How to get rid of a wet cough?

wet cough”>A wet cough, also called “productive”, is characterized by the expectoration of mucus (phlegm, sputum) which clogs the respiratory tract.The classification of dry cough/wet cough is a bit obsolete. Today, we distinguish two types of pathologies: acute cough and chronic cough.explains Professor Laurent Guilleminault, pneumo-allergologist. The acute cough is a cough that evolves for less than three weeksthe origin of which is in the vast majority of cases linked to a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract, i.e. a cold or nasopharyngitis. It generally improves spontaneously within three weeks. Chronic cough is defined as a cough which has been evolving for more than 8 weeks and which is linked either to classic pathologies such as asthma, gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), chronic rhinosinusitis in the case of dry cough.

What causes a wet cough?

A wet cough, when acute, is usually caused by a viral infection such as nasopharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, or a bacterial infection such as sinusitis, pneumonia or bronchitis. Covid 19 can also cause a wet cough. On the other hand, a wet cough is not a sign of allergy, which manifests itself as a rather dry and irritating cough.

What are the symptoms of a wet cough?

A wet cough is caused by the expectoration of mucus and phlegm that accumulates in the respiratory tract. Since it often occurs as part of a viral or bacterial infection, the cough may be accompanied by nasal discharge and headaches.

What are the treatments for a productive cough?

“As mentioned above, in the context of an acute cough, no medication is effective in stopping the cough. Faced with an acute cough that has been developing for less than three weeks, antitussive treatments have not shown any real effectiveness. Given their potential side effects, it is not recommended to take them in the event of a cough. It is unpleasant but unfortunately, the recommendation is rather not to resort to specific medications, apart from nasal washing and paracetamol in the event of a fever.warns the pneumo-allergist.

At night, to facilitate sleep, it is advisable to sleep on your back with your head elevated to facilitate the clearing of the airways. You can rub your chest with a decongestant balm before sleeping and possibly use an air humidifier. Finally, do not overheat the room.

Beyond 8 weeks, you should consult a doctor.

“If you have a cough that has been going on for less than three weeks, you do not need to consult a doctor because there are few effective treatments. However, if the cough persists for more than three weeks, and especially more than eight weeks, you should consult your doctor because this means that the cough is becoming chronic and that there is an underlying cause of the cough. It is therefore necessary to look for the cause of the cough and define a treatment.“, says the pneumo-allergist.

What are the natural remedies?

Homeopathy: a productive cough can be relieved by taking Pulsatilla 9 CH, 5 granules, 4 to 6 times a day.

Essential oils: the mixture of 1 drop of Eucalyptus Radiata in 9 drops of vegetable oil is effective when applied to the chest two to three times a day. Other essential oils are known to be effective in treating productive coughs: myrtle essential oil, which has antispasmodic properties, cypress essential oil, which has antitussive properties, or eucalyptus radiata essential oil, whose anti-infectious and antiviral properties help to thin mucus. In all cases, it is recommended to seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

What to do if it persists?

“A persistent cough is called chronic refractory. Despite good management by the doctor, it persists. We now know that there are dysfunctions in the cough receptors located in the bronchi and larynx, whose role is to trigger a cough when swallowing the wrong way. In these patients, these receptors are too sensitive and the cough will be triggered by any type of stimulus. Management is complex and requires specialist advice.”indicates our interlocutor. As a first step, the additional examinations will be a chest X-ray, a breathing test. We may be led to do a lung CT scan, a sinus CT scan, a stomach fibroscopy if we think that it is necessary to go further on certain signs that we observed during the examination.

Thanks to Professor Laurent Guilleminault, pneumo-allergologist at the Toulouse University Hospital.