What does barking cough mean?

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Barking cough: symptoms, causes, treatment

A cough that sounds like a barking dog is quite common and can occur in both adults and children. The physiological reason for the occurrence of this reflex action is the partial blocking of air access (swelling of the larynx), as a result of which the vocal cords are compressed.

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This process can occur for various reasons, but the end result is always the same - the appearance of a barking cough. It is quite difficult to treat this symptom, since colds are not always the cause of its appearance.

A barking cough can be different:

  • Dry or with sputum production.
  • Strong or weak.
  • Rare or with prolonged attacks.

Regardless of this, one symptom remains identical - the reflex action sounds very much like a dog barking. A short time after the appearance of a strong cough, the throat begins to turn red and hoarseness appears. That is why it is very important to start the examination as early as possible. This will eliminate the possibility of an incorrect diagnosis and quickly identify the real reasons for its occurrence.

Barking cough: causes

In fact, for a barking cough to appear, it is necessary that there is compression of the vocal cords with a simultaneous partial blocking of the flow of air into the human respiratory system. If this is due to colds or infectious diseases, then, as a rule, there is also a runny nose, high temperature, and the voice becomes hoarse. A completely different picture is observed when it comes to allergies or asthma. In this case, a barking cough occurs without fever.

Factors influencing the appearance of reflex action:

  • Colds or infectious diseases, including laryngitis. At first, the disease may be accompanied by a dry reflex action. The more often a person has the urge to do so, the greater the likelihood of laryngeal edema.
  • Allergy to pollen, household dust, food, etc. For some people, it manifests itself not only as skin rashes. Dr. Komarovsky notes that in children, an allergic reaction to food is often accompanied by swelling of the larynx.
  • Asthma, or rather one of its varieties, which doctors call “cough”. Its main symptom is the presence of a strong, dry, barking cough. It does not bring relief and may even be accompanied by attacks of suffocation. A person’s face begins to turn blue, and if Berodual or another similar drug is not allowed to inhale in time, irreparable things can happen.
  • Tumors or cystic formations in the larynx.
  • Mechanical closure of the airways due to foreign objects entering them. When it comes to children, these are most often small parts of toys. In adults, fish bones are the most common type of infection. It is not recommended to independently remove foreign objects, as this can damage the vocal cords.
  • After walking outside in very low temperatures. If mouth breathing was present, then in almost half of the cases a barking cough may begin.
  • Congenital pathologies.
  • Pulmonary cystic fibrosis. In this case, the barking cough in the first stages of the disease is dry. As the disease progresses, it begins to be accompanied by the release of viscous purulent sputum.

How to treat barking cough

In order to quickly and effectively get rid of this disease, it is first necessary to establish the cause of its occurrence. All activities carried out to alleviate a person’s condition can be divided into the following categories:

  • Reduce swelling with compresses.
  • Taking medications to facilitate mucus discharge.
  • Direct surgery.
  • Taking medications that stimulate the human immune system.

Treatment of barking cough due to allergies

First of all, it is necessary to determine which allergen is the cause of its appearance. Then you need to protect the person from its influence. After this, absorbent drugs are prescribed, for example, Polysorb. Of course, it is only one component of therapeutic interventions. If there is significant swelling of the larynx, making breathing difficult, then it is necessary to apply compresses and give an injection of prednisone.

Treatment of barking cough for infectious or colds

In this case, swelling of the larynx is caused by strong and frequently repeated reflex actions. You need plenty of warm drink: herbal infusions (chamomile, rose hips), raspberries, red currants, green tea. Medications include mucolytics that thin sputum, such as ACC. To combat the infection itself, antibiotics are prescribed.

Treatment of barking cough in asthma

Very often the reflex action has a pronounced paroxysmal character at night, or immediately after waking up. Often this condition ends with a feeling of suffocation. If you do not provide timely assistance, death is possible. Therefore, a sick person must carry a medicine (inhaler) with him so that he can inhale it immediately after the onset of an attack. The ideal treatment option is inhalation with a nebulizer. Its use allows the delivery of medicinal substances by inhalation directly into the lungs and bronchi. This means that the product begins to act much faster. The big advantage of this device is that it can be used by both adults and children.

Treatment of barking cough due to tumors or cystic formations

Such diagnoses involve direct surgery to remove tumors. Removal of a pronounced reflex action is carried out using drugs that “deceive” certain parts of the brain. They completely suppress the signals transmitted by the nerve endings to the cough center.

Treatment of barking cough with mechanical obstruction of the airways

The help of a specialist is needed to remove a foreign object from the larynx. Moreover, the foreign body may not be visually visible and in order to determine its location, special equipment may be required - ultrasound or x-ray. It must be remembered that some materials cannot be seen this way, for example glass. If the soft tissues of the larynx are damaged, it is necessary to use antibacterial aerosols, for example, Angilex.

Treatment of barking cough caused by inhaling icy air

This is the simplest case. For treatment, it is necessary to provide the person with plenty of warm drink. Inhalation with a nebulizer will help relieve inflammation, or you can use home devices to carry out the procedure. Not only mucolytics, but other agents can be used as active ingredients:

  • Hypertonic or saline solutions.
  • Bronchodilators.
  • Antibiotics.
  • Antiallergic drugs.
  • Essential oils.
  • Low alkaline mineral water (for example, Borjomi).

