Smoking is a bad habit known to cause significant damage to the body. Tobacco smoke disrupts the functioning of the respiratory system and more than 70% of smokers suffer from chronic cough. People who decide to overcome addiction hope to immediately get rid of all the consequences of smoking, but the cough after quitting smoking in most cases does not go away, but rather intensifies. How to treat cough in former smokers and whether treatment is needed - we will consider in this article.
Why a cough occurs after quitting smoking
When smoking a cigarette, tobacco smoke enters the lungs, which in its contents is poisonous. It contains chemicals, resins, dust and other toxic components. Gradually, a large number of them accumulate in the lung tissue.
Coughing when quitting smoking is a protective reaction aimed at cleansing the body of harmful substances. In a healthy person, such a reaction always manifests itself, but in smokers, this process is blocked under the influence of inhaled smoke from cigarettes.
To note! On the tissues of the upper respiratory tract there are epithelial cilia, which, when pathological particles enter, cause coughing, thereby preventing poisoning of the body.
Cough when quitting smoking occurs due to the restoration of the functionality of the bronchial cilia. During the first period after giving up the habit of smoking, many people begin to suffer from severe coughing attacks. This process is considered natural, since addiction leads to inflammatory processes on the mucous membrane. As a result, sputum forms in the bronchi, and lung tissue can be affected by toxins. The organs of the respiratory system at the time of coughing self-cleanse.
How long does the cough last after quitting smoking
Respiratory disorders are observed in most people who have recently quit smoking. In rare cases, such manifestations do not occur. As a rule, cough does not bother people who smoke extremely rarely or have little experience.
But the duration of a cough in former smokers depends on many factors:
- length of smoking period;
- number of smoking breaks per day (number of cigarettes smoked per day);
- the presence of concomitant diseases;
- the degree of influence exerted by tobacco smoke;
- the age of the patient;
- having other bad habits.
There are no exact data on the nature of the cough after quitting smoking and how long this period lasts. Recovery happens differently and individually for everyone.
According to statistics, if respiratory problems occur after a person quits smoking, the respiratory system is completely restored after 1-3 months. However, if the smoking experience lasted more than 10 years, the problem may become chronic.
Normally, even with a strong cough, after 2-3 weeks improvements should be observed in the form of a decrease in the intensity and frequency of attacks. If after a month the situation does not change, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
Types of cough after quitting smoking
Great importance is attached to the nature of the cough in people who have given up smoking. Pathological symptoms may indicate complications that have arisen after smoking.
The nature of the cough that occurs after giving up a bad habit, according to medical information:
- wet;
- dry;
- with secretions.
A wet cough is a reflex rejection of purulent mucus (sputum) that has accumulated in the lungs or airways. There may be very little sputum or, conversely, mucus is excreted in large quantities, which causes strong and frequent bouts of coughing. But it is expectoration with sputum production that is considered normal.
Suspicion of a pathological process in the respiratory organs during the recovery period after quitting smoking causes a dry cough. Sputum difficulties occur when the activity of ciliated fibers is lost, as well as bronchial diseases with edema.
Dry cough when quitting smoking should be treated with medication. The lack of therapeutic assistance can lead to complications: intoxication, spastic shortness of breath, formation of toxins in the lungs, etc.
The greatest danger for ex-smokers is sputum "with impurities". If at the time of expectoration sputum, brown or black mucus or blood is released, an urgent visit to the doctor is necessary.
Pathological discharge may indicate serious damage to the bronchial walls, lung tissue and trachea. Tobacco smoke can cause respiratory burns that do not heal due to the constant supply of toxins, leading to infection that can spread quickly to damaged areas.
Important! Smoking can cause life-threatening respiratory diseases (tuberculosis, cancer, cirrhosis and others). As nicotine enters the body, the symptoms become dull, but as soon as a person decides to give up the habit, the pathology begins to manifest itself intensively.
What to do first - how to relieve the condition
For people for whom smoking has been a daily habit for a long time, giving up cigarettes seems impossible, but if a person still decides to do so, they have to go through a difficult recovery period.
The most difficult is the psychological need that few face. The condition is aggravated by coughing attacks. Many smokers know that if you "drag" again, your breath will recover. However, there are other ways to alleviate the condition. To do this, use drugs or folk remedies.
Therapeutic approach
Constant bouts of coughing cause serious respiratory problems, and can also interfere with a person's life. To relieve the condition of the smoker, it is recommended to take drugs that have an expectorant and sedative effect.
To note! After quitting smoking, the use of cough medicines is not recommended, their use can cause lung abscess.
In most cases, the doctor, when the patient quits smoking, to facilitate the removal of sputum, prescribes preparations of the mucolytic group.
You can speed up the cleansing of the body of toxins by taking enterosorbents.
Depending on the characteristics of the cough and the presence of possible diseases of the respiratory system, antihistamines, immunomodulators and antibiotics can be prescribed.
Folk methods
Treatment of respiratory disorders that bother after long-term quitting smoking can be supplemented with folk remedies. The use of alternative medicine methods should be carried out only with the consent of a specialist and after confirming the absence of an allergic reaction that can lead to anaphylactic shock and swelling of the respiratory system.
You can reduce the frequency and intensity of coughing if you use a folk remedy:
- Milk. You can add a teaspoon of honey or soda to warmed milk. Drink three times a day.
- Onion syrup. Medium-sized onions are rubbed on a (fine) grater and mixed with two glasses of sugar. The remedy should be insisted for at least three hours. After - put on low heat until the mixture acquires the state of syrup. Take a teaspoon during the day with an interval of three hours.
- Eggnog with propolis. Egg yolk is ground with honey and beaten. 2 drops of liquid propolis are added to the mixture. Close the lid of a small jar and put in the refrigerator. Drink 10ml. twice a day.
- Herbal decoctions. Suitable with chamomile, St. John's wort, sage or wild rosemary. A tablespoon of ground grass is steamed with 0. 5 liters. boiling water. Insist for about half an hour, then strain. Drink three to four times a day for a cup of tea.
- Birch decoction. Crushed birch buds (1 tbsp. L) are laid out in melted butter (100 gr. ). Transfer to a container and simmer over the heat for 30-40 minutes. After cooling, add the honey. Take 10 g. funds twice a day.
Do not abuse traditional medicine, self-medicate and refuse medication. Folk remedies have an auxiliary effect and may not be effective enough in serious pathological processes.
When should you see a doctor
After quitting smoking, even a person who smoked for a short time can have serious health problems.
It is necessary to consult a doctor if the following symptoms begin to bother:
- bouts of coughing are too frequent and cause severe chest pain;
- sputum discharge is accompanied by the release of blood or clots of dark mucus;
- when breathing, wheezing and wheezing are heard;
- shortness of breath occurs;
- with deep breaths there is a sharp, excruciating pain in the chest;
- there is a general weakness of the body.
Any pathological manifestation in a state of health is a signal for a visit to a specialist. It is advisable to take steps to recover from smoking immediately, as the consequences of smoking can be very serious.
Conclusion
Cough can begin to torment smokers while smoking and become a signal that it is necessary to get rid of a bad habit. After quitting smoking, coughing fits may intensify, however, this recovery period must be endured. In most cases, the condition returns to normal after 2 to 3 weeks. For full recovery, of course, more time is needed, but the main stage of cleansing the body will already be completed.
After quitting smoking, experts recommend going to a medical facility for consultation with a doctor and undergoing a diagnosis to determine if there are any addiction-related complications and, if so, undergo treatment. necessary.