I keep coughing after catching a cold. Is there still inflammation? What medicine should I take?

A friend told Huazi that he kept coughing after catching a cold. Was it because of inflammation? What medicine should he take? Huazi told him that he didn’t need to rush to take medicine. Dry cough often occurs after catching a cold. It is not because of inflammation. It is a self-limiting disease that will heal after a period of time.

Dry cough after a cold is a common phenomenon, called post-infectious cough . Its mechanism is related to damage to the respiratory mucosa and will not be relieved until the mucosa is repaired.

1. Why do you cough when you have a cold?

There are two reasons for coughing during a cold. The first reason is that when a cold occurs , the virus infects the respiratory mucosal cells, and the body's immune cells will fight against it, engulfing the virus and infected cells, while stimulating increased mucus secretion. Dead cells and toxins mix with respiratory mucus to form sputum, which stimulates a cough reflex and discharges the sputum .

The second reason is after a cold occurs . When the immune cells are clearing infected cells, they may also cause certain accidental injuries to nearby cells, causing defects in the respiratory mucosa. The exposed nerve endings will become overly sensitive, and the slightest stimulation will cause a dry cough. It will take time to wait for the respiratory mucosa to regenerate before the symptoms are relieved. This time is usually 3 to 8 weeks .

2. Other diseases need to be ruled out

Cough after infection usually heals itself within 3 to 8 weeks, and no treatment is required for mild coughs . However, when coughing occurs, it is recommended not to passively wait for self-healing, but to go to the hospital for examination , because other diseases can also cause coughing symptoms, so do not mistake it for cough after infection and delay the disease.

If the cough has not been relieved for more than 8 weeks, it is a chronic cough , not a cough caused by infection, and the cause needs to be actively sought.

It is recommended to check routine blood tests and lung CT to check whether the cold has caused secondary lung infection ; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the elderly and cough variant asthma in children are also common causes of cough; the acid mist formed by gastroesophageal reflux can irritate the throat and cause cough; taking pril antihypertensive drugs has the adverse reaction of causing dry cough; and there are many other reasons such as neurological and psychogenic that may cause cough.

3. Do you need medication for a cough that can heal on its own?

If other diseases have been ruled out as the cause of the cough, and there was a clear respiratory infection before the cough, it is very likely a post-infectious cough that can heal on its own.

If the coughing symptoms are not serious and do not affect normal speech, eating and sleeping, drug treatment is not recommended . After all, drugs cannot help the regeneration of mucosal cells. You just need to have a regular schedule, a balanced diet, drink plenty of water and get more rest.

If the cough symptoms are severe and interfere with your daily life, you can also use cough suppressants to relieve the symptoms and help yourself get through this period comfortably.

It should be noted that cough suppressants can only be used for dry coughs without sputum . If the amount of sputum is large, cough suppressants are not recommended, otherwise the cough reflex will be suppressed, sputum cannot be discharged, and more serious lung infections may occur.

To relieve cough, you can use centrally acting cough suppressants, such as benproperine (strong cough suppressant, suitable for severe dry coughs); dextromethorphan (long-lasting effect, take before bedtime to avoid coughing affecting sleep); codeine (strong cough suppressant, but addictive, use with caution).

Histamine can increase airway sensitivity. You can also use antihistamines such as chlorpheniramine maleate and ketotifen together with cough suppressants to increase the effect. You can also take Chinese herbal cough syrup . Be careful not to drink water immediately after taking it. You can use the viscosity of the syrup to cover the mucous membrane of the throat for as long as possible, so that the drug effect lasts longer.

In summary, the dry cough after a cold is probably not caused by inflammation, but rather a post-infectious cough. This is a self-limiting disease that requires 3 to 8 weeks of waiting. Once the respiratory mucosa is repaired, the cough will disappear. If the cough is too severe, you can also use cough suppressants to make yourself comfortable during this period.

Drugs must be used under the guidance of a doctor. If you have any questions about medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.