In most cases, the cough is accompanied by inflammation of the upper or lower airways. However, infection is not always the cause. In some cases, the doctor can diagnose a nervous cough as a reaction to a psychosomatic illness. Nervous bronchospasm causes many problems for both the patient and the people around him, and it is very difficult to treat.
Characteristics of a nervous cough
Nervous cough is usually dry and ringing, without mucus, and resembles a dog barking. The main reason for its appearance is excessive mental stress. For example, it can be intense excitement, a stressful situation, impatient anticipation of some event, and so on. These and many other factors can cause attacks of nervous coughing.
How can you tell the difference between a nerve cough and any other type of cough caused by a cold? Nervous coughing always disappears in a moderately calm environment (for example, in a dream), when the psyche calms down and the level of tension subsides. Unlike bronchospasms that accompany infections, with a nervous cough, the patient's appetite does not deteriorate and his sleep pattern is not disturbed. And the diagnosis of the respiratory tract does not reveal any pathologies.
In addition, a nervous cough can occur after a former serious respiratory illness. In this case, it becomes a kind of habit. Often, such a cough accompanies a nervous tic and is fixed at the reflex level.
In some cases, coughing attacks are one of the ways to attract attention to yourself, to arouse compassion or sympathy from others. Do not forget that even if the symptoms make it possible to clearly identify the disease, only a psychotherapist can correctly diagnose.
The main reasons for the appearance of bronchospasm on the nerve
Neurological cough is a constant companion of many mental disorders. It signals a violation of the normal mechanism for the propagation of nerve impulses. Most often, such a cough in adults is diagnosed with regular stressful situations, anxiety and excitement. Nervous bronchospasm can be caused by:
- oppressive feeling of loneliness;
- severe stress;
- quarrels with friends or family;
- waiting for exams;
- mental mirror effect if similar symptoms occur in a sick relative;
- stressful environment at work or home;
- sudden fright;
- the need to regularly do unloved work, and so on.
In addition to purely negative emotions, coughs of a nervous type often provoke exciting, joyful sensations. The fact is that our nervous system does not see the difference between negative and positive. She reacts to both the first and the second in the same way - activates the cough center.
In addition, a neurological cough can be the body's response to excessive physical exertion.
Obviously, there are a lot of reasons for the occurrence of nervous bronchospasms, and it is not always possible to make the correct diagnosis on your own. That is why, in the event of coughing attacks that are not associated with inflammation of the respiratory tract or allergies, we advise you to contact a psychotherapist. Only he is able to prescribe the correct treatment.
Therapy and seizure relief
It makes no sense to fight attacks of nervous coughing, since the problem is not in the inflammation of the airways, but in the violation of mental health. According to doctors, rehabilitation of patients with such a symptom should be carried out with the use of sedative drugs. It can be all kinds of herbal infusions and pharmaceutical preparations that affect the psyche. Regular intake of herbal sedatives stabilizes the patient's emotional state. As a result, acute stressful situations are tolerated much easier, and the neurological cough eventually disappears completely.
In case of coughing attacks, we advise distracting the patient. Relaxation techniques and techniques are helpful. A huge role in treatment belongs to the correct daily routine. The optimal alternation of work and rest periods, the distribution of personal time will help relieve stress and prevent stressful situations.
In other words, as long as anxiety and stress are present in the patient's life, it will not be possible to get rid of attacks of neurological cough. In some cases, long-term treatment of mental disorders may be required.
To relax and relieve coughing attacks, we recommend:
- Breathe deeply.
- Avoid dry throat.
- Do not focus on coughing.
- Focus on the good.
- Calm down.
These recommendations will help break the vicious circle of anxiety-cough-anxiety.
We use folk remedies
It is possible and necessary to treat a cough on a nervous basis with means from the arsenal of traditional medicine. The following recipes are the most effective and safe:
- Alcohol tincture based on motherwort. To prepare it, you need to pour about 15 g of grass with a glass of hot water and infuse the mixture for 20 minutes. Next, you need to strain the resulting infusion through cheesecloth and add pure medical alcohol. The optimal regimen for taking is one spoonful before bedtime (for severe attacks of coughing, one tablespoon immediately before meals 4 times a day).
- Healing tea for calming the nerves from medicinal plants. You need to add to a liter jar 3 teaspoons of motherwort, 1.5 tablespoons of grated walnuts, 1.5 tablespoons of mint and chamomile, as well as 3 tablespoons of yarrow. Fill all this to the top with hot water and let it stand for 60 minutes (cover it with a lid on top). Then we filter and drink it as tea at least 2 times a day (about 150 g each).
- The herbal collection for neurological cough is highly effective and minimizes the number of seizures. This collection includes motherwort, heather, valerian, chamomile and plantain. All these plants (in the amount of 30 g) must be put in a jar, then add 500 g of boiling water. Let it brew and use throughout the day, mixing with honey.
- It is very useful to take soothing baths based on herbal decoctions. You can not only add infusions of medicinal plants to the bathroom and consume them inside, but also use aromatic essential oils while bathing.
Aromatherapy for neurological cough. Treatment, as well as prevention of cough attacks, will be effective if the aromas of the soothing plants are inhaled. For example, you can make a small pillow using lavender, chamomile, heather, and other herbs. It is placed near the head for the whole night. Another way can help: essential oils are applied to a handkerchief and inhaled when a nervous cough occurs.
Aromatherapy for neurological cough. Treatment, as well as prevention of cough attacks, will be effective if the aromas of the soothing plants are inhaled. For example, you can make a small pillow using lavender, chamomile, heather, and other herbs. It is placed near the head for the whole night. Another way can help: essential oils are applied to a handkerchief and inhaled when a nervous cough occurs.It should always be remembered that the roots of neurological cough are deep within our psyche. Nerve bronchospasms are not caused by physical ailments, but mental problems. Therefore, it is impossible to cure cough attacks with standard medications. It is best to seek help from a psychotherapist who will make the correct diagnosis and select the optimal rehabilitation course.
