Coughing, which is one of our body’s important defense functions, is a natural reflex phenomenon that occurs to expel foreign substances, bacteria, or gas that have entered the airways out of the body. It is easy to think that such a cough is the main symptom of a cold accompanied by a runny nose, sputum, fever, and headache. However, it is not caused by a cold, and a feeling of tickling in the throat without discharge of phlegm and coughing continuously is called dry cough.
This dry cough is considered a mild phenomenon and is often neglected. However, if this dry cough persists for a long time, it is said that various diseases such as infectious diseases, respiratory diseases, and digestive diseases can be suspected rather than a simple physiological phenomenon. Therefore, it can be said that it is important to carefully deal with the cause of dry cough after accurately identifying the cause and to treat the cause accurately. So today, let’s learn about the causes of dry cough and various information about suspected diseases one by one.
Dry cough causes and suspected diseases
1. Asthma
If dry cough persists, the first disease you can suspect is asthma. Asthma is one of the bronchial-related diseases that connect to the lungs, and refers to a disease caused by narrowing of the bronchial tubes due to inflammation of the bronchial tubes caused by specific triggers. Various symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness, which are wheezing sounds when breathing with repeated dry cough, appear repeatedly. It is known that the occurrence of asthma is caused by genetic factors as well as allergens such as house dust mites, mold spores, and pollen, indoor and outdoor air pollution, and smoking. It has been known that if symptoms occur repeatedly or worsen gradually, it can lead to airway remodeling and fibrosis of the lungs, which can lead to permanent deterioration of lung function.
2. Allergic rhinitis
The persistent dry cough can also be suspected of being caused by allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis, a disease that occurs after the mucous membrane of the nose reacts to substances that cause allergies such as house dust mites, pollen, and mold, is accompanied by various symptoms such as dry cough, continuous sneezing, clear runny nose, nasal congestion, and itching It can be said that it is characteristic.
If such allergic rhinitis persists for a long time, it can be accompanied by various complications such as chronic dry cough, chronic rhinitis, otitis media, sinusitis, nasal polyps, and loss of smell.
3. Reflux esophagitis
Dry cough can also be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease such as reflux esophagitis. Gastroesophageal reflux disease is an inflammatory disease of the esophagus caused by the reflux of stomach acid or gastric contents into the esophagus. Inflammation of the esophagus can cause various symptoms, such as dry cough and heartburn, chest tightness, heartburn, sinus congestion, feeling like there is a foreign object in the throat, sore throat, chest pain, and changes in voice. Reflux esophagitis tends to be exacerbated by several factors, such as the habit of lying down immediately after eating, overeating, excessive consumption of fatty foods, drinking, smoking, caffeinated beverages, and carbonated beverages. If symptoms persist, esophageal stricture, which narrows the esophagus due to the formation of ulcers, may occur, increasing the risk of developing esophageal cancer.
4. Laryngitis
Laryngitis, a disease that causes pain as the larynx swells and heats due to viruses and bacteria, may also be the cause of dry cough. Laryngitis does not show symptoms such as stuffy nose and runny nose, but it causes various symptoms such as dry cough, wheezing, hoarseness, etc. Also, when breathing in, the symptoms of shortness of breath in which the gap between the ribs and the upper part of the breastbone protrude is also a symptom of laryngitis. The symptoms of laryngitis are known to improve without complications in most cases. However, in the case of laryngitis that lasts more than 2 weeks, it can cause respiratory failure due to severe hypoxia and can cause various symptoms such as abnormal voice.
5. Post nasal drip syndrome
Post nasal drip syndrome is a chronic condition in which mucus secreted from the nose and sinuses accumulates in the pharynx or flows down the throat. Tickling in the throat continues due to the feeling of flowing nose and a feeling of mucus in the throat. And if the symptoms are severe, it appears as a sore throat symptom, and it can cause discomfort in breathing as it feels pressure on the neck.
other suspected disease
A dry cough can also occur if you have a heart-related condition, such as heart failure. It is said that these dry cough symptoms may appear as blood collects in the lungs due to poor blood circulation. Dry cough caused by heart disease is known to worsen when you lie down or sleep, because blood rushes to your chest and puts a strain on your lungs.
If these dry cough symptoms persist for more than 3 weeks, it is important to visit a hospital to find out the exact cause of the disease through the diagnosis and examination process, and to proceed with treatment. In addition, it is recommended to keep the bronchial tubes and throat moist at all times by thoroughly managing personal hygiene such as hand washing and drinking enough water. In addition, it is said that it is an important management habit to consistently consume foods that have excellent effects on bronchial health and cough relief, such as bellflower, jujube, ginger, quince, omija, lemon, green beans, and pear.
