A cough is the body’s way of clearing the airways of mucus and irritants like smoke or dust. It’s rarely considered a sign of a severe health condition. Most cough cases go away on their own without the need for medical attention. Keep reading to learn how to treat a cough in Neath.
Coughs come in two types, a dry cough, and a chesty cough. Just as the name suggests, a dry cough is dry and doesn’t involve any thick mucus (phlegm). On the other hand, a chesty cough contains mucus/phlegm for clearing your airways.
Talk to your pharmacist to help you treat your cough in Neath if:
- Your cough has lasted for more than 3 weeks
- You have a severe cough
- Your cough is bloody
- You have shortness of breath, breathing problems, or chest pain
- Your cough is accompanied by any other worrying symptoms, like sudden weight loss or unexpected changes in voice
Your pharmacist may refer you to a specialist for further tests if the cause of your cough is unclear.
Check out our previous blog post to learn more about sore throats here:
Short-term coughs
Below are some of the causes of short-term coughs.
- An upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) which affects the sinuses, windpipe, or throat. Examples include flu, cold, sinusitis, whooping cough, or laryngitis.
- A lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) that attacks the lungs or lower airways. Examples of these infections include pneumonia and acute bronchitis.
- Allergies like hay fever or allergic rhinitis
- Smoke or dust
A short-term cough can be the first sign of a more serious health condition in some rare cases. Contact us to treat your cough in Neath today!
Learn more about how to treat flu on our previous post here:
Chronic coughs
A persistent cough is continuous and can be caused by:
- A respiratory tract infection like chronic bronchitis, which is long-term
- Asthma – normally comes with other symptoms like chest tightness, shortness of breath, and wheezing.
- Allergies
- Smoking
- Bronchiectasis – a condition in which the airways of the lungs are widened abnormally.
- Postnasal drip – caused by a condition such as sinusitis or rhinitis, where mucus drips from behind the nose down to the throat.
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) – where stomach acids go up the throat causing irritation.
A chronic cough can sometimes signify a more serious complication like heart failure, lung cancer, or tuberculosis (TB). That’s why it’s important to learn how to treat a cough in Neath to avoid these complications.
Coughs in children
The causes of coughs in children are similar to the ones mentioned above.
Causes of coughs that are more common in children than adults include:
- Bronchiolitis
- Croup
- Whooping cough
It’s important to rule out the possible causes of a persistent cough in children since it may be a sign of a severe health condition like cystic fibrosis.
Symptoms and how to treat chronic cough in Neath
A chronic cough can normally be accompanied by symptoms such as:
- A stuffy or runny nose
- Postnasal drip
- Breathing difficulties
- Hoarseness
- Heartburn
- Coughing up blood
How to treat a cough in Neath with the common Ailments Scheme
Short-term coughs rarely require treatment since they are likely to result from viral infections that disappear on their own. Nevertheless, it’s vital to check with your pharmacy if your cough is persistent and severe. If you have a new and persistent cough and are worried it could be Covid, you should not visit the pharmacy. You should instead follow guidance regarding self-isolation and testing.
Get in touch with The Health Dispensary today for cough treatment and to get more insight. We provide cough treatments under our NHS Common Ailments Scheme in Wales.
This blog post was written on behalf of The Health Dispensary by Pharmacy Mentor.
