How To Treat An Allergy Cough At Home
Some ways to treat an allergy cough at home include:
- Taking over-the-counter medications: Allergy medicines, such as antihistamines, nasal sprays, and decongestants, can help reduce the inflammation and mucus production that can lead to a cough.
- Using a humidifier or inhaling steam from a shower:Humidifiers can help clear congestion and soothe throat irritation.
- Using an air purifier: A high-quality air purifier can help reduce the number of allergens and irritants in the air inside a persons home or office space.
- Taking prescription medications: Nasal sprays and antihistamines can help alleviate an allergic cough affecting the upper respiratory tract. Inhalers are usually needed to treat an allergic cough affecting the lower airways.
Back Up: Why Do We Cough Anyway
Coughing is a natural response to irritation in your throat or airways. To put it simply, receptors in the throat, trachea, and lungs respond and lead to activation of the cough center in the brain, explains Clifford Bassett, M.D., founder and medical director of Allergy and Asthma Care of New York.
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Coughing is an essential defense mechanism, he says, and its your bodys way of pushing any unwanted stuff out, including pollen, mucus, and pieces of food, to make more room for air to get through.
Can’t Stop Coughing It May Be Chronic Cough
Chronic cough is usually defined as a cough that lasts for three weeks or longer. It is a very common problem and is the fifth most common symptom for which outpatient care is sought.
Although chronic cough is usually not serious, it can be associated with a variety of unpleasant effects, including physical exhaustion, self-consciousness, insomnia, headache, dizziness, muscle strain, hoarseness, excessive perspiration, and leakage of urine during coughing. In addition, the patients mood may be disturbed because of an underlying worry that something is wrong.
In almost all cases, an underlying cause for chronic cough can be found and treated.
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Taking The Next Steps
When Should I Call The Doctor
Always call your doctor if your child is coughing and:
- has trouble breathing or is working hard to breathe
- is breathing faster than usual
- has a blue or dusky color to the lips, face, or tongue
- has a high fever
- has any fever and is younger than 3 months old
- is younger than 3 months old and has been coughing for more than a few hours
- makes a “whooping” sound when breathing in after coughing
- is coughing up blood
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How To Stop Coughing
A cough usually clears up within 3 to 4 weeks, and self-care may be helpful in some less- severe cases. Still, you should see a doctor if you notice a cough that lasts more than three weeks or worsens with complications.
The following steps can help in soothing a cough:
- Drink extra fluids to help thin secretions and make them easier to cough.
- Avoid exposure to allergens and irritants. Also, smoking cessation, reducing alcohol, and reducing caffeine intake can reduce the risk factors for chronic coughs.
- Dry and itchy coughs can be relieved by having cough lozenges or hard candy.
- Sipping hot water with honey can also provide relief, as hot lemon with honey has a similar effect to cough medicines.
- Some people opt for a herbal medicine called pelargonium .
- If the cough is accompanied by nasal stuffiness, try a saline nasal spray or a neti pot.
- Increasing humidity in the air helps relieve cough. You can do this with a vaporizer or by taking a steamy shower.
- Practicing vocal hygiene measures such as adequate hydration, and avoiding vocal strain, can all help relieve chronic coughs.
- Over-the-counter medicines such as expectorants or painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen can also soothe coughs when appropriately used. Antihistamines reduce allergic reactions. While suppressants, along with decongestants, reduce mucus build-ups. For instance, Dextromethorphan temporarily relieves cough caused by the common cold, the flu, or other conditions.
When To See A Doctor
When should you seek medical attention for a cough? Seek medical help immediately if your cough begins to worsen or show complications.
An undetected, persistent, or recurrent cough raises concern. Also, you should see a doctor depending on the ferocity of the coughing fit and its trigger.
Again, seek medical help if you have an existing respiratory condition and your coughing fits have worsened.
In addition, if you have a chronic disease such as diabetes or a weakened immune system because of chemotherapy, you should be wary of coughs.
Once your doctor has determined the cause, they will give treatment as appropriate. To find out whats causing the cough, the doctor might take a sample of any mucus you might be coughing up and order an X-ray, allergy test, or a test to see how well your lungs work.
In severe cases, the doctor would refer you to see a specialist. If you have asthma, you need a test that measures airflow in and out of your lungs. That is the spirometry test, and it is requested if you show asthma symptoms.
