Bad smoker's cough in the morning

Smokers especially in the morning suffer from nasty cough

23/10/2013

Smokers often suffer from a nasty cough in the morning, which is accompanied by more or less dark expectoration. Even though the smoker's cough is usually perceived as very unpleasant, it is a sign that the body removes pollutants. There is no remedy for the annoying cough. Experts agree, however, that when it comes to smoker's cough, it's high time to quit smoking.

In the morning, the smoker's cough is the worst
Smokers know it only too well: in the morning after getting up „burns the lungs“ and the unpleasant cough sets in - not infrequently with ejection. During the day, although the symptoms usually decrease, a lighter smoker accompanies those affected mostly throughout the day. If a cold is added, smokers recover much more severely, the bronchi are even more in permanent state of emergency. „Anyone who smokes turns off the garbage collection in his bronchi, "reports Michael Barczok, board member of the Federal Association of Pulmonologists, to the news agency „dpa“. The cilia in the bronchi would „like a conveyor belt carry away all dirt ", but they freeze in the smoke and can no longer fulfill their task „dirt“ stay where it does not belong - the system comes to a standstill.

„Functioning cilia look under the electron microscope like a cornfield in the wind, "said Petra Bubel, chairwoman of the German Association of Otolaryngologists in Saxony-Anhalt, told the news agency. „As protection against intruders, the bronchi produce mucus, which is transported upwards by the hairs, where it is mixed with saliva and swallowed unnoticed.“ For each cigarette, however, this mechanism is suspended on average for seven to eight hours. „At night, garbage pick-ups are resuming their work. "This is followed by the morning smoker's cough, which removes the pollutants and, ideally, the cilia recover, but this is prevented by the next cigarettes.

Smoke stop is the only effective remedy for smoker's cough
When smokers quit smoking, the cilia can regenerate, explains Tobias Raupach, spokesman for the Working Group on Tobacco Prevention of the German Society for Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, to the news agency. „Therefore, many first have to cough a little more after they stop smoking.“ Nonetheless, smoking permanently and irreversibly damages the bronchi. „If you cough more often or sometimes whistle while breathing, if you have shortness of breath during light physical exertion, you should go to the pulmonologist“, advises Bubel. It could also be a worse disease behind the symptoms such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which affects about half of all smokers over time, so Barczok. In women, the disease occurs after 20, in men after 30 „packet years“ - Years in which a box was smoked a day - on.

Since COPD is not curable and often results in a lung transplant or the death of the patient, smokers should seek to quit smoking at the first sign. „Chronic obstructive means that the airways are not only narrowed for a short time, but in such a way that they can no longer completely expand, "says Raupach.

The experts agree: the only one „medium“ smoker cough and secondary diseases is an early stop smoking. Thus, mucolytic agents would only aggravate the whole thing. „The only dilute the mucus, and this complicates the work of the cilia, "says Barczok.Also sport does not help against the discomfort that comes with smoking.However, the general constitution of the body is strengthened by physical activity.

Naturopathy in smoker's cough
If a COPD has already developed, there are various therapeutic methods that can only alleviate the symptoms. Naturopathic treatments are usually effective only in the early stages of the disease. Then, various homeopathic remedies may be used to relieve coughing and reduce the risk of lung tissue damage. Active ingredients such as Acidum formicicum, Acidum hydrocyanicum, Ammi visnaga, Antimonium arsenicosum, Antimony sulfuratum aurantiacum, Coccus cacti, Hamamelis virginica and Natrum sulfuricum can be used to treat COPD. In addition, it makes sense to perform a parallel physiotherapy treatment with so-called oscillating PEP systems. The breathing resistance is increased and a positive expiratory pressure is generated. Exhaling into special equipment causes vibrations and pressure fluctuations that dilate the bronchi, dissolve and liquefy the mucus, strengthen the respiratory muscles and facilitate coughing.

Despite these measures, the patient's state of health may deteriorate. Infections in particular can negatively affect the course of the disease. Conventional medical treatment is essential for COPD patients. (Ag)