Thursday, September 9, 2010

Cough: Self-care Measures



Cough can be of two kinds: a dry cough, or one that brings up sputum ( productive) Self-Care Measures For coughs that bring up sputum:
  • Drink plenty of liquids.
  • Use a vaporizer.
  • Take a shower. ITake an over-the -counter cough medicine that contains guaiphenisen.


For coughs that are dry:
  • Drink plenty of liquids, essentially hot beverages such as tea, milk or soup. - Suck on cough lozenges.
  • Take an over-the-counter cough medicine that contains dextromethorphan.

Call Your Doctor For
  • A cough that has started suddenly and lasts for one hour or more without stopping
  • A cough afflicting a baby or small child that sounds like a whoop or seal's bark (high pitched like a whistle), and if the baby or child develops a fever of 102° F or higher.
  • Weight loss (for no apparent reason), feeling tired, and sweating a lot at night.
  • Wheezing, shortness of breath, rapid breathing, and swelling of the abdomen, legs, and ankles.
  • A cough with sputum of any colour. IA cough lasting for more than two weeks.


Get Immediate Care for
  • Very hard time breathing or if lips become purple.
  • chest pain that spreads to the neck, arm, or jaw.
  • Fainting.
  • Coughing up blood.

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