We recommend reading

Last year I had a nasty barking cough. I read the reasons on the Internet and was a little scared - they scared me, but fortunately everything worked out, it was a cold. The doctor prescribed me treatment with Prospan syrup. I can say that within a week I stopped barking))))

Source: http://pro-kashel.ru/vidy-i-tipy-kashlya/layushchiy-kashel

What is a barking cough and how to treat it

Quite often, both adults and children get sick. A common symptom is the presence of a cough. It can be dry, barking or wet. What is a barking cough? What to do if it appears?

If a person cannot clear his throat, it is difficult for him to breathe, hoarseness appears, which means that a barking cough has appeared. Also, the cough can be dry and occur in attacks. If the child is under 3 years old, then this disease is quite dangerous, as a pathological process develops. The occurrence of this type of cough indicates that diseases such as whooping cough, false croup, and diphtheria may occur in the body. Therefore, you should not delay, you need to call a doctor.

For what reason a dry cough does not clear the throat, you can find out from this article.

If bacteria or viruses enter the respiratory tract, inflammation and severe swelling of the receptors occurs. A barking cough irritates the mucous membrane, vocal cords, and depletes the patient's body. Therefore, there is no need to delay starting treatment. You need to start taking medications that can improve sputum discharge. There can be many reasons for the appearance of a disease such as cough.

Reasons for appearance

  1. Viral infections - ARVI, influenza, reovirus, rhinovirus. Most often, these diseases are accompanied by an increase in temperature, and it can rise to 40 and above. Malaise, weakness occur, and a barking cough begins to appear and put pressure on the mucous membrane. As a result of a viral infection, the child is usually sick for several days, then improvements begin.
  2. Inflammation of the respiratory system - tracheitis, pharyngitis. As a result of these diseases, a cough usually appears immediately in the first days; everything will depend on how the disease progresses. As with viral infections, you just need to wait a few days, and the disease will subside.
  3. False croup, laryngitis, tracheitis are the most common diseases. Very difficult for infants and young children to tolerate. And this is due to the structural features of the respiratory organs. The resulting swelling can cut off oxygen supply, causing the baby to suffocate. Laryngotracheitis can occur due to adenovirus, parainfluenza. If the baby develops hoarseness, barking cough, hoarseness, wheezing.
  4. Diphtheria and whooping cough - these types of diseases are now rarely encountered, and if they occur, they can be mistaken for a common cold. A dry barking cough is almost impossible to treat with the usual methods that help in other cases. A dirty coating appears on the tonsils.
  5. Allergy – a cough that is not accompanied by other symptoms is usually a sign of asthma or bronchitis.
  6. Foreign body - children most often swallow various small objects, which lead to coughing.

What causes of a cough without a cold may be indicated in this article.

The video explains how to treat a dry barking cough:

Causes of appearance in adults

The most common cause, both in children and adults, is acute respiratory infections. But it is worth noting that barking cough appears much less frequently in adults than in children. After all, the airways of an adult have wide passages. So, what causes a barking cough?

Treatment with drugs

You should know that if the doctor recommends going to the hospital, then this should be done, especially if we are talking about a child. Depending on what the reasons were, treatment is prescribed. The following drugs are prescribed for treatment:

  • mucolytics;
  • drugs that help with expectoration;
  • antitussives;
  • antihistamines.

If the cause of the cough is pharyngitis, then medications are prescribed that will reduce the sensitivity of the larynx and have an antibacterial effect.

During the day, it is recommended to drink Decathylene, Vokara, and also use Ingalipt or similar drugs. At night it is better to drink Mucaltin or Sinekod. It is advisable to do inhalations with herbs.

For tracheitis and bronchitis, you need to take mucolytic drugs in the first 3 days. They can be ACC, Bronholitin, Bromhexine. After 3 days, you need to start drinking expectorants like Gedelix, Dr. MOM. As soon as the sputum begins to disappear, you should stop taking the medications.

For whooping cough, rhinitis, sinusitis, a drug such as Erespal is effective. It helps relieve symptoms of the disease. It is worth noting that Erespal is a remedy that cannot harm either a pregnant woman or a child. Therefore, you can take it without fear. The syrup of the drug helps to cleanse the respiratory tract well.

If allergies are the cause of the cough, then you need to take antihistamines. Of course, attention should be paid to the method of application. There are dosages for certain ages. Antihistamines include Zertec, Suprastin, Cetrin.

The video describes the treatment of barking cough:

The reasons for a runny nose and sore throat without fever are indicated in this article.

The reasons for a runny nose without fever in a child are indicated here.

How to treat a dry cough in an adult and what medications to use can be found here: http://prolor.ru/g/lechenie/lekarstva-ot-suxogo-kashlya-vzroslym.html

