The symptoms of cough and catarrh are the manifestations of the body’s immune system actions against the common cold virus invading the body.
Doris Obinna
Coughs could cause havoc to an infected person, with the worst being the mucus cough. This type of cough is associated with buildup of catarrh in the throat.
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During the harmattan and rainy season, a lot of people, both children and adults, come down with a cold (cough and catarrh). Cough and catarrh are caused by viruses known as common cold viruses. These viruses can infect healthy people when someone with cough and catarrh coughs, sneezes or talks, producing droplets, which carry them in the air. Because common cold viruses can be spread from infected people through the air, the rainy season and harmattan period are perfect for these viruses, accounting for why so many have cough and catarrh during these periods.
During this period also, there are sneezing, runny noses and coughs. And though most people struggle through and keep going about their day-to-day lives, it is still unpleasant.
According to the American Lung Association, the average American battles two to four colds every year. This is not different in Nigeria.
Dr. Okechukwu Amako, a medical doctor based in Ibadan, said common cold viruses infect a healthy person by entering his or her body through the mouth, nose and even the eyes.
According to him, “also, a healthy person is likely to catch a cold if he or she comes into contact with someone who has cough and catarrh, either through a handshake or sharing things, like spoons or towels, and then touches his or her mouth, nose or eyes without properly washing his or her hands.
“Cough and catarrh can be very discomforting because, in addition to the cough and catarrh (runny or congested nose) that are the usual symptoms, the affected person may have a fever and/or headache, complain of sore throat, sneeze very often and feel weak. These symptoms can be slightly severe and more discomforting in children.”
Narrating his experience, Amako said: “I faced some challenges and difficulty because I had common cold. The experience for me was pretty bad. I could hardly sleep. I literally coughed all night asides the fact that I was terribly weak, had a slight headache and high temperature. It affected my daily activities certainly. I had to do something about it and also try to help and enlighten.”
On how to handle it, he said: “The first thing to know is how one gets infected. Is it through the food, water, air or probably sharing the personal effects of an already infected person?
“Naturally, I don’t like using drugs as a person but when I saw that this infection would not let me rest, I had to resort to natural methods to tackle this annoying and disturbing ailment instead of using drugs and the likes.
“However, the body usually takes care of cough and catarrh in most people within one week, even without any form of treatment. This is because the symptoms of cough and catarrh are the manifestations of the body’s immune system actions against the common cold virus invading the body.
“Hence, the right treatment for cough and catarrh is not targeted against the common cold virus because the body’s immune system takes care of the virus, but towards this action of the immune system to calm it down a bit, thereby relieving the affected person of the discomforting symptoms of cough and catarrh. This is why it is very wrong to take antibiotics for cough and catarrh: antibiotics are not meant for and don’t work against viruses but for bacteria and bacteria don’t usually cause cough and catarrh.”
According to an expert, Olalekan Sunday, common cold is a transmittable infection of the upper respiratory tract, which is basically caused by viruses. “The virus enters the body through the eyes, nose or mouth. When in close proximity to an infected person, one can get infected through droplets in the air as a result of the sick person sneezing, talking or coughing. Also, one can be infected through physical contact with a person that is already infected or sharing objects that has been contaminated. People usually get infected when they touch their eyes, mouths or noses after such physical exposure or contact.
“Ordinary colds, if neglected or aggravated by additional exposure, are very apt to become chronic and run into catarrh, and are the causes in nearly two-thirds of all the cases that present themselves.
“Scarlet fever, measles, diphtheria, and all the diseases affecting the throat, the inhalation of dust, impure atmosphere or aerid vapours, are among its most frequent inciting causes. Catarrh attacks in preference those possessing a feeble or scrofulous constitution and a lymphatic temperament; individuals of soft fibres, respiring an impure or confined atmosphere, or whose systems are debilitated by insufficient or unsubstantial nourishment.
“Also, persons enervated by severe mental labour, physical excesses or exhaustive diseases; those who lead a life of indolence or dwell either from choice or necessity, in damp, ill-ventilated places, deprived of pure air and the necessary sunshine. Persons who are exposed to the vicissitudes of the weather or insufficiently protected against cold, scrofulous children, chlorotic females and these recently confined.”
