Patient's question:
A 70-day-old infant began coughing a week ago, with continuous coughing several times a day; frequent phlegm but difficult to expel; red throat, no runny nose, normal temperature. Medications have been taken for a week, including Pumex granules, acetylcysteine granules, ribavirin throat spray and nasal drops, cough and mucus-thinning syrup, and bronchodilator inhalation, but the effect has been poor. How should it be treated? Will it develop into lower respiratory tract disease? Will frequent coughing affect the development of its brain and other organs? The parents are very concerned. Please kindly provide an answer from the expert. Thank you!Doctor's answer:
Hello: Cough itself is not an independent disease but a defensive response to clear foreign substances from the respiratory tract. A mild cough is harmless to the body and can be treated by addressing the cause without the need for cough suppressants. However, when a severe cough causes significant discomfort to the patient, cough suppressants can be cautiously used.There are many causes of cough, such as acute or chronic respiratory inflammation, respiratory foreign bodies, compression of the respiratory tract, allergic reactions, pleural irritation, and so on. Therefore, when a patient presents with a cough, a comprehensive analysis of the condition is essential to identify the underlying cause. On the basis of treating the root cause, appropriate cough suppressants should be selected for symptomatic treatment.
Medications for treating cough are primarily divided into three major categories: antitussives, expectorants, and bronchodilators.
Antitussives mainly include: codeine, morphine, pholcodine, phenergan, licorice syrup, etc. These medications are effective for mild respiratory inflammation and dry cough. However, certain anesthetic drugs in this category must be used under the guidance of a doctor.
Expectorants include: juniper oil, ammonium chloride, potassium iodide, acetylcysteine, rhododendron, and small cough syrup, etc. These medications are effective for clearing excessive and thick respiratory mucus.
Bronchodilators include: ephedrine, salbutamol, theophylline, vitamin K1, etc. Asthma is often caused by allergies or inflammation stimulating bronchial smooth muscle spasm. The pharmacological action of bronchodilators primarily involves relaxing bronchial smooth muscle, facilitating mucus expulsion. When using these medications, it is important to select those with minimal side effects and are safe and reliable for children.