Cough protects the respiratory system

Winter diseases are the order of the day. In the case of cough , we must take into account the different types that exist; acute or chronic, dry or with phlegm.

The cough Persistent causes certain disorders that, apparently, have no relationship. For example, coughing very hard can cause tearing, rib pain and even cause retinal detachment; this as a result of which it is a very abrupt reflex act.

The mucociliary system , the aerodynamic action of the nasal passages, the immune system as well as the cough , constitute the defense mechanism of respiratory system . It guarantees that the inhaled air reaches the pulmonary alveoli in optimal conditions.

 

How is cough generated?

Irritation stimuli trigger nerve impulses in the sensory fibers of the respiratory mucosa that are transmitted by the vagus nerve to the spinal bulb , from where a series of muscular movements are directed. Tissue sensitive areas are located in the larynx , trachea, bronchi, carotid sinus and pleura. The muscular movements cause a deep inspiration to be produced with great intensity, then the vocal cords are joined and the glottis is closed for about 0.2 seconds.

Consecutively, there is a strong contraction of the respiratory muscles that increases the pleural and abdominal pressure and then relax the vocal cords and opens the glottis that expels the air at high speed pushing the causative stimuli.

 

Types of cough

• It is acute if it persists for a maximum of 6 weeks, and chronic, when it exceeds this time.

• It is dry when it occurs without expectoration . It often causes pain in the throat and chest, in addition to preventing the rest of the affected individual.

• It is wet when it produces with expectoration , mucous secretion from the respiratory tract inferiors Expelled material is called sputum and is formed due to increased bronchial secretions or the accumulation of other substances. These accumulated secretions trigger the reflection of the cough and originate the expectoration.

• Cigarette smoke is a dangerous chemical agent that causes a cough in the smoker and can aggravate a symptomatic cough due to other conditions.

• There are other more complicated types such as aneurysmal cough, postprandial cough, cough by compression, bitonal or tonsillar. These have to be treated directly with a specialist.

Remember that coughing is a natural process that purifies the air you breathe, but if it persists for more than 6 weeks, immediately go to your doctor to avoid complications.

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