Symptoms
The symptoms, however, vary from persons to person. The symptoms could be very frustrating. Constant sneezing, blocked nostrils, difficulty in breathing and high temperature, among others, are the general symptoms of cough and catarrh, according to Amako.
Said he: “The eyes are apt to become weak, irritable and disposed to water on exposure to cold and wind, or after the slightest exertion. A pain, more or less acute, or a distressing feeling of pressure, is experienced over the eyes, and sometimes on the top or back of the head, and also pain in the face, closely resembling neuralgia, for which it is very often mistaken. The distress in the head weakens the memory, and produces irritability and moroseness of disposition.
“The stomach, which generally suffers more or less, is weak and irritable; the appetite is capricious, and is nearly always bad in the morning. In severe cases, the system becomes feeble and prostrated. This is manifested by a disposition to drowsiness and sleep, an aversion to either physical or mental exertion, or a feeling of fatigue and weakness.”
Treatment
According to Amako, treating cough and catarrh the right way means using medications and applying some remedies that relieve the discomforting symptoms. Most of these medications are over-the-counter, so you can walk into a good pharmacy and get them: Analgesics, like Paracetamol, can be used if there is headache or fever.
Medications broadly known as antihistamines help in relieving symptoms like runny nose and sneezing. The common side effect of this class of drugs is dizziness or sedation (prolonged sleeping). A common example is Piriton. Another group of drugs for relieving the symptoms of cough and catarrh is a combination of an antihistamine, a cough-suppressing compound; a decongestant (helps to relieve the stuffy nose). Some preparations may have an additional class of compound that helps you
to easily cough out the thick yellow mucous substance that accumulates in your lungs when you have cough and catarrh. An example is the cough syrup that appears under different brand names.
Symptoms like stuffy nose can also be relieved by taking a hot tea or just drinking hot water. Common cold is self-limiting. Your body takes care of the virus and together with the above medications and remedies to relieve its discomforting symptoms, you get better in a few days’ time. Moreover, it is important that you try as much as possible to limit the spread of the virus to other people by always washing your hands with soap and water after coughing or sneezing, closing your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or a tissue paper when coughing or sneezing.
“Do not give over-the-counter cough and catarrh medicines to children under four years of age without a doctor’s prescription because some of these medicines may have life-threatening side effects in babies and younger children,” Amako warned.
However, a cough that persists for weeks is usually the result of a medical problem. In many cases, more than one cause is involved.
Foods that can help alleviate cold symptoms
A healthy diet in general will help you to recover from coughs and colds because you’ll be fuelling your body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its best. Some of the foods that can help tame a cough include:
Honey: Honey is a traditional remedy for coughs, and in one study parents rated honey most favourably for symptomatic relief of their child’s nocturnal cough. This is more suitable for older children.
Probiotics: There may be some benefits in taking Lactobacillus to reduce the likelihood of a cold or flu.
Pineapple: Bromelain, a mixture of enzymes naturally found in pineapples, may help suppress coughs and loosen mucus.
Chicken soup: Some studies have suggested that this old-time remedy may actually be able to assist with, colds. One study suggested this could even help with mucus congestion in the nasal passages.
Liquorice root tea: As well as being a soothing drink that can help you to relax when you’re feeling blocked up and poorly, liquorice is a traditional treatment for cough and sore throat and is thought to soothe airways and thin mucus.
Foods that agitate coughs and make symptoms worse
While eating healthily, it is important when it comes to fighting off infections, being aware of and avoiding any foods that are likely to exacerbate your cough symptoms is also a key consideration.
Dairy products: the jury is still out on whether dairy products definitely worsen coughs and colds, but some research has supported this link.
Food allergies: Food allergies can cause coughs as well as other symptoms, so if you suspect you may have an allergic reaction
to a food – that is, you are noticing the same symptoms every time you eat it, then visit your healthcare professional.
Other ways to soothe your cough are:
Gargling: An old-time remedy, gargling has scientific evidence to back up its effectiveness, with one random trial finding that it is effective at preventing respiratory tract infections in healthy people.
Hand washing: When coughing, it is common to cover your mouth with the hands. This means your hands will need to be washed frequently to avoid spreading germs to those around you.
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