The nervous cough It is a type of cough that is not related to infections, but its cause is of nervous or emotional origin. It is characterized by being a dry, irritating cough that usually appears at those times when the person is stressed, nervous, anxious, etc. In some cases, a specific pharmacological treatment may be necessary, but in others it will be enough to practice some relaxation techniques and combat the stress and anxiety that is causing the cough. In this OneHowTo article we explain how to get rid of a nervous cough and how you can identify it.
Causes and symptoms of nervous cough
The nervous coughUnlike other types of cough, it is not the result of a specific condition or disease, but rather has its origin in some type of problem that affects the nervous system. The factors that are established as common causes of nervous cough are going through a state of stress or nervousness, having anxiety or suffering an emotional trauma.
Its symptoms are easy to identify, but it is important that you know in what way does it manifest and what are its characteristics to know if it really is a nervous cough or not:
- It is a dry cough that can come and go suddenly.
- It does not appear accompanied by mucus.
- It does not occur together with other respiratory symptoms, such as shortness of breath or wheezing, or extra respiratory symptoms, such as fever, weakness, lack of appetite, etc.
- It usually appears in those periods in which the person has stress, is nervous, goes through complicated situations, is anxious, etc., and stops in periods in which he is completely relaxed, such as when he is on vacation and is away from any circumstance that causes anxiety.
- It occurs much more frequently at night and can be persistent at key times of the day.
- Causes respiratory tract irritation.
Despite this, you should bear in mind that it is essential to go to the doctor if you have a persistent cough that does not stop, since a safe diagnosis is always necessary to determine the exact cause of the problem and rule out the suffering of more serious conditions or pathologies.
Treatment for nervous cough
A nervous cough is a response of the body to a feeling or emotion that is being repressed, so it is important to pay attention to it and start the appropriate treatment in each case. First it will be necessary identify the causative psychological factor, be it stress, anxiety, nervousness, a recent emotional trauma, etc., and for this the intervention of a psychotherapist may be required to help the patient to externalize and express their emotions in order to get to the root of the problem .
In addition to the appropriate medication, if necessary, to help calm the cough, such as antitussive drugs, inhaled corticosteroids, lozenges, etc., the doctor may also prescribe medications to treat the anxiety that is behind the nervous cough and promote your relaxation. Likewise, you must learn to relax physically and mentally and contribute to your well-being to combat a nervous cough; For this, measures and practices such as the following can be very beneficial:
- Breathing techniques: Learning to breathe well is essential both to get rid of accumulated tensions and to improve thoracic capacity and to properly absorb oxygen.
- Relaxation exercises: You can put into practice the relaxation exercises to sleep well that we show you in this article, as they will help you fall asleep, fight stress and improve blood oxygenation.
- Meditation or other therapies: Meditation is a practice through which a deep state of concentration is achieved that relaxes the mind and favors the elimination of negative tensions and emotions. In addition to this, they are also good disciplines such as yoga or Pilates.
- Physical activity: When physical exercise is carried out, endorphins are released, which are hormones that promote an optimal state of mind and the feeling of well-being and happiness. That is why practicing physical activity on a regular basis or doing a sport that you like is also a good option to help you relax and, therefore, relieve a nervous cough.
Natural remedies for a nervous cough
In addition to all of the above, on many occasions the Natural medicine are the best allies for remove nervous cough and help the body reach a state of deep relaxation and keep stress and anxiety levels in check. Home treatments that can give good results are the following:
- Mallow: calms irritation that can cause nervous coughing in the airways and, at the same time, softens the vocal cords. We advise you to drink a mallow infusion at night, which is when this symptom tends to be accentuated.
- Passionflower: In addition to facilitating the passage of air through the bronchi, passionflower has very powerful relaxing and sedative properties. You can consume it as an infusion, in liquid extract or capsules, discover all the details in the article How to take passionflower.
- Thyme: It is one of the most used natural antitussives in case of irritative cough and chest and throat infections. Prepare an infusion of thyme by adding 2 tablespoons of this in a cup of boiling water and, when it is ready, strain and add a small tablespoon of honey.
- Eucalyptus fumes: the vapors are ideal for unblocking the airways and calming irritations caused by coughing. Boil a few eucalyptus leaves in 1/2 liter of water and, once you remove it from the heat and make sure it does not burn, place the pot on a flat surface and bring your nose to it to start inhaling the vapors that are give off.
Discover more remedies like these in the article How to treat a cough with home remedies.
This article is merely informative, at oneHOWTO we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
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