The body attempts to eliminate substances from the air passages by coughing. A cough usually occurs in order to expel phlegm buildup in the trachea. It does this by forcefully expelling air at a high speed out of the body. A cough can either be voluntary or involuntary. Coughing can also be acute or chronic. Acute coughing occurs suddenly and may last till three weeks. Chronic coughing may persist for more than three weeks. There can be many causes of a cough such as chronic bronchitis, allergies or asthma. Infections of the respiratory tract caused by post-nasal drip could also lead to coughing. Other causes of coughing include smoking, fluid buildup in the lungs, side effects of certain medicines, inhalation of pollen, dust and smoke.
One of the causes of cough is asthma, a chronic condition of the lungs. Asthma is characterized by swelling of the airways and constriction of the air flow through the lungs. This leads to trouble while breathing. In normal circumstances, when an irritant enters the airways or during stressful physical activity, there is relaxation and opening of the airways. This enables the lungs to take in extra air or get rid of the irritant. But when asthma occurs, there is tightening of the muscles in the airways. This also leads to swelling of the air passages. In many cases, individuals with asthma may not experience any symptoms for long periods of time. An asthma attack may then suddenly occur. Some people may have chronic breathlessness that becomes aggravated during an asthma attack. In many cases there may also be presence of phlegm in asthma affected individuals. There is a type of asthma known as cough-variant asthma in which dry or cough with sputum may commonly occur.
Asthma and phlegm may be alleviated by avoiding foods such as dairy products that trigger mucus production. Cold foods and foods high in sugar must also be avoided. Asthma sometimes worsens due to poor posture, pollution and smoking. Coughing may lead to hoarseness of the throat and this could be alleviated by gargling with saline water. This helps to reduce inflammation, thereby decreasing the production of phlegm. Drinking a glass of warm milk with some honey added will help to provide relief from cough. A mixture of lemon juice, honey and cinnamon consumed twice everyday also helps to ease coughing. Another beneficial remedy for asthma cough and mucus production is hot chicken, onion and garlic soup.
answered by G R