A laryngeal cough is a type of dry cough that is often referred to as a barking cough due to a characteristic sound that is similar to a dog barking. It is a fairly common respiratory disease. What are the most common causes of laryngeal cough and how is it treated?
Laryngeal cough - what is barking cough
Laryngeal cough( barking cough ) is more common in children, but can also affect adults. If a child develops a laryngeal cough, urgent medical attention is needed as this is a potentially life-threatening situation.
This is because a small child's cough in the course of an infection quickly reduces the light of the respiratory tract, i.e. the trachea and larynx.
Older children, adolescents and adults who often suffer from throat infections or have chronic coughs do not always develop barking and stridor coughs, i.e. loud, hoarse breathing.
The laryngeal cough usually starts mildly, but can develop into a more serious condition or lead to complications of otitis or pneumonia.
Children with laryngeal or barking coughs may infect their surroundings for 3 days after the onset of the disease or until the fever decreases.
Laryngeal cough should be distinguished from diseases such as acute oral mucositis, bacterial tracheitis, severe allergic reactions, or the presence of a foreign body in the respiratory tract.
Laryngeal (barking) cough - symptoms
The most characteristic symptom of a laryngeal cough is a hoarse, dog-barking sound when you cough. Another typical feature is coughing attacks and its very tiring character.
In addition, the laryngeal cough is accompanied by hoarseness, breathlessness and a clearly audible whistle while exhaling, i.e. stridor.
Often there is a runny nose, stuffy nose, mild fever and a mild sore throat. You may experience excessive sleepiness, dry mouth, and dehydration and consequent reduced urination.
As the infection worsens, the vocal cords and trachea become irritated and swollen, and a cough appears.
Symptoms of coughinglarynxes worsen at night and usually last for 3 to 7 days.
Laryngeal cough - home remedies
More than 95% of laryngeal coughs can be successfully treated at home. A proven method are inhalations and sausages with the addition of essential oils or herbal decoctions. The inhalation should last about 10 minutes. The water should be well warm, but not boiling, so as not to burn the respiratory tract.
It is a good idea to put an air humidifier by the bedside of the patient at night, because the humid air reduces coughing attacks and makes breathing easier.
Keeping your body hydrated is also important. Patients should drink plenty of water or herbal teas. Babies should be breastfed frequently.
Odorization is also conducive to eating soups, drinking broths or fruit juices. By irrigating the body, we minimize the loss of fluids caused by intense sweating of the body as a result of fever. It is worth remembering that good hydration of the body helps to fight infection.
Diet is also important. Warm soups and herbal tea perfectly relax the vocal cords and can soothe a barking cough. During an infection with a barking cough, foods that increase the overproduction of mucus, such as milk and its products, are not given.
Rest is an important part of treatment. Also, a person suffering from a laryngeal cough should not sleep on a flat surface, as this positioning of the body may provoke coughing fits.
It is best to lie down in a reclining position because it makes it easier to breathe and therefore coughing attacks are less frequent and less troublesome. It is also important to maintain good hygiene, wash your hands frequently so that the infection does not spread.
Laryngeal cough - what treatment?
In the case of laryngeal cough, giving antibiotics does not make sense, as the disease is most often caused by a virus that does not respond to antibiotics.
When a laryngeal cough affects a newborn or small child, hospitalization may be necessary for his safety. Breathing difficulties in young children are always serious and can lead to serious complications.
In addition, some children require respiratory support and specialized respiratory treatment, which is easier in a hospital setting than at home.
In the hospital setting, it is also possible to quickly introduce treatment to reduce laryngeal swelling, which can be of great importance for the child's future.
Most babies with laryngeal cough recover quickly, but some children, especially those born prematurely or with asthma or other lung conditions, may be at risk of complications from the coughlarynx.
Remember that in most cases, laryngeal cough is an annoying but mild condition and can be treated at home. On average, less than 5% of all children with this disease require hospitalization.
Read also:
- Ways to cough. Seven proven cough recipes
- Wet cough
- Dry cough
- Smoker's cough
Anna Jarosz A journalist who has been involved in popularizing he alth education for over 40 years. Winner of many competitions for journalists dealing with medicine and he alth. She received, among others The "Golden OTIS" Trust Award in the "Media and He alth" category, St. Kamil awarded on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, twice the "Crystal Pen" in the national competition for journalists promoting he alth, and many awards and distinctions in competitions for the "Medical Journalist of the Year" organized by the Polish Association of Journalists for He alth.
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