Causes and Treatment of a Cough

What Causes a Cough?

A cough is a sudden, often repetitive contraction of the chest cavity resulting in a strong release of air from the lungs. It’s an involuntary action the body uses to remove substances that are irritating the breathing passages. These irritants can be produced by cold and flu viruses.

There are two main types of coughs:

• Dry coughs – These coughs are often the result of a “tickle” sensation in the throat and do not produce anything.
• Productive coughs – These coughs are often the result of drainage of fluids due to a cold or flu virus and produce phlegm.

How Do You Treat a Cough?

Treating a cough depends primarily on the causes and what type of cough you are dealing with. There are two main types of cough medicines: cough suppressants and expectorants. If you are treating a dry cough, then you want to use a cough suppressant (antitussive). Cough suppressants suppress the body’s urge to cough. For productive coughs, you will want to use an expectorant. These medicines are designed to loosen the mucus that lines the respiratory tract allowing it to flow more freely and cause less irritation.

When choosing a cough medicine, look carefully at which type of medication it is. Over-the-counter products are sometimes not clearly labeled as to whether they are suppressants or expectorants. Check with your pharmacist to find which medicine will best treat your child’s specific cough.

With the concerns of over-medicating children, you may want to investigate the many natural ways to treat your child’s cough.