How to tell the difference between a "good cough" and a "bad cough"

When the body coughs, the direct response of most people is to "cough". In fact, coughing is also the body's defense system, and it is not advisable to blindly kill this protective reflex that is beneficial to health. Should be carefully judged is a general cough? Is there a disease behind a cough? Don't take it lightly, and don't take medicine to eliminate cough symptoms easily, and miss the golden period of receiving doctor's diagnosis and treatment.

Why do you cough?

When the throat, trachea, bronchi, esophagus and other parts of the human body are stimulated by smoke, dry air, sputum, changes in acid and alkali, or spicy food, the cough center of the brain will notify the lungs to generate high-pressure airflow, produce a cough response, and The mucus or foreign body in the respiratory tract is ejected from the body.

There is a Taiwanese proverb: "The doctor treats a cough by surprise" to describe a cough that is difficult to treat. The etiology of cough is not only complex, but also has a high risk of hidden diseases. Cough is also a symptom of many diseases, including colds, bronchitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, lung cancer and other respiratory diseases, as well as gastroesophageal reflux, heart disease, psychological factors, drug reactions, etc., can cause cough. But coughing is not exactly the same as disease, there are good and bad coughs.

"Good cough" should not be treated immediately

A "good cough" can eliminate foreign objects, bacterial particles or its own secretions in the respiratory tract, and keep the lungs and respiratory tract open. For example, choking on inhaled smoke, choking on foreign objects, choking on water, etc. All coughs caused by these conditions are good coughs. Therefore, a cough caused by a cold, allergies, smoking or pollution is a normal reaction. If you use cough medicine as soon as you cough, the substances that can be coughed out of the respiratory tract may be retained in the respiratory tract, delaying the disease. Especially for people who smoke, emphysema, asthma, and chronic bronchitis, coughing can help clear the secretions of the respiratory tract and ensure the airway is unobstructed. Cough medicines must be used with caution.

Cough is also a warning sign of many diseases

Severe cough can damage the vocal cords, affect sleep, cause chest pain, rupture of the tracheal mucosa, and strain the abdominal muscles. What's more, a "bad cough" is a warning sign of many diseases, even more serious ones such as tuberculosis and lung cancer. Therefore, if the cough does not stop, it is necessary to find the cause.

When you have a cough, you should seek medical attention

Cough for more than 3 weeks.

Long-term cough, combined with high fever, shortness of breath, dyspnea, wheezing, chest pain, chest tightness, hemoptysis, unreasonable weight loss, irregular heartbeat, fainting, coughing with blood and other symptoms.

The cough, which had already improved, suddenly worsened or had thick phlegm.