Treatment with folk remedies

  1. Inhalations have long been a well-known remedy in the fight against colds, rough coughs and runny noses. After the procedure, breathing becomes easier due to the removal of excess fluid. If inhalations need to be carried out for children, then all conditions must be observed to prevent burns. Steam inhalation is the most common type. Nowadays, pharmacies sell special respirators that will help keep your baby’s skin in order and prevent burns. In no case should you force a child to do the procedure; it is better to come to an agreement. Otherwise, the desired effect will not be achieved. If the child is very small, then you can put boiling water next to the bed and watch the baby until the water cools down. Never leave your child alone.
  2. Carrots are the simplest remedy for treating a barking cough. Medium-sized carrots need to be washed well, peeled and grated on the finest grater. The resulting mixture should be mixed with hot milk and left for 20 minutes. The infusion should be given to the child before bedtime. No need to strain. Remember that carrots are an allergen. Therefore, children with allergies should not be given this infusion.
  3. Egg-based mixture. Boil 1 glass of milk, add 1 tbsp. l. butter and honey. After thoroughly mixing the mixture, add just a little soda and the yolk, which must first be beaten. Please note that the yolk must be added after removing the pan from the stove. The mixture must cool down, after which it can be taken 5 times a day, 1 tablespoon. Honey is an allergen. Therefore, you should not give egg mixture to children with allergies.
  4. Onion solution is a safe remedy for both children and adults. You need to boil 1 liter of water and add 1 cup of sugar. Then you need to add 2 large onions with peels. Reduce the heat and cook the solution for about an hour. Then you need to remove the onion or strain the infusion, now you can take it 3 times a day, 1 tablespoon.
  5. Onion plus garlic. A head of garlic and 2 onions need to be poured with half a liter of milk. It is recommended to cook the product for 15 minutes. Now everything that is in the pan needs to be chopped, you can use a blender. 2 tablespoons should be added to the resulting puree. 1 teaspoon 3 times a day will help relieve cough symptoms.
  6. Radish and sugar. The radish needs to be peeled and cut into small pieces. Then, having covered it very generously with sugar, you need to put it in the oven and bake. Baking lasts several hours. Then the liquid that forms as a result must be drained and taken for treatment.
  7. Plantain - syrup from these leaves will help in the fight against barking cough. If the illness has been prolonged, then this remedy is perfect for you. After collecting plantain leaves, you need to squeeze out the juice. ½ tsp. juice should be mixed with 2 tbsp. l. honey and pour half a glass of warm water. You need to take the infusion 3 times a tablespoon until the cough goes away.
  8. Pine shoots. They need to be crushed and take 1 tsp. After pouring it into a saucepan, add one glass of water and put it on the fire. Heat for 15 minutes, but do not let it boil. After cooling the solution, it must be taken orally. Children need to drink a quarter of a glass 2 times a day. And adults can take a whole glass.
  9. Herbs. Taking 1 tsp. thyme, linden inflorescences and chamomile flowers, mix them. Fill with a glass of boiling water for 15 minutes, leave for 15 minutes. After the solution has cooled, you need to add 1 spoon of linden honey. You need to take half a glass 3 times until the cough disappears completely.
  10. Elderberry flowers. After picking 25 g of elderberry leaves, pour 1 liter of boiling water over them. Leave the product on for 2 days. After infusion, drain the water and separate the stems from the flowers. Next you need to add 2 kg of sugar, you will get a paste. The product needs to be heated, but it does not need to boil. Adding 4 tsp. lemons, mix the mixture thoroughly. Now you can pour the medicine into jars. Jars should be stored upside down. You need to take the product by adding 2 tsp. in tea, water. Gradually you will see the result: the sputum will disappear, the cough will go away.

How to cure a cough due to mucus in the nasopharynx is indicated in this article.

If you have a fever or hoarseness

A cough may occur along with a fever. Typically, such processes occur after complications of ARVI and influenza. If taking mucolytics or expectorants does not give the desired results, then you need to start taking antibiotics. Even if there is a slight increase in temperature, compresses, mustard plasters and heating cannot be done. Although they are very effective for treating cough in the absence of fever. Using compresses can only harm both adults and especially children. Depending on what causes the increase in temperature, treatment is prescribed. In any case, only a doctor can accurately determine what the reason is.

A barking cough is a fairly serious disease for a child. Therefore, you need to contact a specialist at the first appearance to prevent hoarseness from suffocation.

Source: http://prolor.ru/g/bolezni-g/kashel/layushhij-chem-lechit.html

Barking cough: mechanism of occurrence, what diseases cause it, how to treat

Everyone has heard the phrase “barking cough.” This is not only a colloquial expression, it is an officially used medical term denoting a special type of dry cough, which really sounds like barking: paroxysmal, repeated, rough, sometimes even with some metallic notes, painful not only for the patient himself, but also for the people around him , especially if the patient is a small child.

How do you get "bark"?

Any cough results from irritation of cough receptors located in the upper and lower respiratory tract (larynx, trachea, bronchi). Irritation of these receptors occurs when an infection enters the respiratory tract and swelling of the mucous membrane occurs (at the beginning of any acute respiratory disease) or when mucus accumulates in the bronchi. Allergies are also a fairly common cause of cough. In fact, coughing is a protective reflex aimed at removing a harmful factor from our body.

The impulse from the cough receptors passes to the brain, from there a signal is transmitted to the muscles of the chest and diaphragm - a sharp contraction of the respiratory muscles occurs and a cough impulse occurs, that is, a sharp exhalation of air. When air passes through the glottis of the larynx, a characteristic sound arises - what others hear. That is, the sound of coughing is formed in the larynx. And any change in this sound is associated with the state of the larynx. So, a barking cough is, as a rule, a symptom of inflammation and, very often, a narrowing of the lumen of the larynx.

