• 13/06/2022
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Even banal diseases can complicate life. When to go to the doctor with a cough?<

We should visit a doctor if a cough or cold lasts longer than a week and if they are associated with temperatures above 38 degrees Celsius, or severe headaches or sore throats.

"A medical examination is necessary if there are breathing difficulties or chest pains," warns general practitioner Irena Sobotková from the Medical Center in Prague 7.

Antibiotics for colds? Only exceptionally

Let's first dwell in more detail on the common cold, which can be of either viral or bacterial origin.

Basic facts about rhinitis

“Treatment of uncomplicated viral and bacterial colds is essentially the same. A viral cold, which is rather watery and is often associated with irritation of the eyes and throat, usually turns into a bacterial one over time. This is manifested by thicker, often yellow or green colored secretions from the nose. If the patient has difficulty breathing through the nose, decongestant nasal drops and sprays (Nasivin, Olynth and others) are used, while for long-lasting colds, more gentle preparations with sea salt or St. Vincent's are recommended. There is absolutely no need to use antibiotics for an uncomplicated cold; these are only used for complications caused by a cold - inflammation of the sinuses or middle ear," explains the doctor.

In case of complications, go to the ENT

Sinus infections are more common in children. In adults, recurrent sinusitis can be related to an immune disorder, a tendency to allergies or anatomical defects - for example, a crooked nasal septum or enlarged tonsils, as well as inflammation of the teeth - and they are also more common in smokers.

"For frequent sinus infections, an ENT examination is the basis, sometimes supplemented by an examination by an allergist or dentist. Milder or allergic sinus inflammations can only be treated with preparations to reduce swelling and blood supply to the mucous membranes - decongestants, either local in the form of sprays or nasal drops or general. In case of allergic inflammations, general antihistamines are given," explains Sobotková.

In the case of more serious inflammation of the secondary sinuses, which are manifested by fever, severe headache and general weakness, antibiotic treatment is used, and sometimes a sinus puncture is also necessary.

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Another complication of rhinitis can be otitis media. They most often appear in children under the age of six. Otitis media is very painful. It is most often caused by the spread of infection through the Eustachian tube, which connects the nasopharynx with the middle ear cavity.

The Eustachian tube in children is short, wider and laid more horizontally. In addition, children tend to have enlarged tonsils, which restricts breathing through the nose and keeps the infection in the nasopharynx for a long time. This is precisely why we encounter this complication of runny nose in preschool children.

Don't underestimate allergic rhinitis either

With proper treatment, the above-mentioned inflammations will disappear over time, but there are also people who suffer from so-called chronic rhinitis. That is, a cold that goes away for a while, but keeps coming back. In the case of a persistent cold, which can trouble a person for months or even years, a consultation with a doctor is absolutely necessary.

Basic facts about cough

From spring to autumn, more and more people are also bothered by allergic rhinitis, in which the allergen acts on the immune cells in the nasal mucosa to produce substances that irritate the nasal mucosa they irritate and cause itching, sneezing, watery discharge and a feeling of fullness in the nose.

Seasonal pollens tend to be allergens. In spring it is mainly birch, in summer grass, in autumn weeds, but also mold spores, mites, animal fur or chemical substances. The treatment should be under the control of an allergist. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis can be suppressed with antihistamines, which block the effects of histamine and are very effective in the treatment of itching and sneezing. Corticosteroids also have a strong anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effect, which affect the immune system directly.

Are you coughing? Watch how

During the virus, the cough is initially dry, irritating, and can gradually become productive with expectoration of whitish mucus. If it is accompanied by an increased temperature, then only for the first few days.

"In the treatment of a viral cough, sufficient hydration is important, and air humidification is also good, which prevents the mucous membranes from drying out. If the cough is irritating, dry cough preparations, i.e. antitussives, which are commonly available in pharmacies, are recommended. When a person starts coughing, it is advisable to take medicines during the day that support coughing and mucus production, i.e. mucolytics," adds general practitioner Irena Sobotková.

Watch out for pneumonia

Bacterial infections are usually manifested by coughing up colored mucus, the patient has more frequent elevated temperatures and even fever.

What can a chronic cough signal?

"Chronic cough can be a symptom of a number of respiratory and general diseases. It is common in smokers, most often it is a manifestation of allergy, asthma or chronic bronchitis. It is often accompanied by chronic inflammation of the sinuses, back cold, but also reflux disease of the esophagus. In the case of a cough that lasts longer, it is always necessary to rule out more serious infections, for example tuberculosis, the risk of which is constantly increasing, or lung tumors," says doctor Irena Sobotková from Lékařského dom Prague 7.

“Especially with lung involvement, fevers are high, last more than three days, and the patient may have breathing difficulties. In the doctor's office, we can detect an increase in inflammatory parameters in the blood - especially C-reactive protein, the so-called CRP -, auscultatory findings on the bronchi or lungs are common, and in case of pneumonia, changes are present on the X-ray of the lungs. In these cases, antibiotic treatment is necessary," warns the doctor.

We should also pay attention to chronic cough. This is a cough that lasts more than three weeks.

"Even with viruses, a cough can persist for longer, four to six weeks, but the patient should always be medically examined to rule out a more serious illness. We treat chronic cough according to the underlying cause. As a complementary treatment, we can use common cough preparations. We should also think about lifestyle changes, i.e. limiting smoking and staying in air-conditioned rooms," concludes doctor Irena Sobotková.

Better to bed

Even if you feel relatively well with a cold and cough, you should not underestimate these diseases. It is better to crawl into bed for two or three days, drink tea with lemon and be calm.

Not only for yourself and the possible complications of the cold and cough mentioned above, but also for the sake of other people. Because coughs and colds spread very quickly through the air and you can easily infect a lot of people around you.

The article was published in the November edition of Zdraví magazine.