Causes of cough

Coughing is a common disease in daily life. It is mainly a secretion produced by the respiratory tract or a reflex action to protect against foreign bodies. Although it has certain advantages, frequent coughing can lead to some other types of respiratory tract lesions. Therefore, in treatment and prevention, we must pay attention to its cause in order to better treat the cause. It is mainly of two types: specific and nonspecific.

Infections in daily life and repeated respiratory tract infections can also produce some bacteria and viruses that can cause coughs to recur. Coughing can also be caused by diet. Common allergic foods are fish, shrimp and crab. Climate changes and some other types of factors can also cause it.

Inhaled matter (20%):

Inhalants are divided into two types: specific and nonspecific. The former include dust mites, pollen, fungi, animal dander, etc., and non-specific inhalants include sulfuric acid, sulfur dioxide, chloramine, etc. Specific inhalants of occupational cough include toluene diisocyanate, phthalic anhydride, ethylenediamine, penicillin, protease, amylase, silk, animal dander or excrement, etc. In addition, non-specific ones include formaldehyde, formic acid, etc.

Infection (10%):

The development and onset of cough are associated with recurrent respiratory tract infections. Patients with cough may have specific IgE to bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma, etc., and inhalation of the corresponding antigens may induce coughing. After viral infection, the respiratory epithelium can be directly damaged, resulting in increased respiratory tract reactivity. Some scholars believe that interferon and IL-1 produced by viral infection increase the histamine released by alkaliphilic granulocytes. During the infant period, many children develop cough symptoms after being infected by respiratory viruses (especially respiratory syncytial virus). Coughing caused by parasites such as roundworms and hookworms is still seen in rural areas.

Food (20%):

Cough attacks caused by diet are common in cough patients, especially infants and young children who are prone to food allergies, but this phenomenon gradually decreases with age. The most common foods that cause allergies are fish, shrimp, crab, eggs, milk, etc.

Climate change: Changes in air temperature, temperature, air pressure and/or air ions can induce coughing, so it is more common in cold seasons or when the climate changes in autumn and winter.

Mental factors (10%):

The patient's emotional excitement, nervousness, resentment, etc. can all trigger a coughing attack. It is generally believed that it is caused by cerebral cortex and vagus nerve reflexes or hyperventilation.

Exercise (10%):

About 70% to 80% of cough patients develop cough after strenuous exercise, which is called exercise-induced cough or exercise cough. Clinical manifestations include cough, chest tightness, shortness of breath, wheezing, and wheezing can be heard by auscultation. Although some patients do not have typical asthma symptoms after exercise, lung function tests before and after exercise can reveal bronchospasm.

Cough and medication (10%):

Some drugs can cause coughing attacks, such as propranolol, which causes coughing by blocking β2-adrenergic receptors.

The above are the reasons for coughing. The main reasons are the production of some bacteria and viruses, which can cause repeated coughing. Since diet can also cause coughing, common allergic foods are mainly fish, shrimp and crab. Climate changes, some mental factors, exercise factors and drug factors can all cause coughing. Therefore, in daily life, we must find out the cause of coughing in order to better treat it.