Fever, runny nose, sore throat, and cough - this is the combination of symptoms that every parent is anxious about. Winter diseases are a serious nuisance, though most of them pass away after a few days. One of the common symptoms of most winter illnesses is coughing, a wet cough that can interfere with breathing, occur during sleep, make it difficult to eat and drink, and generally impair quality of life.
It is usually a cold, which is generally considered a mild viral winter disease, although it can occur 2-4 times a year, especially in children and toddlers. Influenza, on the other hand, is also a viral disease that occurs in winter, can be severe, and even become pneumonia.
Other respiratory diseases that are typical of the airways are sinusitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, and the like.
What Causes Cough With Phlegm?
Cough is a reflex, a natural response of the body to its role in removing foreign elements that have infiltrated the respiratory system. The additional function of the cough is the secretion of mucus created in the respiratory system. The center of this reflex is located in the brainstem and is mediated by sensory receptors located in the airways. When airways are blocked due to particles, foreign bodies, or due to mucus and mucus congestion, the receptors transmit the message to the brainstem that activates the respiratory and diaphragm muscles and triggers the reflex. The result: a rapid burst of air in the air, that is, a cough, whose job it is to remove the casualty.
It is customary to divide the types of cough into two: acute cough and troublesome (chronic) cough. But there is also another classification that distinguishes between dry and non-phlegmatic cough and wet and moist cough. Cough with phlegm, as mentioned, is usually a symptom of winter sickness. Phlegm is the secretion that the body produces in the airways, nose, sinuses, throat, and bronchial tubes. The secretion of phlegm is actually part of the immune system's function and its function is to capture and eliminate foreign factors, such as particles, foreign bodies, and contaminants - viruses and bacteria, through a runny nose, sneezing or cough.
The phlegm emitted during a cough can be yellowish, greenish or translucent, and can contain pus and blood. All of these signs have a diagnostic meaning. Other symptoms of cough with phlegm that should be considered: fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, and more. In these cases, the recommendation is to seek an immediate medical diagnosis as it may be more than just a cold, but more severe or complex illnesses such as pneumonia, asthmatic attack, allergy, pulmonary embolism, chronic disease or malignant disease.
It is useful to see a doctor even when the cough lasts for more than three weeks, which means - according to the medical definition - to become a (chronic) cough.
How to treat a cough with phlegm?
As mentioned earlier, winter illnesses are for the most part minor and even transient without drug treatment. Mostly because most of them are viral and, as is well known, antibiotics are ineffective. However, there are various drugs, most of them over-the-counter, that can relieve cough with phlegm.
The over-the-counter medicines for cough relief with mucus are divided into four types:
Granny cough medicine with phlegm
Cough can also be relieved by natural means and without medication. Here are some recommendations:
Herbs: There are various herbs that are effective for treating winter diseases, especially respiratory diseases. Of these, black sambok is a plant that is specifically intended to relieve cough. Studies have shown that black sambok prevents inflammation and upper respiratory tract infection and shortens the residence of viral winter diseases. You can buy a natural remedy that contains herbs and spices such as medicinal herbs, thyme, carrots, aniseed anise, woods pine, and cinnamon.
Use of a warm humidifier: Hot steam inhalation dissolves phlegm and runny nose, relieves congestion and irritation caused when the rhinitis slides down the throat. Aromatic oils such as eucalyptus oil, cypress, thyme, lavender and the like can be added. A dip in a hot tub, with or without oils, also helps.
Hot Drinking: Tea or herbal infusions, especially infusions or mixtures containing eucalyptus, mint, and thyme. A combination of lemon ginger and honey in the tea or a brew is also recommended.
Homemade cough syrup: You can make syrup from onion and honey, ginger and honey, vinegar and honey, thyme and honey, licorice and honey, and the like.
Gregor saline: relieves throat pain and disinfects the airways.
