Chesty Cough
A chesty cough means that there is phlegm or mucus in the chest. The mucus must be taken out as it is caused by a virus or bacteria. This condition can also make breathing difficult. Individuals with productive chesty cough may observe the presence of mucus on their chest.
There are many reasons why coughs occur. Some of these factors can be environmental like pollutants, smoke from cigarettes, smog, dust, or nicotine in tobacco. Medical conditions can also trigger coughs such as:
- Fungal infections
- Tuberculosis
- Pneumonia
- Bronchitis
- Colds
- Coup
- Whooping cough
Chesty Cough No Fever
Productive chesty fever has phlegm. The color of the phlegm excreted out determines the stage of an illness.
Individuals can get cough voluntarily when an irritant stimulates the cough receptors located at different points in the respiratory system. These cough receptors will send a message to the cough center in the brain, which in turn, will inform the body to cough. Coughs begin in deep breaths. Then, the opening between the upper larynx and vocal cords closes. This traps the air in the lungs. As the diaphragm and other muscles necessary for breathing press against the lungs, the glottis opens and produces an outflow of air.
Coughs with fever mean an infection in the upper respiratory system. Nevertheless, cough without fever can still be a symptom of more serious conditions like anaphylaxis, esophageal stricture, asthma, aortic aneurysm, cardiomyophathy, pneumothrax, and emphysema. Coughs that last for many weeks may mean any of these conditions. A thorough examination by physicians is necessary.
Home Remedies for Treating Chesty Cough
- Botanical and homeopathic therapies are a good way to relieve chesty cough. Some of these home remedies include herbal tea made from herbs such as peppermint, eucalyptus, and oregano.
- Ginger tea with honey and lemon is not only delicious but is also effective.
- Health practitioners also recommend increasing water intake and breathing in warm, humidified air to loosen the chest congestion.