What Is The Reason We Cough And How Can We Prevent It?
What is the reason we cough?
Believe it or not, but cough is a common symptom in all mammals. We have all coughed at some point in our lives. In fact, we know that as many as 23% of the world’s population coughs when they wake up in the morning, even though they do not smoke. Furthermore, we know that adults get about two to three colds a year, and that they experience coughing in 75% of these cases. Estimates indicate that 13% of the population suffers from chronic cough, even when they do not have a cold.
Coughing is a reflex that can easily be caused by illness, although this is not the case most of the time. In principle, it is just a mechanism for expelling irritants from the respiratory tract. In this article, we will take a closer look at this interesting bodily function and why it happens.
Why do we cough?
The first thing we need to be aware of is that coughing is one of the body’s defense mechanisms against external agents that can be harmful. We cough to clean the airways and remove particles and foreign bodies.
Coughing is a sudden and explosive maneuver. It all happens in three rapid phases. In the first, the glottis opens when we breathe in. In the second phase, the airways contract. Finally, in the third phase, we expel the air that is in the lungs with an abrupt opening of the glottis.
Our cough receptors are mainly located in the lower respiratory tract, which includes the larynx, trachea and bronchi. They are also in the nose in the sinuses, ear canal, pleura, diaphragm and even in the pericardium (heart sac) and stomach.
Different types of cough
There are several types of cough, and only a few of them are a reason to see a doctor. In principle , cough is mainly classified as productive or non-productive.
A cough is productive when we get mucus, and this type of cough deserves that we take a trip to the doctor. In contrast, a non-productive cough is a dry type of cough in which no mucus is expelled. It causes itching, irritation and often sore throat. There is also a third modality known as “fake dry”. Here we experience mucus, but we do not get to expel it completely.
Based on the duration, the cough can also be classified as acute or chronic. It is acute when the duration does not exceed three weeks. Furthermore, it is chronic when it lasts for more than 3 or 4 weeks. The latter is usually accompanied by irritation of the trachea or larynx.
Finally, we have whooping cough and psychogenic cough. The former is violent, highly contagious and quite dangerous in infants under 6 months. The second is a type of psychosomatic cough, which usually appears when a person is very nervous.
Furthermore, we will tell you about the main reasons why we cough.
Environmental stimuli that make us cough
An environment with a lot of smoke, dust or mites usually leads to coughing fits. One can have an allergy if it is persistent, be it permanent or related to the season. Sudden temperature changes also lead to coughing.
Inflammatory processes
When the airways become inflamed, they prevent the passage of air and can lead to coughing and pain. This occurs with common diseases such as colds and flu. It also occurs in diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, fibrosis, asthma, lung cancer, etc.
Other reasons why we cough
We may cough due to conditions in the nose, pharynx, ears or ear canals, or due to gastroesophageal reflux (GØRS). Cough that gets significantly worse at bedtime can be a sign of heart failure.
Medicines
Cough is also a side effect of certain medications such as ACE inhibitors, which are often used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure).
Smoking
We must also mention that it is common for those who smoke tobacco or something else to experience recurrent coughs. Remember that this is not healthy, even if it happens every day. Talk to your doctor if you have had a cough for a long time.
Finally, we must note that coughing may be due to psychogenic factors such as anxiety and nervousness.
If you have any further questions, ask your doctor.