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How We Chose Hepa Air Purifiers
There are so many options when it comes to home air cleaning, and the choices can become overwhelming. While the EPA does not certify or recommend particular types of air filters, the agency does offer advice for selecting the right product for you. These recommendations were the basis of our selection process and include the following considerations.
- Size matters. Look for portable filters designed for the room size you are trying to use it in. Generally, the clean air delivery rate score of your filter should be equal to about two-thirds of the area in the room.
- Avoid air cleaners that generate ozone. Ozone is a gas that is released during some air purification processes. While ozone gas is meant to clean and sanitize air, itâs also considered a pollutant that can cause irritation and damage to the lungs when inhaled. Air cleaners that use ozone are generally intended for rooms that are uninhabited at the time of use. They are not for use in confined spaces when you are present. No government agency in the United States has approved any ozone generators as air cleaners in homes.
- Look at industry ratings. While EPA doesnât set rules for these filters, there are industry leaders that set standards for HEPA filtration. When purchasing a filter, it should meet one of the following criteria:
- designated HEPA filter
- manufacturer states the product filters most particles smaller than 1 micron
How Are Coughs Treated
Most coughs are caused by viruses and have to just run their course. Sometimes, this can take up to 2 weeks. Doctors usually don’t prescribe antibiotics because these only work against bacteria.
Unless a cough won’t let your child sleep, cough medicines are not needed. They might help a child stop coughing, but they don’t treat the cause of the cough. If you do use an over-the-counter cough medicine, call the doctor to be sure of the correct dose and to make sure it’s safe for your child.
Do not use OTC combination medicines they have more than one medicine in them, and kids can have more side effects than adults and are more likely to get an overdose of the medicine.
Cough medicines are not recommended for any children under 6 years old.
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What To Understand About At
Its important to understand that none of the food intolerances listed above can be diagnosed with an at-home intolerance test. If you suspect that dairy, gluten, or caffeine may be triggering symptoms, an at-home test wont be able to diagnose it. Even worse, you may end up with misleading results.
Some at-home allergy tests claim to be able to diagnose food sensitivities through the food immunoglobulin G test. This test shows results for typically 90 to 100 foods that you may been intolerant to, and recommend removing these foods from your diet to improve multiple symptoms. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology states that these tests have never been scientifically proven to be able to accomplish what it reports to do.
IgE panel testing for foods is controversial. Its rarely recommended by allergy societies, especially when done without a proper and thorough medical history of the patient. In those cases, its common that 50% to 90% of IgE results without a proper reading can be incorrectly identified.
There are advantages and drawbacks to completing an IgE allergy blood test at home.
How To Prevent A Coughing Fit
To prevent a coughing fit, a person will need to identify and treat the underlying cause of the cough.
People with chronic respiratory conditions will require medical treatments to reduce the frequency and severity of coughing fits.
Those who develop coughing fits in response to certain allergens or irritants should try limiting their exposure to those substances.
Another option for people with allergies is to take antihistamines. These drugs help suppress the immune systems response to environmental allergens, thereby preventing coughing fits.
Quitting smoking will also help prevent coughing episodes.
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How To Stop Infants From Coughing
Children and infants who have a cough should drink plenty of water. This will help soothe the throat and minimize coughing.
Placing a cool mist vaporizer or humidifier next to a childs bed can help alleviate nighttime coughing.
The Food and Drug Administration does not recommend giving OTC cough medicines to children under 2 years of age.
Additionally, people should not give honey to infants under 1 year of age, as it can lead to an illness called infant botulism.
Many different health conditions can cause a cough. It can be helpful to understand the different types of coughs to identify the condition.
According to the American Lung Association , healthcare practitioners classify coughs as follows:
- Acute cough: This is a cough that comes on suddenly and lasts up to 3 weeks.
- Subacute cough: This is a cough that comes on suddenly and lasts around 38 weeks.
- Chronic cough: This is a cough that lasts longer than 8 weeks.
The sections below outline some of the more common causes of a chronic cough.
Allergy Cough Vs Covid
Both seasonal allergies and COVID-19 affect the respiratory system and can cause a cough.
But, as with the common cold, some factors are unique to COVID-19.
First, COVID-19 is caused by a viral infection.
Second, in addition to a cough, symptoms of COVID-19 may include:
Seasonal allergies do not cause these symptoms.
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What Else Causes Coughs
If yours lasts longer than 8 weeks, a number of things could be to blame. Ongoing coughs can be caused by acid reflux, or gastroesophageal reflux disease — you may hear your doctor call it GERD. Coughs can be a side effect of ACE inhibitors, a kind of blood pressure medicine. They can be a symptom of whooping cough and even heart failure. You need medical care for all of these conditions.
