a person begins to cough.
Causes
Why does an allergic cough occur, and what is it? Most often the cause of coughing are allergens that can get into the respiratory tract: pollen, pet hair and others.
Identify the causes of allergies can sometimes be very difficult, which creates difficulties, as it is important for the patient to avoid contact with the allergen as much as possible.
The mechanism of development
This type of cough develops as a result of the ingestion of an allergen into the upper respiratory tract of a person, the bloodstream receives mediators inflammations and other substances that provoke swelling and inflammation of the mucous membrane of the nasal passages, larynx, trachea and bronchi.
This condition leads to the development of complications from the respiratory system - constant edema and respiratory tract spasm leads to a violation of normal breathing, there is hyperventilation of the lungs, which can cause bronchial obstruction and seizures suffocation.
The main allergens
There are several groups of substances that can cause the development of allergies:
- Food allergens- these include citrus fruits, chocolate, food colorings and preservatives.
- Air Allergens- they include domestic dust (provided there is no wet cleaning in the room), pollen, various chemicals (cosmetics, perfumes, all kinds of varnishes and aerosols).
- Lmedicinal allergens- most of the medicines are foreign and cause it to be sensitized.
Treatment of an allergic cough in a child or an adult can begin only after a thorough diagnosis and identify the exact allergen. First, the doctor examines the child for signs of other symptoms that can cause a cough. If such a search does not bear fruit, tests are conducted to determine the allergen.
How to distinguish an allergic cough from a cold?
It is important not to confuse the allergic cough with the manifestation of any disease of the upper respiratory ways, otherwise there is an opportunity to miss and run either the allergy itself, or bronchitis and the like disease.
It is necessary to pay attention to some signs that will help correctly recognize the allergic nature of cough in a child or an adult:
- When coughing starts suddenly, last for 2-4 minutes, and then also suddenly stop.
- If the cough is dry, irritating to the throat and not accompanied by high fever, then, most likely, it is of an allergic nature.
- It is also characterized by the appearance of seizures most often at night, which are accompanied by such symptoms as: a runny nose, the presence of itching in the nose, sneezing, shortness of breath, even asphyxiation.
- A distinctive feature is the absence of temperature.
- Allergic cough symptoms of which resemble bronchial asthma are also called the cough form of this disease.
Please note that a correct and timely understanding of the cause of the occurrence of cough not only accelerates the achievement of a positive result, but also blocks possible problems due to incorrect treatment.
Symptoms of an allergic cough
Usually, an allergic cough begins suddenly, for no apparent reason, sometimes as an attack. In the absence of appropriate measures, the symptom may persist for up to 2 weeks or more, even if there is no allergen present during this time period.
For allergies is characterized by a predominantly dry cough, very rarely there is a wet cough accompanied by separation of transparent sputum, which does not contain impurities of vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms (pus).
Allergic cough is resistant to most antitussive drugs designed to treat diseases associated with inflammatory processes in the respiratory system.
Other signs
Possible additional symptoms for an allergic cough:
- hoarseness of voice;
- dry rhinitis;
- lacrimation, redness of the eyes (allergic conjunctivitis);
- headache;
- swelling of the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx;
- itching, burning in the throat, nose;
- sneezing;
- digestive disorders (diarrhea, vomiting);
- cough may worsen at night;
- rashes on the skin.
To recognize an allergic rhinitis and cough in a child is easiest when the symptoms occur immediately after contact with the allergen.
Prevention
To exclude the appearance of an allergic cough, it is important to perform such preventive actions:
- Adhere to proper nutrition, there are more natural products.
- Use in everyday life as little chemicals as possible.
- More often, wet cleaning and airing the room, especially during the flowering period.
If an allergic cough has already begun, it is better not to engage in self-medication, because it can develop into asthma, which is much more difficult to treat. In no case can you run a cough caused by an allergy. Especially it concerns children.
Treatment of an allergic cough
In the case of a cough that is triggered by an allergy treatment is not an easy task, but it is not worth it. Therefore at the first signs it is necessary to begin struggle against the basic allergic disease.
Discharged allergy leads to aggravation of symptoms, deterioration of health and the development of such dangerous complications as chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma. You can not do without a doctor.
Accordingly, first of all,it will be necessary to minimize contact with the allergen:
- If an allergic cough occurs as a reaction to food, then in this case intestinal sorbents (activated charcoal, Polypefan, Enteros-gel) can be prescribed.
- It is necessary to observe a hypoallergenic diet, in which chocolate, citrus fruits, seafood, red berries and fruits are excluded.
- When the allergies are caused by plants and their pollen, it is worthwhile settling in an acceptable climatic zone.
- If the cough is provoked by house dust, then you will have to wet the house twice a day and maintain the necessary air parameters in the room with a special ionizer.
In the treatment of allergic cough in children and adults to eliminate unpleasant symptoms from the nasopharynx also use the tablets from the allergy prescribed by a specialist:
- Zirtek, Zatyden, Claritin, Ketotifen, Tavegil, Peritol, Suprastin, and others.
- You may also need antitussive medications: Ambroxol, Lazolvan, Cromoglycate Sodium, or Bromhexine.
- Inhalation drugs can be injected that expand the bronchi: "Eufillin "Berodual "Ventolin"
Also, when treating an allergic cough, it is important to strengthen the immune system. To do this, you need to consume more fruits, drink vitamin supplements, monitor your health. Do not be lazy to rinse your nose and rinse your larynx if you feel perspiration. For rinsing, a 9% solution of sodium chloride (hydrochloric acid) or plain water is suitable. Often this helps prevent the birth of coughing attacks.
Still, do not rely on yourself in the treatment of an allergic cough, because an ordinary cough can quickly become an asthma, which will be extremely difficult to treat.
.Treatment with ASTI
Allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT) is by far the only method for treating allergies, allowing not to suppress symptoms, but to cope with the cause of allergies - the emergence of an inadequate immune reaction.
The essence of the method lies in the fact that the patient is first introduced minimal, and then all increasing doses "His" allergen in the form of a specially prepared drug (which is sometimes called "vaccine from allergies ").
As a result, the body, figuratively speaking, "gets used" to the allergen and ceases to consider it a foreign object, from which it is necessary to actively and intensively defend.
Plasmapheresis
Not a bad result in the treatment has plasmapheresis - mechanical purification of blood from allergens, toxins, immune complexes. This procedure is quite effective, but has a temporary effect, besides, there are contra-indications to its carrying out.
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