This is especially common and pronounced in children under 5 years of age. The vocal folds in children are very short, the muscles of the vocal folds are very easily excitable, and the larynx has a funnel shape. Along with the small lumen of the larynx, this leads to the fact that even a minor inflammatory process can cause stenotic changes. In addition, in the space under the vocal folds in children there is loose fiber rich in blood vessels. The younger the child, the more of this fiber there is. With inflammation, rapid swelling in this area can occur and a narrowing of the larynx (subglottic laryngitis, or false croup) can also occur. By 4-5 years, this loose tissue atrophies.

So, any conditions accompanied by stenosis of the lumen of the larynx can produce a barking cough.

What diseases can cause a barking cough?

A barking cough is provoked by:

Let us dwell on the diseases that cause barking cough in more detail and consider them in order of decreasing likelihood of involvement in the unpleasant symptom.

Laryngitis

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx. The cause of laryngitis in 90% of cases is respiratory viruses - influenza, parainfluenza, adenovirus, rhinosyncytial infection and others. As a result of inflammation, swelling of the mucous membrane of the larynx occurs, which leads to a narrowing of its lumen. In addition, the mucous membrane of the vocal folds swells, their closure is incomplete, as a result of which the sonority of the voice is impaired. The mucus formed as a result of inflammation is an additional factor that impedes the passage of air and irritates cough receptors.

The main manifestations of laryngitis:

  1. Dry obsessive “barking” cough, sometimes with the discharge of a small amount of sputum.
  2. Hoarseness of the voice, sometimes to the point of complete aphonia.
  3. Feeling of rawness, soreness in the larynx, feeling of a lump in the throat.

Basic principles of laryngitis treatment:

  • Voice rest for several days.
  • Humidification of the surrounding air.
  • Inhalations with saline solution.
  • Food that does not irritate the mucous membrane.
  • Warmth on the neck (compresses, woolen scarf).
  • Distraction procedures (foot baths, mustard plasters on the shins, warm socks)
  • Antitussives, antihistamines.
  • Antibacterial agents for severe laryngitis with fever, intoxication, purulent sputum.
  • Intralaryngeal applications of antiseptic drugs, antibiotics, emollient vegetable oils, hormones (produced by a specialist).

Stenosing laryngitis in children

The type of laryngitis in children that most often produces a barking cough is acute subglottic laryngitis, or false croup (true croup is called laryngeal stenosis due to diphtheria).

Another name for it is acute stenotic laryngitis or laryngotracheitis, since this disease causes stenosis of the larynx and quite often leads to severe life-threatening complications - acute respiratory failure up to hypoxemic coma.

In the thickness of the mucous membrane under the vocal cords in children there is loose tissue that easily swells with any inflammation. The most false croup occurs in children 2-4 years of age.

How does stenosing laryngitis manifest?

Its symptoms always appear acutely and unexpectedly. Usually, against the background of a cold, on the 2-3rd day a barking cough and difficulty breathing suddenly begins, usually at night. It becomes difficult for the child to breathe in air (inspiratory dyspnea), breathing becomes hoarse. The face turns red. The child becomes frightened by the unusual state and becomes agitated. There may be a voice disorder (hoarseness), but this symptom is not permanent.

In more severe cases, 2nd or 3rd degree laryngeal stenosis develops, the child turns blue and may lose consciousness.

The danger of subglottic laryngotracheitis lies in the fact that it develops suddenly, against the background of relative well-being (even body temperature can remain normal), this frightens not only the child, but also the parents. Parents, as a rule, are not sufficiently informed about this complication and are often lost in this situation, not knowing how to help their child. Meanwhile, with the right behavior without panic, an attack of laryngeal stenosis can be significantly alleviated or completely stopped even before the ambulance arrives (but in this case it is necessary to call an ambulance).

What do all parents need to remember?

  1. Any acute respiratory viral infection in children under 5 years of age can be complicated by stenosing laryngotracheitis, so it is necessary to observe and detect the slightest changes in the nature of the cough.
  2. The sudden appearance of a barking cough in a child, even without difficulty breathing, should alert you, since further symptoms of stenosis can develop very quickly.
  3. If alarming symptoms appear, you should urgently call an ambulance.
  4. Do not panic and do not frighten the child; on the contrary, try to distract him with something.
  5. Before the doctors arrive, it is necessary to provide the child with access to fresh air (open the window, go out onto the balcony or onto the street).
  6. You can put mustard plasters on your feet or legs. There is no need to put mustard plasters on your chest, as mustard fumes can aggravate the situation.

The “steam” treatment method—steam inhalation or placing in a warm bath—is also controversial among doctors. Quite often this only worsened the swelling. So cool, fresh air is still preferable in this situation.

The main medications that doctors prescribe for laryngeal stenosis are glucocorticoid hormones (inhalation via a nebulizer or, in emergency cases, intravenous administration), antihistamines, and decongestants.

In cases of severe laryngeal stenosis, hospitalization in the intensive care unit, possible tracheostomy.

Video: laryngitis and croup, Dr. Komarovsky

Whooping cough

Whooping cough is perhaps the second most common cause of barking cough in a child after laryngitis. This is an infectious disease, infection occurs from a sick person by coughing or sneezing (airborne). Whooping cough is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis.

Whooping cough mainly affects children under 5 years of age; adults over 60 years of age are also at risk. Moreover, the diagnosis of whooping cough is not always made; quite often such patients are diagnosed with ordinary tracheitis, bronchitis, and laryngitis. In vaccinated children, the clinic may be erased.

