How to stop a coughing fit in adults without medication
The content of the article:
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How to stop a coughing attack at night without medication
- Warm drink
- Inhalation
- Local treatment
- Distracting procedures
- Fresh air
- Massage
- Why are nighttime attacks dangerous?
- Further treatment
- When you can do without drugs
- Video
If you have a coughing fit at night, it is not always possible to immediately seek medical help. You can stop an attack at night without medication. There are several ways to stop a coughing attack at home: warm drinks, inhalation, massage, compresses.
You can stop a coughing attack without medication, but this is only a temporary measure
How to stop a coughing attack at night without medication
When a cough appears at night, the necessary pills and syrups are often not at hand. You can alleviate the condition with the help of available tools, using only medicinal plants, water and mint candies.
Warm drink
You can quickly get rid of an attack with warm drinks. Drinking plenty of fluids softens and moisturizes the mucous membrane, removes mucus from the throat. What will help relieve an attack:
- warm milk with honey;
- folk recipes - a decoction of chamomile, mint, marshmallow, rosehip;
- green or black tea;
- slightly alkaline mineral waters (without gas).
Inhalation
You can stop a coughing attack in adults with inhalation. Inhalation not only effectively cope with an attack of coughing, but also has a positive effect on the course of the disease. When inhaled, the drug acts directly on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, which leads to the following effects:
- the mucous membrane is moistened;
- decreases inflammation and swelling;
- coughing stops;
- breathing is restored.
At home, the easiest way is to use steam inhalation. It is necessary to heat the solution to 50 ° C, bend over the container by 20-30 cm and cover your head with a towel. It is enough to breathe in the steam for 5 minutes. You need to breathe through your mouth, not your nose.
As a solution, you can use water with soda, mineral water, decoctions and infusions of plants. You can also breathe over the steam of boiled potatoes.
For the preparation of the broth, medicinal herbs or a mixture of them are used:
| The nature of the cough | Medicinal plants |
| Dry |
chamomile St. John's wort thyme marshmallow plantain |
| Wet |
yarrow succession wild rosemary cedar needles eucalyptus |
Steam inhalations have a number of contraindications - it is impossible to breathe steam at elevated body temperature, nosebleeds, a tendency to high blood pressure, purulent inflammation.
Warm inhalation with essential oils can be used. Eucalyptus, pine, sea buckthorn oil is used.
Warm and steam inhalation helps with inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, tonsillitis), larynx and trachea. With bronchitis, it is more effective to inhale with a nebulizer. With the help of a nebulizer, medicinal substances reach the smallest branches of the bronchi.
Local treatment
Lozenges and sprays with anesthetic effect help to quickly get rid of the attack. At home, you can use mint candies, they work no worse.
You can gargle at home. To do this, use water with soda or salt, a decoction of herbs with an antiseptic effect (chamomile, calendula).
Distracting procedures
You can also use distracting procedures:
- rubbing the chest;
- warming compress on the chest;
- foot baths.
In addition, it is recommended to warm your feet - put on warm woolen socks, cover yourself with a blanket.
Foot baths can be an effective remedy for coughing attacks
Fresh air
When an attack occurs, you need to ventilate the room. The lower the temperature, the higher the humidity. Fresh and cool air reduces the intensity of the cough, making breathing easier. Care must be taken that the air is not too cold, as this provokes the appearance of spasms.
Massage
For a wet cough, vibration massage can be done to help remove mucus. It is necessary to tap with the edge of the palm on the back in the lungs. Movements should be soft. The massage is carried out for 2-5 minutes.
Why are nighttime attacks dangerous?
A cough that occurs at night prevents sleep and recovery. This is not only tiring, but also leads to the development of unpleasant symptoms:
- asthenia - severe fatigue, weakness;
- impairment of cognitive abilities - memory, attention, thinking;
- increased irritability.
The consequences are largely influenced by the duration of the attacks. If sleep is disturbed for several days in a row, the risk of complications increases several times.
Further treatment
First aid for an attack is only one component of treatment. It is impossible to be limited only by emergency methods, it is necessary to influence the cause.
A cough does not arise just like that, it is always the body's response to any stimulus. Before starting treatment, you need to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
The main groups of drugs that are used:
| Group of drugs | Mechanism of action, under what conditions are used | Examples of |
| Antibiotics |
They are used for tonsillitis, adenoiditis, bronchitis, which are caused by bacteria. Antibiotics from the macrolide group are prescribed for whooping cough. Used only as directed by a doctor. |
Amoxicillin Amoxiclav Azithromycin |
| Antiviral | Used for influenza |
Remantadine Oseltamivir Zinamivir |
| Mucolytics |
Used for viscous sputum. Reduces viscosity and promotes phlegm removal. |
Acetylcysteine Bromhexine Ambroxol (mixed action) |
| Secretomotor |
They are used when it is difficult to separate sputum. They enhance the secretion of bronchial mucus and the activity of the ciliated epithelium. |
Mucaltin Alteika syrup Ambroxol (mixed action) |
| Antitussives |
They are used for painful, obsessive cough. They inhibit the cough center or peripheral receptors. |
Central action: Glaucin, Oxeladin, Butamirate. Peripheral action: Libexin, Lidocaine |
| Antihistamines |
They are used for allergic diseases, for example, with a cough variant of bronchial asthma. They have anti-allergenic and anti-edema properties. |
Suprastin Loratidine |
| Decongestants (vasoconstrictor) |
Used for nasal congestion. They act on the vessels located in the nasal mucosa. The vasoconstriction leads to a decrease in edema and restoration of nasal breathing. |
Drops Nazivin Naftizin Vibrocil |
| Antiseptics | Used for infection of the tonsils, pharynx. |
Chlorophyllipt (for rinsing) spray Ingalipt |
When you can do without drugs
Medicines are not really indicated in all cases. This mainly concerns cough in acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI). With an uncomplicated course, drug treatment may not be used, it is enough to stay in bed and drink plenty of fluids. If the reason is more serious (bacterial bronchitis or tonsillitis, bronchial asthma, whooping cough), then you cannot do without the use of medications.
Video
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Anna Kozlova Medical journalist About the author
Education: Rostov State Medical University, specialty "General Medicine".
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