The 7 types of coughs (and how to recognize them)

A classification of the types of cough, explaining their characteristics and how they affect us.

Coughing is a very common reflex action, so much so that we are not even aware of how many times we cough during the day. Whether it is to clear our throat or because we have a little phlegm in our neck, human beings cough.

The main function of this action is to eliminate any foreign bodies in our airways, although it is true that sometimes we cough even though there is nothing to expel from our throat.

Dry, wet, paroxysmal... There are several types of cough that we can suffer from types of cough that we can suffer from and throughout this article we are going to deepen in them and what are their possible causes. Do not miss them!

The 7 types of cough

Coughing is a normal reaction of the body and, in healthy people, it is a mechanism to keep the trachea and bronchi clean. a mechanism that serves to keep the trachea and bronchial tubes clear..

Normally, the cough reflex is triggered by the presence of mucus or a foreign body in the airways. It can also be a symptom associated with diseases of the respiratory system such as asthma, bronchitis or a simple common cold.

Clinically defined, cough can be defined as a sudden and explosive respiratory maneuver that is produced to eliminate a foreign body or annoying material in the respiratory tract.. Coughing consists of three phases:

• Opening of the glottis with inspiration.
• Closing of the glottis with contraction of the respiratory muscles.
• Sudden opening of the glottis with expulsion of the air retained in the lungs.

The cough reflex involves the following process. First, a stimulus, usually a physical or chemical irritant, is picked up by receptors located in the airways. These sensory cells send an impulse to the central nervous system, up the vagus nerve to the medulla oblongata and into the pons. From there, a response is sent in the form of another impulse that is directed to the diaphragm and the intercostal and abdominal muscles, causing them to contract sharply..

Coughing is an involuntary reflex of the body whose function is to keep the airways clear. When dust particles, smoke or breadcrumbs (cough stimuli) are breathed in, sensors in the mucous membranes of the trachea and bronchi become irritated, resulting in the cough reflex. If the cough is bothersome and is repeated several times during the day, a doctor should be consulted to find out if it is a symptom of a cough. to find out if it is a symptom of a serious disease.

How many types of coughs are there?

Now that we know what a cough is and what its main function is, let's jump right into what we have come to explain in this article: the types of cough. There are different kinds of this very human movement and, although in most cases it is not a cough, it is a cough. in most cases it is neither a symptom nor a cause for concern, it can sometimes be a sign of a cough.Sometimes it can be a sign of concern or require treatment.

Coughing is especially common during the winter, as this is the time when there are more colds and respiratory infections. The main reason for this is not the cold, which is also the case, but the fact that people stay more time at home and in the company of other people, being more prone to catch diseases and breathe more dust particles when being in closed spaces. As there are more foreign bodies in our respiratory tract in the winter months, the more we will cough..

The main types of cough are the following seven.

1. Dry or unproductive cough

A dry or unproductive cough is one in which there is no mucus.. A tickle is felt in the back of the throat that provokes the cough reflex and, also, throat clearing.

Although the main function of cough is to expectorate mucus, in this case there is no excess mucus to expel, which is why it is called dry cough. It is very annoying because it can produce a constant itching sensation in the throat.

Normally, this type of cough is caused by inflammation or irritation of the respiratory tract, caused by upper respiratory tract infections such as a cold or the flu. In both children and adults it is common for a non-productive cough to last for several weeks after a cold or flu has been overcome. Other possible causes of dry cough are:

• Laryngitis
• Tonsillitis
• Sinusitis
• Asthma
• Allergies and asthma
• Croup
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Certain medications (e.g., ACE inhibitors)
• Exposure to irritants: dust, smoke, air pollution...
• COVID-19: dry cough is one of the common symptoms of this disease.

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2. Wet or productive cough

As the name suggests, a wet or productive cough produces mucus.. This type of cough can be provoked by a cold or a flu, and appears to expel the excess of mucus in the respiratory system, especially in the throat, nose, lungs and other parts of the respiratory tract. When you have a productive cough, you may feel the sensation of having something stuck or dripping in the back of your throat or chest.