Whooping cough begins with the catarrhal period as a normal acute respiratory infection: runny nose, slight cough, sore throat. This period can last up to 2 weeks, but the cough does not go away, but gradually intensifies. Then the spastic period begins: typical attacks of barking cough, mainly at night. A coughing attack with whooping cough is a series of many coughing impulses, after which a deep stridorous inhalation is observed. Vomiting is often observed during an attack. The child’s face turns red, and there may be hemorrhages in the conjunctiva of the eyes and in the area of ​​the frenulum of the tongue.

The mechanism for the occurrence of barking cough with whooping cough is somewhat different than with laryngitis. Bordetella pertussis, when it enters the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, releases a strong exotoxin, which causes constant irritation of cough receptors. Almost continuous impulses from cough receptors go to the cough center, overstimulating it. A dominant focus appears in the brain, from which signals go to the respiratory muscles, causing them to be constantly excited up to the point of convulsive spasms. Because of this, spasmodic coughing attacks occur. At the same time, the muscles of the larynx are also in a spasmodic state, which is why the sound of such a cough is “barking.”

Whooping cough usually occurs without high fever.

Thus, the main symptoms of whooping cough are:

  • The prodromal period proceeds as a prolonged acute respiratory infection.
  • Paroxysmal spasmodic “barking” cough.
  • Quite often - vomiting after a coughing attack.
  • There is no effect from antitussive drugs.
  • Pale skin due to spasm of peripheral vessels.
  • In the intervals between coughing attacks, my health hardly suffers.
  • Leukocytosis in the general blood test, ESR was not changed.

Whooping cough is treated with antibiotics of a number of macrolides, antihistamines, and expectorants. Fresh air is of particular importance in treatment: the child does not need to limit his walks.

Parawhooping cough

This disease, similar to whooping cough, is caused by parapertussis bacillus. The clinical course is similar to whooping cough, but it is milder and there are practically no complications with it.

Video: whooping cough, Doctor Komarovsky

Allergic swelling of the larynx

Another emergency condition accompanied by a barking cough is allergic laryngeal edema. This condition is usually considered within the framework of Quincke's edema - one of the most dangerous allergic complications.

Allergic swelling of the larynx always develops very quickly in response to an allergen entering the body. The main signs are a barking cough and choking.

Therefore, if a barking cough suddenly appears after administering any medication or inhaling chemical vapors, you should immediately go to the hospital.

First measures: do not panic, provide access to fresh air, unbutton the top buttons. If possible, inhale 1-2 doses of a hormone-containing inhaler (beclomethasone, pulmicort, symbicort), take a pill (or better yet, inject an antiallergic drug).

Treatment for barking cough

Since there are many causes of barking cough, it is impossible to give a universal recipe for treating this symptom. But, knowing the pathophysiology of barking cough (we remember that it is based on a narrowing of the lumen of the larynx), we can formulate the basic principles of treatment:

  1. Gentle mode. The inflamed mucous membrane needs rest. Therefore, for laryngitis of viral and other etiologies, it is necessary to exclude vocal stress, irritating foods, smoking and inhalation of other irritating substances, and avoid sudden changes in the temperature of the inhaled air.
  2. Elimination of infection. For infectious diseases (whooping cough, parawhooping cough, scarlet fever, etc.) - antibacterial therapy.
  3. Reducing swelling of the mucous membrane. For this purpose, antihistamines (suprastin, tavegil, loratadine, cetirizine) and glucocorticoid hormones (in the form of inhalations, local instillations or, in emergency cases, intravenous administration) are prescribed.
  4. Fresh air. Significantly helps reduce swelling. Walking is not limited, and frequent ventilation of the room is recommended.
  5. Humidification of inhaled air. For this, air humidifiers, improvised evaporators (containers with water or wet towels), as well as inhalations with saline or alkaline mineral waters through a nebulizer are used.
  6. Distractive procedures to redistribute blood flow - warm mustard baths for the feet, mustard plasters on the calves, rubbing the feet with warming ointments.
  7. Antitussives for dry coughs and the addition of expectorants and mucolytics for the appearance of difficult to expectorate sputum.

The use of antitussives for a barking, painful dry cough is advisable, since such a cough is not a defense mechanism; it is a consequence of irritation of the cough receptors and brings significant suffering to the patient. If it is not suppressed, overexcitation of the cough center in the brain may occur, which will only intensify the cough.

Antitussive drugs come in two types: centrally acting, that is, they relieve the excitation of the cough center in the brain, and peripherally acting, which reduces the sensitivity of cough receptors.

Drugs with a central mechanism of action:

  • With a narcotic effect. These are codeine and codeine-containing medications (Codelac, Terpincode, Neo-Codion).
  • Without narcotic effects (Tusuprex, Glaucin, Sinekod, Bronholitin, Paxeladin, Omnitus, Panatus).

Peripheral drugs:

  1. Libexin.
  2. Levopront.
  3. Various lozenges, lozenges and lozenges containing essential oils, local anesthetics, enveloping agents (Falimint, Travisil, Doctor MOM, Rengalin, etc.)

If you have a nebulizer and there are no contraindications, in order to reduce the excitability of cough receptors, you can perform inhalations with lidocaine 2%, diluted with saline 1:1.

