Asthma Cough Productive Treatment
A persistent, chronic, nighttime cough is one of the most common
symptoms of mild asthma. It also can be a symptom of several
other pulmonary problems. If your child coughs often at night,
how do you tell if it's asthma - or something else?
Without a medical evaluation, you really can't. Even doctors
find it difficult to diagnose asthma when its only presenting
symptom is nighttime coughing. In general, an asthma cough is a
non-productive cough - one that doesn't bring up any mucus. It
may sound as if something is rattling, or have a wheeze at the
end of it. More often than not, there's a spasmodic quality to
the cough - it may continue until the child is completely out of
breath and gagging, or even until they actually vomit.
What if your child is coughing up mucus and sputum? Well, say
doctors, chances are that it's not an asthma cough if it's
productive. In most cases, a productive cough accompanies a
cold, or lingers for a week or two beyond it. It may also be a
symptom of other seriously lung problems, though, so if a cough
persists more than 5-7 days, be certain to contact your doctor.
Treatment of a night-time cough obviously depends on the
underlying cause of the cough, but most doctors agree that if a
cough is productive, treatment shouldn't suppress the cough,
since the body needs to bring up all the 'junk' that's clogging
the lungs and airways. In fact, if there's obvious congestion
that isn't being brought up, an expectorant can help break it up
and allow it to be coughed out.
Asthma coughs, on the other hand, are most often dry coughs
caused by bronchial spasms. Since there's nothing to bring up,
there's no way for an asthma cough to be 'productive', though
you may hear rattling or 'crinkling' sounds if you listen to the
chest of a child when they cough. Most doctors now believe that
the actual cause of an asthma cough is an irritant or allergen
of some kind that sets off an excessive immune reaction. The
airways swell as histamine is produced, and the muscles around
the bronchial passages go into spasms to attempt to force the
irritant up through them.
When dealing with an asthma cough, productive treatment should
include regular use of a bronchodilator to help loosen up the
muscles around the bronchial tubes. Those muscles put a
stranglehold on the airways and make it almost impossible to
force air in and out of them. Relaxing them can soothe the most
evident symptom of childhood nighttime asthma. Productive
treatment often also includes the use of an anti-inflammatory -
most often inhaled steroids - to reduce chronic swelling of the
bronchioles and make it easier for them to empty.
You can also try a few 'natural remedies' to help reduce
episodes of night-time asthma coughing - as long as you keep
using the treatment your doctor gave you. Some herbalists
suggest a cup of hot black or green tea with honey before
bedtime - the theophyline and caffeine in the tea are both older
treatments for asthma, and the honey can sooth a dry, irritated
throat. Add a banana or two to your daily diet, or make sure to
eat plenty of magnesium-rich vegetables and meats - magnesium
helps control muscle contraction, and many people with asthma
have low magnesium levels. Finally, avoid having irritants in
your (or the child's) bedroom. No pets, no stuffed animals,
nothing that might trap dust mites or dust - major causes of
allergic reactions in childhood asthma.