The body's reaction to allergens can be a dry, unrelenting cough. This condition is especially dangerous for children, as their airways are not of the same structure as in adults. They are much narrower, because the risk of developing edema is much higher. If a person is faced with the problem of an allergic cough, he must be treated immediately.
Features of the course of the disease
An allergic cough can occur suddenly in both an adult and a child, even if no negative reactions of the body have been observed before. This disease is characterized by the following features:
- manifestation at night;
- itchy throat and nose;
- labored breathing;
- suffocation;
- coughing fits without phlegm;
- lack of relief from coughing up.
Allergies are difficult to diagnose and are often confused with SARS, flu, colds and even tuberculosis. However, its main difference lies in the absence of increased body temperature. Only a doctor can detect an allergic cough in adults and children after a series of tests.
Mechanism of appearance
A dry and unrelenting cough in a child or adult appears overnight. This is due to the fact that allergens enter the respiratory tract, most often they penetrate into the affected area along with the inhaled air, but there may be cases when they are transported by the bloodstream. When an allergen interacts with E immunoglobulins, allergy mediators are released.
Histamine is the main culprit for allergies, it provokes swelling of the bronchi and tracheal walls. The body perceives this phenomenon as a mechanical obstacle to breathing and triggers a natural defense - a cough. Under normal conditions, this process brings relief, and the airways are cleared, but when exposed to allergens this does not happen.
A wide variety of types of allergens can provoke attacks of allergic cough in adults and children. Most often, airway edema is observed due to household allergies, when, together with the air, we inhale particles that cause an increased reaction of the body.
They can be contained in:
dust;- wool and feathers of pets;
- cleaning and detergents;
- cosmetics and care products;
- pollen of plants;
- antibiotics of the penicillin group;
- tobacco smoke.
dust;Less commonly, there are cases when a reaction occurs when food enters the body. Cough can be caused by dairy products, nuts, eggs, strawberries, tomatoes, citrus fruits, seafood. These are just the most common food allergens, and there are actually many more.
Disease in children
An allergic cough in a child can lead to very serious consequences, up to and including death. It is important to start treatment on time in order to prevent the development of stenosis. This is a disease in which the bronchi are very tense, and the edema is so great that it can lead to a narrowing of the vocal tube.
It is possible to recognize allergies in children at an early stage. The harbingers of the disease are tearing of the eyes, constant itching in the nose and rashes on the skin. If you find these symptoms in a child, you should immediately consult a doctor. If the onset of the disease is missed, and a lingering dry cough has already appeared, you need to immediately call an ambulance. Doctors will be able to help the baby and prescribe effective treatment.
First aid for cough
You will not be able to cure an allergic cough on your own, since therapy is prescribed individually. However, every person can be given first aid when an attack occurs. To do this, it is worth taking the following measures:
to seat the patient or put on high pillows, with a horizontal position of the body, the attacks become more severe;- provide an influx of fresh air, open the window;
- placing the patient in a steam bath, this will help to facilitate breathing;
- take an antihistamine, if there is one in the medicine cabinet;
- rinse your nose and rinse your throat with saline to wash off allergens from the mucous membrane.
to seat the patient or put on high pillows, with a horizontal position of the body, the attacks become more severe;These measures will not completely eliminate the problem; they will only ease the symptoms for a while. It is necessary to treat allergic cough in adults and children after examination by specialists.
If the disease is detected in a child, you need to immediately call an ambulance, this will help save his life.
Treatment stage 1: elimination of allergens
Before treating a dry cough in a child or adult with drugs, you need to eliminate the allergens that provoke it. If it is house dust, then all objects that accumulate it are removed from the room:
- carpets, paths;
- Stuffed Toys;
- fleecy blankets;
- books.
If the reason was the wool or feathers of pets, they should be relocated to another place, away from the patient. Also, doctors recommend using sorbents to remove already accumulated allergens from the intestines. These can be products such as Enterosgel, Activated Carbon, Polyphepan.
Quitting smoking is a mandatory measure, since tobacco smoke contains substances that provoke the appearance of a cough.
In especially difficult cases, they resort to mechanical blood purification. It can be hemosorption or immunosorption, when blood is passed through a special sorbent that precipitates all harmful substances on its surface. Plasmapheresis and lymphocytopheresis also help remove antibody complexes from the blood. These are techniques of gravitational blood surgery, in which plasma is separated - a liquid substance in which antigens are concentrated.
Treatment stage 2: taking antihistamines
Today, allergic dry cough can be treated in adults and children with the help of special medications. Only a doctor prescribes them, amateur performance in this case is strictly prohibited. Antihistamines are taken in courses, they are aimed at suppressing histamine.
It is possible to treat the disease with the help of "old" means, which have a pronounced sedative effect. They cause drowsiness, lethargy of the reaction, and have a detrimental effect on the nervous system. These drugs are not recommended when working with complex machinery, driving a car, or strenuous mental activity. In most cases, they are completely contraindicated for children.
However, there are modern drugs that help to overcome dry cough with allergies. Treatment with them is more effective, since they have a long lasting effect. These funds do not inhibit the work of the nervous system, therefore they are suitable for people who are used to leading an active lifestyle.
Treatment phase 3: developing immunity to allergens
Allergy treatment includes a desensitization technique. These are procedures aimed at introducing small doses of allergens into the body. At the same time, the sensitivity of the respiratory tract to the agents gradually decreases.
This method is not always effective, and it also has a high risk of seizures. Therapy is carried out only in medical institutions under the supervision of specialists.
Relief of symptoms
Cough treatment in children and adults is sometimes carried out with the use of special expectorant or bronchodilator drugs. In order to relieve spasm from the bronchi, drugs such as Beclomethasone, Euphyllin and others are suitable. They most often help treat bronchial asthma and come in the form of inhalers. A doctor should prescribe such funds.
Sometimes an allergy in a child or adult is characterized by the presence of a large amount of thick sputum. Treatment of this type of cough occurs with expectorant drugs in the form of inhalation or tablets. For children, it is best to use syrup. These medications help to thin out phlegm and cough up it.
How to avoid allergies
Alas, it is impossible to prevent the appearance of an allergic cough in either a child or an adult. It is very important not to delay the treatment of the disease, as it is fraught with serious consequences, especially in children. The best prevention would be to maintain local and general immunity.
A balanced diet, playing in the fresh air, playing sports, hardening the body - all this is very useful for children and adults. To prevent the common cold from developing into allergic asthma, it is necessary to fully treat all bacterial and infectious diseases of the respiratory tract. It is especially important to pay attention to the child's condition - if he has no symptoms other than a dry cough, you should immediately consult a doctor.
The appearance of an allergic cough is a serious reason for seeking medical help. Treatment for an adult or a child is prescribed only by a doctor; therapy can be carried out in several stages. All the recommendations of specialists should be strictly followed in order to alleviate the patient's condition.
It is possible to completely get rid of the disease only in very rare cases. With allergies, you need to very strictly monitor your lifestyle and health in order to prevent attacks.