Folk remedies for treating barking cough

  • Mix freshly squeezed carrot juice 1:1 with thick sugar syrup. Drink 1 tbsp. l. 5-6 times a day (children – 1 tsp).
  • Mix black radish juice with honey in equal parts. Take it the same way.
  • 1 tbsp. l. Melt sugar in a frying pan until brown, add ¼ tbsp. water. Drink 1 tsp. during a coughing attack.
  • Cough medicine can also be tasty. The high effectiveness of chocolate as an antitussive has been scientifically proven. Theobromine, which is part of chocolate, suppresses the cough reflex like codeine. Chocolate for these purposes is suitable only with a cocoa content of at least 70%.

It must be remembered that antitussives can be used for 2-3 days. Next, if the barking cough persists, you need to see a doctor.

Source: http://uhonos.ru/gorlo/simptomy-gorla/layushhij-kashel/

Barking cough

A barking cough is a harsh, dry cough that sounds like a bark. The presence of a barking cough indicates that the inflammation process is localized in the area of ​​the glottis.

Most often, barking cough occurs in childhood and is a manifestation of diseases such as whooping cough, pharyngitis, laryngitis, false and true croup, influenza, parainfluenza and other acute respiratory viral infections. A barking cough should alert parents, since with this type of cough, swelling of the larynx and suffocation can develop in a short time.

In the treatment of diseases accompanied by a barking cough, mucolytic, expectorant and antibacterial agents are most often used.

Causes of barking cough

Most often, the causes of a barking cough are colds, infectious diseases or allergic reactions.

Diseases accompanied by a barking cough include:

  • Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the pharynx and larynx (laryngitis and pharyngitis);
  • False croup or acute stenosing laryngotracheitis is a disease in which swelling of the vocal cords and larynx develops;
  • Influenza, parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial infections, adenovirus infection and other acute respiratory viral infections;
  • Diphtheria or true croup and whooping cough. Nowadays, thanks to vaccination, these diseases are quite rare.

Symptoms of barking cough

The main symptom that makes it possible to classify a dry cough as a “barking” cough occurs at the very beginning of the disease - this is the sound of a cough, vaguely reminiscent of a dog barking.

This is explained by the fact that swelling occurs in the larynx, which leads to a change in the patient’s voice towards hoarseness; the patient cannot clear his throat for a long time and therefore is in an exhausted and depressed state and experiences weakness.

A severe barking cough may also be accompanied by symptoms such as:

If a strong barking cough does not stop, the patient’s temperature rises, wheezing occurs when inhaling, the complexion becomes pale, the cough is accompanied by attacks of suffocation, then you should definitely call an ambulance, since due to swelling of the larynx, the airways may be blocked, and the patient may suffocate.

Treatment for barking cough

If you experience a strong barking cough, you should definitely seek medical help. Only a specialist can make a diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

As a rule, for diseases whose main manifestation is a barking cough, medications with mucolytic and expectorant effects are prescribed. Such products as Ambrobene, Gedelix, Doctor Mom syrup, Lazolvan, Gerbion, Mucaltin promote the discharge of sputum. Once the cough becomes wet, the patient requires expectorants to help remove mucus from the lungs.

The patient may also be prescribed antibacterial agents that will help get rid of the infection and prevent the recurrence of the disease.

In addition, in order for the treatment of barking cough to be effective, it is necessary:

  • Provide the patient with peace, because when he is nervous, he begins to cough more and has difficulty breathing;
  • Carry out steam inhalations to help relieve laryngeal edema. Inhalations can be done with sage, chamomile, soda and sunflower oil. You can perform inhalations with mineral water. This is one of the effective means of combating barking cough. For pharyngitis with a strong barking cough and no tendency to allergic reactions, you can do inhalations with eucalyptus;
  • Use antihistamines if the cough is provoked by an allergic reaction (Suprastin, Clemastin, Claritin, Cetrin, Zyrtec, Kestin);
  • Provide the patient with plenty of warm fluids. Natural freshly squeezed juices are best suited for these purposes. Frequent drinking helps thin mucus and prevents dehydration;
  • Provide the necessary air humidity in the room. The air should not only be moist, but fresh and warm.
  • If the temperature rises, take antipyretics;
  • Use warming procedures. In the absence of high temperature, you can warm the calves of the legs with warming creams or mustard plasters, take warm foot baths, which will increase blood flow to the legs, which will distract attention from the larynx, and the swelling will not increase;
  • Perform chest massage;
  • Provide a varied diet for the patient with sufficient vitamins. It is better to exclude food from the patient’s diet that can irritate the mucous membrane of the larynx and bronchi. The patient's diet should include as many fruits, vegetables, as well as broths and cereals.

A barking cough is a serious symptom that requires constant monitoring of the patient, since its attack can lead to the rapid development of suffocation. For the same reason, treatment of barking cough should be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor. You should not self-medicate, since therapy should be selected depending on the symptoms and causes of this condition.

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How to treat barking cough in adults

A barking cough in adults is a painful, dry, rough cough that occurs in paroxysms. It resembles the barking of a dog/seal, which is why it is also called “seal barking.” While a cough that produces phlegm is beneficial to the body, a barking one is a nuisance.

Clinical manifestations

With barking cough syndrome there are:

  • swelling of the airways, narrowing of their lumen, up to complete closure in severe cases,
  • difficulty in functioning of the bronchopulmonary system,
  • heavy breath,
  • the voice becomes rougher.

A barking cough is obsessive and causes suffering to the patient. Sometimes "barking" may be accompanied by vomiting. New attacks occur unexpectedly for the sick person and cause significant discomfort.