This type of cough is the easiest to identify, and tends to go away once the phlegm is tends to go away once the phlegm has been removed.. It may come on slowly or quickly, and is often accompanied by other symptoms such as runny nose, postnasal drip and fatigue. The duration of the cough may be a clue to the condition causing it:

• Cold or flu
• Pneumonia
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Emphysema
• Bronchitis, both acute and chronic
• Asthma

A wet cough that lasts longer than 3 weeks in infants, toddlers and slightly older children is almost always caused by a cold or flu. In most cases, productive coughs are treated with expectorants or mucolytics to facilitate expulsion. and in all of them it is usually recommended to drink plenty of fluids, which facilitates expectoration.

Paroxysmal cough

Paroxysmal coughing causes intermittent attacks of violent and uncontrollable coughing.. It can be very exhausting and painful, causing sufferers to struggle for breath. In the midst of a paroxysmal cough attack, the sufferer may even vomit.

One of the main causes of this type of cough is pertussis, also known as whooping cough. This is a bacterial infection that causes violent coughing fits, causing the lungs to release all the air they have. It is then inhaled violently and a whooping sound is made.

Infants are the population group most at risk of contracting pertussis and can have very serious, life-threatening complications.life-threatening complications. To prevent this condition, it is recommended that infants two months and older be vaccinated against pertussis. Because it is a highly contagious disease, any family member or person who has been in contact with a pertussis sufferer should be treated.

While pertussis usually causes paroxysmal coughing, there are other possible causes behind these violent coughing spells:

• Asthma
• COPD
• Pneumonia
• Tuberculosis
• Asphyxia

4. Croup cough

Croup is a viral infection that affects children 5 years of age and younger.. This medical condition causes the upper airways to become irritated and inflamed, making them narrower. Because the airways of children under age 5 are already very narrow, croup makes it very difficult for them to breathe.

The characteristic cough of croup has a seal-like sound, also described as a barking cough. The swelling in and around the larynx also causes hoarseness and rasping noises when breathing..

Croupy cough can be extremely disturbing for both children and parents because of the symptoms that accompany it.

• Very labored breathing
• High-pitched noises when inhaling
• Rapid, anxious breathing
• In severe cases, children turn pale or blue.

5. Psychogenic cough (tics)

Psychogenic or psychosomatic coughing is a type of cough that is not caused by a pathogen, such as a virus or particle in the throat, but is deliberately brought on by the individual.. It is that habit of coughing before speaking that some people have or when they are very nervous.

Although it can serve them to clear the throat before speaking, also it can be considered a species of tic that is used to break the ice before initiating a conversation or a speech.

6. Acute cough and chronic cough

Regardless of whether it is dry, wet, paroxysmal or any other type of cough, depending on how long it lasts, we can speak of acute cough and chronic cough. If it lasts less than 3 weeks, it is called acute cough, while if it lasts more than 4 weeks in patients with chronic cough, it is called acute cough.If it lasts more than 4 weeks in children and 8 weeks in adults, it could be a case of chronic cough.

7. False dry cough

In the false dry cough expectoration is not achieved and the mucus is swallowed unintentionally.. This type of cough occurs mainly in children and women.

How is the cough treated?

When you have too much cough, it is always advisable to make a medical consultation to our trusted professional. Although coughing is something normal and that we do throughout the day without realizing it, the truth is that it can also be caused by viral infections. can also be caused by viral infections and other pathogens that require treatment.. Whatever the cause, the general guidelines for coughs are as follows.

For dry or non-productive cough

For dry cough, treatment with cough suppressants is indicated. antitussive drugswhich can be of two types.

• Central action: they inhibit the cough reflex by depressing the cough center. The most commonly used are codeine and dextromethorphan.
• Peripherally acting: they act on the efferent branch of the cough reflex.

For wet or productive cough

In the case of productive cough, expectorants and/or mucolytics are used.. Mucolytic drugs decrease the viscosity of bronchial secretion, making it easier to expel sputum. In the case of expectorants, they stimulate the elimination mechanism, with the ciliary movement that drives the secretion towards the pharynx to be eliminated by expectoration or swallowing.

The medication that the doctor will prescribe will depend on factors such as the patient's age, the type of cough, the associated symptoms or if other drugs are taken for respiratory tract diseases. History of illnesses such as diabetes, bronchitis, heart disease, etc., will also be taken into consideration. Whatever cough medicine is taken, it should not be taken for more than 3 weeks and should be monitored by the physician.