Understanding the Symptoms of Allergy Cough
Coughing is a natural reflex of your body that takes place when a foreign particle, fluid, irritant, mucus or microbes choke your throat or breathing passage. The rapid and sudden coughing can help you expel air containing the foreign elements out of your body. Well, that is the technicality of the process of coughing which suggests that once or twice coughing is no big deal. However, if you keep on coughing on a regular basis for almost 3weeks straight, then it is time you get an appointment with your general physician.
The continuous coughing might be an indication of some serious health condition like an allergic cough, infection or a disease. Broadly, there are three phases of a cough: an inhalation, an increased pressure in the throat and an explosive release of air while the vocal cords are open. An allergy cough is a term that has been coined to differentiate it with a cough caused by common cold. As the name suggests, allergy cough occurs due to some kind of allergic reaction. Before you rush for the treatment, it would be wise to narrow down the list of your allergens. Allergy Cough Symptoms are almost similar to that of cold, nasal congestion, runny nose and so on.
Allergy Cough Symptoms
The allergy cough symptoms tend to:
Last for days to months, until the allergens are present in your body
Occur any time of the year, when you come in contact with the particular allergen
Show sudden symptoms that are triggered the moment you are exposed to the allergens.
Allergy cough symptoms include a runny nose, itchy eyes, and sore throat. However, it never accompanies body ache and fever. Sinus and middle ear infections are also some of the allergy cough Symptoms that might occur depending on your condition. They are not direct allergy cough symptoms but they are indirect effects of allergic reactions. Allergy cough can cause swelling in the nasal passageway, which in turn has the potential to aggravate highly sensitive sinuses. This might augment the risk of a sinus infection, which is also known as sinusitis.
Round the world, there have been cases where the patient seems to outgrow the allergy cough symptoms with time. Thus, by the time you enter your middle age, your allergy cough symptoms might become less common even if you get exposed to the allergens. This might happen due to a weak immune system that tends to lose its ability to react to the allergen as strongly as it used to do. However, not all the allergens can be outgrown like allergies to certain kind of food, latex and bee stings.
Treatment
An allergy cough might undergo a variety of treatments as the factors that result in allergy are totally different. Some treatments for an allergy cough are:
- To avoid allergens or irritants to which your body is sensitive. The most common allergens present are dust mites, pollens, animal dander, and mold.
- The consumption of antihistamines helps you restrain the release of histamines. Histamines can effectively tackle allergy cough symptoms such as a stuffy nose, runny nose, and swollen nasal passage.
- The consumption of decongestants which will help you to relieve stuffy and running nose.
- The consumption of nasal steroids, which are helpful in easing out the inflammation and irritation along the nasal passage. This will help you feel comfortable.
- To undergo immunotherapy, which includes getting allergy shot or taking a small dose of the element you are allergic to. This will help your body to develop a natural resistance to that particular allergic element.
Prevention
There are no foolproof precautionary measures to an allergic cough as the reason behind this condition might be totally different. However, the fact remains the same that the allergens tend to irritate the various linings of the throat, nose, or lungs leading to swelling or inflammation resulting in a cough. Thus, consideration of the following precautions can help you avoid an allergy cough:
- Eat homemade food only
- Drink clean and purified water
- Avoid food items that are sour, including sour fruits
- Ensure that your workplace and home are very clean and your air conditioner regularly undergoes servicing.
- Avoid stay in polluted places for a long period of time or use a surgical mask.
- Use thin curtains in place of thick ones as thick ones tend to accumulate dust too often that might consist your allergen.
- Avoid the use of scented cosmetics, air freshener and similar kind of articles as they might trigger your allergy.
An allergy cough can rarely be termed as a serious condition. However, the allergy cough symptoms can become very uncomfortable and inconvenient for you if you do not seek any medical assistance. Moreover, if the allergy and its symptoms are not dealt with properly, then there is a high risk of developing asthma. Therefore, seek medical assistance even if the symptoms of the allergy cough seem mild so that you get a long-term solution and proper protection for many further complication.