Causes

The most common cause is acute respiratory infections, accompanied by inflammatory processes affecting the upper respiratory tract. Associated symptoms:

  • rhinitis,
  • heat,
  • pain in the throat,
  • other cold symptoms.

But a barking cough symptom in an adult does not always have a viral etiology. Sometimes it is an allergic reaction to certain irritants. So-called allergic laryngitis can begin with generally stable health and without signs of acute respiratory infections. But it will be accompanied by other symptoms: rhinitis, headache, skin manifestations of an allergic reaction.

Dry barking cough caused by allergies:

  • intensifies when near an allergen,
  • stops or resumes, and can be seasonal.

Before thinking about treating such a cough, it is important to identify the allergen. It can be a cat or dog, another animal, household chemicals, plants, food, etc.

A barking cough in an adult often occurs when:

  • acute laryngitis, pharyngitis,
  • tracheitis, laryngotracheitis,
  • true (diphtheria) and false (viral) croup,
  • whooping cough, parawhooping cough,
  • foreign object in the respiratory tract,
  • laryngeal tumors.

In winter, indoor air is dry. This also provokes the development of irritation of the throat mucosa, leading to a barking cough.

Treatment for barking cough

Treatment in adults must necessarily be aimed at combating its cause. Since a cough in itself is just a sign indicating a disease. The complex of therapy is determined taking into account the root cause.

Treatment with medications

Today there are 3 groups of medications used for cough in adults:

Mucolytics and expectorants are chosen for treatment when a dry cough begins to transform into a wet one. Taking medication does not mean that your cough will become less severe. But hardened mucus will begin to more actively form, liquefy and come out.

Antitussive drugs require special caution. Most have a narcotic composition. Taking such medications is possible when a dry cough in an adult has been going on for an extremely long time, and the patient’s quality of life is deteriorating.

Only a doctor can determine which means to use and what to do. It takes into account the indications, the root cause and properties, the composition of certain medications. In order to recover, you should not take expectorants in the first days: they will not be effective. If a barking cough is a sign of bronchitis or tracheitis, then the attending physician will prescribe mucolytics for the first three days (Bronholitin, Bromhexine or ACC). And after three days they start taking expectorants: Doctor MOM, Gedelix and others.

For upper respiratory tract infections, take decongestants with antibacterial and bactericidal effects. For pharyngitis, medications are prescribed that can reduce the sensitivity of the larynx and have an antibacterial effect.

Sometimes during treatment it is necessary to take antibiotics, because a dry, barking cough can indicate complications after ARVI or influenza.

One of the main goals is to convert the dry form of cough into a wet one. It is important to achieve removal of mucus from the respiratory tract. Taking mucolytic and expectorant drugs is not always able to give the desired results. If the cause is an allergen, the attending physician prescribes antihistamines. These include Cetrin, Zertek, Suprastin.

Traditional methods

For cough, treatment based on folk wisdom is relevant. Since ancient times, our ancestors have used different methods to combat coughs and colds.

  • Drink more. The more fluid, the easier it is to make the discharge more viscous, and the sputum is easier to cough up afterwards.
  • Inhalations. They moisturize dry nasal mucosa and help thin mucus. Inhalations with essential oils and medicinal herbs such as chamomile, sage, and eucalyptus are effective. Inhalations should be done at least three times a day. Inhalations help ease breathing and provide conditions for removing excess fluid. The most common type is steam inhalation. You can even find special respirators in pharmacies.
  • Air: moist, clean, cool. It is a mistake to close all windows and wrap yourself in blankets when coughing. It is necessary to systematically ventilate the room in which the patient is located. A humidifier or placing containers of water around the house will also help. Such an atmosphere will prevent mucus from drying out and the membranes of the respiratory tract from drying out.
Traditional medicine recipes are varied.

Raisins + onion juice. You need to take a saucepan with a lid, add 50 grams of raisins per 200 ml of boiled water to the container. Wrap in a clean towel and leave for half an hour. When this time has passed, three large liters are added to the strained infusion. juice of 1 onion. Drink the prepared mixture at a time, before going to bed, in small sips.

The onion solution is prepared as follows. Boil a liter of water, add a mug of sugar and 2 large onions along with the peels, but washed. Then you need to reduce the heat and simmer for about one hour. The onion is removed and the liquid is filtered. For severe barking cough, adults consume a large spoon three times a day.

Nettle seed decoction. You will need 3 tbsp. nettle seeds, 500 ml of boiling water. Leave in a thermos overnight. The next morning, the decoction is ready - you can consume 100 ml four times a day.

With a dry barking cough, sputum does not form or come out, because for a number of reasons this is difficult. Some compresses facilitate the passage of mucus and have a warming effect. You can do them if you have a barking cough without fever. Potatoes are boiled in their jackets and pounded. Add three drops of iodine, tbsp. to the puree mass. vegetable oil. Stir, form a piece and place on a cloth on the area from the chest to the throat. It is better to wrap yourself in film and dress warmly. When the potatoes cool, remove the compress.

Important! If the temperature rises, even slightly, you cannot treat with compresses, apply mustard plasters, or warm up. These remedies are effective if you have a barking cough without fever. Otherwise, you may cause harm.

It is easy to cure a severe barking cough, especially if it is caused by viruses or allergies. If it indicates whooping cough, diphtheria, the treatment regimen is more complicated, and the help of a medical specialist is required.

