Cough is a common reflex which is good for our health. We start coughing, if it is necessary to clear the airway. Coughing bothers us most commonly during a cold.

This happens because the active reproduction of viruses or bacteria causes inflammation. The following things appear:

• Swelling. It is provoked by special substances – cytokines and toxins that produce bacteria.
• An increased amount of mucus. Toxins irritate mucosal cells that produce mucus.
• Purulent discharge, which is a mixture of dead microbes, lymphocytes, mucus and deteriorated cells.
• Spasm, pain, tickling in the throat, as the reaction of nerve terminals to inflammation.

All these processes narrow the respiratory tract, create discomfort, unpleasant sensation. It results in a cough.

Cough is slightly different in different periods of a disease.

Different cough at different stages of a disease.

In the first days of a disease, cough is usually dry. Microorganisms penetrate into the cells, irritating the nerve terminals with their toxins, causing pain and swelling. A person is concerned about tickling, itching. Cough appears as a constant slight coughing or frequent attacks which are difficult to stop, increasing in their intensity at night. This cough is considered unproductive and harmful.

• It damages the mucosa, increases pain.
• It provokes a rush of blood to the respiratory tract and can cause swelling.

Such attacks are especially bothering at night, depriving you of sleep.

Subsequently, when the immune system starts fighting actively the causative agent of infection, sputum appears and cough becomes wet. It can last up to two weeks until the respiratory tract is completely cleared. It’s good cough leading to recovery. It appears only when mucus accumulates in the airways and interferes with breathing. After expectorating, the attack stops.

If dry cough appears in the later stages of a disease, it can mean dehydration, drying of sputum, its increased viscosity. To avoid this, and not to let purulent mucus stay in the body, it is very important to continuously take care of good liquefying of discharge and its excretion.

Treating dry cough through inhalation

Inhalation is the best help with dry cough. However, the drugs chosen will differ depending on whether cough is associated with the onset of a disease or is caused by increased viscosity of sputum.

Inhalation for dry cough in the first days of a disease

Properly selected drugs for inhalation will help to do the following:

• Remove itching and pain.
• Reduce inflammation.
• Stop swelling.
• Transfer dry cough in wet.

In this case, one should use wet, not hot inhalations, not to aggravate swelling. For the procedure, use a special healing substance. ULAIZER™ will transfer them into a state of aerosol and will help in spreading the microparticles around the mucosa. The following nebulas will work perfectly for this purpose:

• with Dekasan. It is a powerful antiseptic that copes well with microbes. The compound is not regarded as an antibiotic and is not harmful to the body. The substance reduces swelling, allergy, spasm and inflammation, removes feeling of discomfort in the throat.
• with In case of swelling formation, use ampoules of Dexamethasonum. For an adult, one cubic centimetre of the substance is diluted in six cubic centimetres of normal saline, for a child, dilute half a cubic centimetre in three milliliters of NaCl. Inhalation should last no longer than 10 minutes. Dexamethasonum can be replaced with Ventolin, Berodual.

Tussamag is a good drug to soothe dry cough. It is a herbal remedy based on thyme. For inhalation in ULAIZER™ dilute it with normal saline in the following way:

• For adults – 1:1.
• For children from 6 to 18 years old – one part of the drug and 2 parts of normal saline.
• For babies from one to five years old – 1:3.

After consultation with your doctor, you can apply 1% lidocaine solution. It will relieve irritation of the receptors and temporarily soothe the cough.

Inhalation in case of viscous sputum

To prevent cough from becoming dry, you must provide constant flow of moist air into the respiratory tract. This will help to:

• Soften the mucous.
• Increase mucus production.
• Improve coughing.

To do this, use inhalation with:

• Normal saline. It can be used in nebulas, bottles or bought as special formulations with sodium chloride, such as Lorde Hyal. This medication perfectly moisturizes the mucous, removes phlegm. For children 2 ml will be enough, while for adults 4 ml should be used in one inhalation.
• Mucolytics. To increase release of mucus and turn it into liquid, one should use inhalation with a medicine promoting expectoration. It can be Lasolvan or Ambrobene. They can be used starting from the age of one year. Dilute them with normal saline 1:1.

The advantage of inhalation therapy is that the drugs act directly on the focus of inflammation and give a quick result. Three inhalations per day are enough to get the effect.