The Difference Between an Allergic Cough and a Common Cough and How to Treat Them

Allergic coughs and common coughs are often difficult to differentiate because the symptoms are almost the same. In fact, both are caused by different things and treatment is adjusted to the underlying cause. So, how do you differentiate between an allergic cough and a normal cough?

Coughing is the body’s way of reacting when the throat or airways become inflamed, either due to allergies or infection. This reaction functions to protect the respiratory tract from foreign objects or germs, such as bacteria, viruses, dust or animal hair.

When you cough, the body is trying to expel the object so that it does not enter further into the lungs and trigger other, more serious conditions.

How to Distinguish Allergic Coughs from Other Coughs

Even though they look the same, allergic coughs and ordinary coughs have differences, especially in terms of the causes and symptoms that appear.

Allergic coughs are caused by the body’s immune reaction to substances that trigger allergies or allergens, for example dust, mold, pollen, animal fur or feces, cigarette smoke and air pollution. This type of cough is not contagious and symptoms can last for months. Some allergic cough symptoms include:

• Dry cough or clear phlegm
• Itching in the throat
• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Continuous sneezing
• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Headache

Meanwhile, a common cough is generally triggered by a viral infection so it can be contagious. The initial symptoms of a common cough are similar to an allergic cough, but are generally accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, coughing up green or yellowish phlegm, sore throat, pain when swallowing, and muscle aches.

Read More : Skin Allergies, Know The Causes And How To Treat Them

How to Treat Allergic Coughs and Common Coughs Naturally

The main treatment for allergic coughs is to avoid exposure to allergies. Once you avoid certain allergy triggers, the symptoms will usually improve on their own within a few days.

Apart from staying away from allergens, you can also deal with them in the following easy ways:

• Drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated.
• Consume warm cough suppressant liquids, for example menthol drinks, honey, chamomile tea, or ginger tea to relieve itching in the throat.
• Use a humidifier or hot steam to soothe the respiratory tract and relieve allergic cough symptoms.
• Take a shower with warm water to thin phlegm and reduce coughing.
• Rinse the nose with saline solution to clear the nose of dirt and relieve symptoms of nasal congestion.
• Clean the surrounding environment to avoid various allergens, including dust, mold and pollen.
• Use an extra pillow when sleeping to breathe more easily.

If the symptoms of an allergic cough feel very disturbing, you can take medication to relieve the symptoms that appear. Medications that can be used include antihistamines, such as oxomemazine to relieve allergic reactions and decongestants, such as pseudoephedrine, to relieve nasal congestion.

For ordinary coughs caused by viral infections, they generally heal on their own within a few days. You just need to get more rest and take symptom relievers.

For example, if your cough is accompanied by fever and muscle aches, you can take fever and pain relievers, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. However, make sure you take these medicines according to the instructions for use on the packaging or doctor’s prescription.

If this medication is to be given to a child, you should consult a doctor first. Apart from that, you also need to know that antibiotics should only be consumed if there are indications of a bacterial infection and must be as prescribed by a doctor.

If the symptoms of an allergic cough or regular cough that you experience do not improve with the various treatments above or the symptoms even get worse, immediately consult a doctor to identify the cause and get appropriate treatment.