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Barking cough

A barking cough is a dry cough that appears sharply and resembles the sound of barking. Hence its name. If such a symptom appears, then it is guaranteed to indicate that the inflammatory process is localized directly next to the person’s glottis. A dry barking cough is more often observed in a child, but it cannot be ruled out in an adult.

Most often, the causative factor is true or false croup, laryngitis, whooping cough, influenza, pharyngitis, parainfluenza and other acute respiratory viral infections. If a child has a barking cough without fever, he should be immediately taken to a medical facility. The danger of this condition is that if such a cough occurs, then there is a high risk of developing laryngeal edema with subsequent suffocation of the patient, since air will not be able to penetrate through the airways.

A barking cough in adults is also a serious reason to contact a specialist. Most likely, a person has a progressive viral infection in the vocal cords. Of course, in adults this disease is much milder than in small children, but this does not mean that it does not require treatment. There is a high probability of developing laryngeal edema, which will lead to the death of the patient if assistance is not provided to the patient in a timely manner.

It is important to understand that barking cough is not an independent nosological unit, but a symptom that indicates the progression of any pathologies in the human body. And it is they who should be identified in a timely manner and fully treated. Usually, if a barking dry cough occurs, the patient’s treatment plan includes the following medications: antibacterial, mucolytics, expectorants.

Etiological factors

In most clinical situations, the root cause of a barking cough is various infectious diseases or allergic reactions to medications, foods, etc. Pathologies that can trigger the appearance of such a symptom include the following:

  • whooping cough;
  • diphtheria;
  • laryngitis;
  • pharyngitis;
  • true croup;
  • false croup;
  • adenoviral infection;
  • acute stenosing laryngotracheitis. Most often, this pathology is accompanied by a strong barking cough, as swelling of the larynx and vocal cords is observed;
  • flu;
  • parainfluenza and so on.

Symptoms

It is not at all difficult to distinguish a barking cough from other types. Once it appears, it will resemble a dog barking. It is important to say that the earlier treatment is started, the better the prognosis.

The cough becomes barking, as edema progresses in the larynx from a strong inflammatory process, which invariably leads to a narrowing of the lumen of this organ. The patient's voice becomes hoarse, and he himself cannot clear his throat for a long time. If he succeeds, then a meager amount of sputum is released. A barking cough is quite painful and debilitating, so a person experiences constant weakness and is in a depressed state.

Symptoms accompanying a barking cough:

  • nausea and vomiting;
  • runny nose with discharge of clear mucus from the nasal passages;
  • headache of varying degrees of intensity;
  • a sore throat;
  • difficulty breathing due to narrowing of the glottis;
  • lymph nodes increase in size.

Symptoms, if they occur, you should immediately call an ambulance rather than try to treat the patient yourself:

  • incessant barking cough;
  • hyperthermia;
  • wheezing;
  • pale skin;
  • At the same time as coughing, attacks of suffocation appear.

Therapeutic measures

If this type of cough occurs, you should not try to treat it yourself. You should immediately contact a medical facility for a full diagnosis. Only a doctor will be able to say what triggered its appearance and prescribe the correct treatment.

The drugs of choice in case of a barking cough are mucolytics and expectorants. They must be included in the treatment plan, since first of all it is necessary to improve the discharge of accumulated sputum from the bronchi. In addition, doctors can treat the patient with antibacterial agents. They are necessary to quickly get rid of the infection and prevent relapse of the disease.

Activities that increase the effectiveness of treatment:

  • complete peace. It is necessary to treat the patient in a comfortable and calm environment. Even a slight disturbance can provoke a cough;
  • chest massage. This method of treatment is very effective, as it promotes more productive sputum discharge;
  • in case of hyperthermia, the treatment plan must include antipyretic drugs;
  • Steam inhalations are an effective method of treatment, as they help relieve swelling of the larynx. It is best to do them using medicinal injuries;
  • maintain a normal level of humidity in the room;
  • normalize the diet and regimen;
  • if the cause of the cough is an allergic reaction, then it should be treated with antihistamines;
  • plenty of warm drinks.

It is impossible to treat pathology with folk remedies, as it can only worsen the patient’s condition. This is especially true for young children. They should be treated only in a hospital setting and under the strict supervision of doctors.

“Barking cough” is observed in diseases:

True croup is a severe syndrome that accompanies infectious and inflammatory lesions of the respiratory tract. The cause is swelling, which narrows the lumen of the larynx. True croup is a consequence of an inflammatory lesion of the larynx, which provokes severe stenosis. That is why the pathology is often called stenosing laryngitis.

Laryngitis in children is an inflammatory process of the larynx, in which swelling occurs almost immediately. Laryngitis is most dangerous for newborn babies and for children under three years of age, because the course of the disease is accompanied by insufficient air entering the respiratory system. This can cause suffocation if parents do not ensure prompt hospitalization.

Laryngotracheitis in children and adults is an inflammatory disease that is often combined with damage to the larynx and trachea. Symptoms of the disease appear as a result of the penetration of various bacteria and viruses into the human body.

False croup is a pathology of an infectious-allergic nature, causing the development of laryngeal edema with subsequent stenosis. Narrowing of the airways, including the larynx, leads to insufficient air supply to the lungs and poses a threat to the patient’s life, so help in this condition should be provided immediately - within minutes after the attack.

With the help of exercise and abstinence, most people can do without medicine.

Symptoms and treatment of human diseases

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