COUGH & COLD
It is estimated that, the average adult has between two to three colds per year, with symptoms that include sneezing and runny nose. Colds are caused mainly by viruses - more than 200 different viruses can cause a cold- therefore, antibiotics are not helping in treatment of colds. In order to keep ourselves protected from colds, we need to do very simple things that sum up to avoiding contact with viruses in our everyday life, while boosting our immune system by resting enough, being hydrated and keeping our throat, nose, and airways comfortable.
Coughing is your body’s way of getting rid of an irritant. When something irritates your throat or airway, your nervous system sends an alert to your brain. Your brain responds by telling the muscles in your chest and abdomen to contract and expel a burst of air. A cough is an important defensive reflex that helps protect your body from irritants like mucus, smoke and allergens, such as dust, mould, and pollen. Coughing is also a symptom of many illnesses and conditions. Sometimes, the characteristics of your cough can give you a clue to its cause.
WET COUGH
A wet cough typically brings up mucus. A cold or the flu commonly causes wet coughs.
They may be accompanied by other symptoms, such as a runny nose, postnasal drip or fatigue.
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Conditions that can cause a wet cough include:
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Coughs in babies, toddlers, and children that last less than 3 weeks are almost always caused by a cold or the flu.
DRY COUGH
A dry cough is a cough that doesn’t bring up mucus. Dry coughs occur because there’s inflammation or irritation in your respiratory tract, but there’s no excess mucus to cough up.
Dry coughs are often caused by upper respiratory infect-ions, such as a cold or the flu.
Other possible causes of dry cough include laryngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, asthma, allergies, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and exposure to irritants such as air pollution, dust, or smoke
In both children and adults, it’s common for dry coughs to linger for several weeks after a cold or the flu has passed.
