In winter, patients with cough increase, if the cough is prolonged, chest x-rays should be taken to distinguish between specific and non-specific cough.
If the chest X-ray is "positive", it is a specific cough and should be treated separately for treatment (such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tuberculosis, anti-tumor, etc.) or further examination as appropriate; If the chest X-ray examination is "negative", it is a non-specific cough, this non-specificity means that there is no cough can be attributed to the disease, you can first carry out empirical treatment, if there is no relief after treatment, should be re-evaluated, that is, emphasize the importance of observation, waiting, follow-up.
To cure cough, we must first find the culprit of disease.
There are several causes of non-specific cough:
- Cough caused by "heat".
Cough with dry cough as the main symptom or the only symptom for more than 3 weeks, conventional treatment is still not effective, and blood routine, chest X-ray and other examinations are no different, should first consider the cough after infection (cough after a cold).
It is characterized by the absence of fever and other acute symptoms of cold, still lingering cough symptoms persist, after long-term or repeated application of antibiotics treatment still does not improve, patients are mostly manifested as irritating dry cough or cough a small amount of white mucus sputum.
- Cough caused by "nose".
Postnasal drip syndrome is a common cause of chronic cough disease, the disease is not limited to nasal diseases, throat diseases can also lead to this kind of cough, so named "upper airway cough syndrome".
It is characterized by episodic or persistent cough, mainly during the day cough, less cough after sleep; Postnasal drip or adhesion of mucus to the posterior pharyngeal wall; He has a history of rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal polyps or chronic pharyngitis.
- Cough caused by "stomach".
Cough caused by gastroesophageal reflux is also easily misdiagnosed, accounting for about 40% of chronic cough.
Often accompanied by heartburn, acid reflux, chest pain, nausea and other digestive symptoms.
The mechanism is unclear, which may be related to the stimulation of cough receptors in pharynx, larynx and trachea by reflux.
- Cough caused by "wheezing". If the cough lasts for more than two months, the possibility of cough variant asthma should be considered.
This disease is mainly paroxysmal spastic dry cough, occasionally a small amount of phlegm, night or morning attacks, cold air, oil smoke and other odors or exercise induced aggravation.
Anti-inflammatory and antitussive drugs are ineffective.
Due to the complex causes of cough, neither traditional Chinese medicine nor Western medicine can solve all problems.
The advantage of TCM lies in the treatment of syndrome differentiation, specimen consideration, the use of cough medicine while taking into account physical conditioning, so that it will not be repeated; Western medicine has the advantage of immediate results and quick relief of suffering.
Therefore, the general principle of chronic cough treatment is: personalization, due to illness, first in the west, Western complement.
For the cough caused by "heat", TCM treatment is mainly based on the principle of syndrome differentiation and treatment, such as Erchen Decoction, Xingsu powder, Dajia powder or Xiebai powder; Western medicine can be used brown ammonium mixture.
For cough caused by "nose", it is necessary to treat lung and nose together or lung and pharynx together.
On the basis of syndrome differentiation, Xinji powder, Cangerzi powder and goose not herbivorous, Houttuynia, etc., are often used to induce menstrual drugs to reach the disease. Western medicine with ephedrine mixture or hormone nasal drops, cough will reduce or disappear.
For the cough caused by "stomach", TCM can start from the Angle of soothing liver and regulating qi and stomach. On the basis of syndrome differentiation, corrugated seed, calcined dragon, cuttlebone and fritillaria thunb can be used more quickly. Western drugs can be rapidly alleviated with antacids or gastrointestinal motogens (such as morbuline) or H2 receptor blockers or proton pump inhibitors, but significant improvement takes 5 months.
For cough caused by "wheeze", traditional Chinese medicine should be used to relieve the wind and release the lung, and reduce the qi slowly and quickly. Ephedra, Perilla, almond, cicada, digilong, purple 箢, winter flower and other medicines are commonly used. Western medicine can be used for inhalation treatment of Sericide.