Symptoms Of An Allergy Cough
An allergy-related cough is typically “dry,” meaning that you won’t cough up any mucus or phlegm. In some people, the cough can become chronic, lasting for several weeks at a time.
Symptoms of allergy cough include:
- A persistent tickle or irritation at the back of the throat
Allergy coughs can sometimes be difficult to differentiate from other conditions like asthma or an upper respiratory tract infection.
With asthma, you are more likely to experience chest tightness, shortness of breath , and wheezing due to the narrowing of the airways of the lungs.
With infections like flu or COVID-19, you are more likely to experience fever, chill, and body or muscle aches. With COVID-19, there may also be a loss of taste or smell as well as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
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What Other Symptoms Might You Have If You Have A Chronic Cough
Some symptoms can be more common and less likely to be serious, such as:
- A runny or stuffy nose.
- Post-nasal drip .
- Wheezing or shortness of breath.
- Sore throat or frequent throat clearing.
Other symptoms might be more serious, such as:
- Weight loss without any effort.
- Coughing up phlegm or blood.
- A hoarse voice that does not go away.
- A drenching overnight sweat.
What Is An Allergy Cough
A cough provoked by allergies is caused by a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects 262 million people worldwide, according to the WHO.1 Allergens enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, or through the skin and cause abnormal responses from the immune system. The body identifies the allergen as a harmful antigen and thus overreacts by releasing antibodies to attack the antigen in response to the minor exposure causing tissue damage and serious disease.2
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Can Allergies Cause Coughing
Yes. Coughing is often a sign that you have a virus or an infection, like a cold or theflu. But it also can be caused byallergies. If you dont have an illness but have a chronic cough longer than three weeks, the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunologystates that it could be allergies.
If you notice that you cough more at certain times of the year, like during spring or fall, or when youre in a specific setting, such as a damp basement or a home with a cat or dog, allergies may be to blame.
How do allergies trigger coughing?
Allergies can cause irritation and swelling of your bodys airways. Allergies can also cause your body to make extra mucus called postnasal drip. This additional mucus trickles down your throat from your nose, often leaving you with a scratchy throat and dry cough.
You may also have other symptoms that go hand-in-hand with allergies, including:
- Itchy and watery eyes
- Dark circles under your eyes
Removing allergens like dust, pet dander, mold,pollen and smoke from your home may help. If not, it might be time to look at other options.
What An Allergy Cough Feels Like
What an allergy cough feels like depends on whats happening in your body.
If your throat is irritated by an allergen, you might feel a tickle in your throat and experience a dry cough.
Postnasal drip due to allergies can also cause a tickle in your throat, but in this case you may cough up mucus or phlegm.
This is called a wet, or productive, cough.
Additionally, allergies can exacerbate asthma and cause shortness of breath and wheezing.
If this happens, use your asthma medication .
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Symptoms Of Hay Fever
Growing seasons cause plants to bloom and molds to multiply, so youll usually experience your symptoms at the same time every year. The timing can help you confirm that your symptoms are due to hay fever and not a viral infection.
Symptoms associated with hay fever include:
Year-round triggers for hay fever include:
- pet dander, such as from cats, dogs, or birds
- spores from fungi and molds that grow indoors
These allergens set off a chain reaction after they get into your system. A hay fever cough is an aftereffect of postnasal drip.
Postnasal drip occurs when allergens irritate the lining of your nose. This triggers your nasal passages to produce mucus, a sticky substance thats supposed to remove harmful or dirty particles from the air. Mucus associated with allergens tends to be more watery than the mucus your body produces when you arent sick or experiencing allergies. This watery mucus drips out of your nose and down your throat. This tickles the throat and leads to a hay fever cough.
This cough usually comes with a constant tickling feeling in the throat. If youre exposed to your allergen when youre outdoors, your coughing will most likely be more frequent in the daytime.
However, your cough will generally be worse at night. This effect is largely due to gravity. During the day, you stand and sit up more than at night. Mucus cant drain as easily at night when youre lying down.
Stay Away From Allergens
Not to sound like Captain Obvious, but if you have allergies, avoid those allergens.
Common allergens that cause coughing are dust and pollen, says Casusi.
If youre not sure whether you have an allergy to anything, you might consider consulting with an allergist or trying out an at-home allergy test.
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