HealthCare Tips

How to know if Your Cough is Asthma

More than 20 million people in the United States suffer from asthma. If you are one of those who have asthma, the first signs that you might practice is a constant nighttime cough that you cannot seem to quiet. Certainly, that cough could very well be an indication of another respiratory disorder as well. The answer will almost certainly need a trip to your physician for a further assessment to determine whether your cough is indeed caused by asthma.

There are two forms of nighttime coughs: the dry hacking cough that is non-productive or the productive cough that carries mucous up with it. Experts normally agree that a productive cough is most likely the result of a cold or other illness, and not an asthma cough.

When a cough remains after an illness, it can last for up to a week or two. If it lasts further than that time period, a call to your physician is a good idea to make sure that you do not have another more severe kind of respiratory disorder. Productive coughs are typically best treated with a medicine containing an expectorant that will help bring up and out the congestion that is causing the coughing. An asthma cough, on the other hand, is generally a dry, non-productive cough. Once it is triggered, it can continue without ending until the sufferer is out of breath or gagging. Occasionally you can hear a wheeze at the end of the cough. Most doctors think that an asthma cough is the result of aggravated and swollen airways. The muscles around the bronchial tube try to force the source of irritation out of the airways, and the consequence is spasms of the muscles that lead to the coughing fits.

Handling for these asthma coughs can comprise a bronchodilator to help relax those muscles that are tightening. Another cure for asthma coughs is a daily dose of steroids that is typically taken through an inhaler. This can act as a preventive measure to stop symptoms like the asthma cough by keeping the swelling down in the bronchial passages.

You can also try a number of natural remedies with your medications, such as a cup of hot tea with honey before bed to calm your throat. Keep pets out of your room at night as you are sleeping, and dust and vacuum frequently to keep dust mites at bay. Avoiding the irritants that tend to trigger your asthma cough is also an effective means of preventing your symptoms.

Related posts:

1. Diagnose and Treat Asthma
2. Manage Asthma at home
3. Asthma in Pregnancy
4. Asthma Exercises
5. Causes of Asthma