Smoking is a bad habit that is known to cause significant harm to the body. Tobacco smoke disrupts the function of the respiratory system, and more than 70% of smokers suffer from chronic cough. People who decide to quit want to get rid of all the consequences of tobacco immediately, but in most cases, the cough after quitting does not go away, but intensifies. How to deal with a former smoker's cough, and whether treatment is needed - we'll consider it in this article.
Why do you cough after quitting smoking?
When smoking, tobacco smoke enters the lungs and its contents are poison. It contains chemicals, resins, dust and other toxic ingredients. Gradually, large numbers of them accumulate in lung tissue.
Coughing when quitting smoking is a protective response designed to remove harmful substances from the body. In a healthy person, this response is always manifested, but in smokers the process is blocked under the influence of inhalation of cigarette smoke.
notes! There are epithelial cilia on the tissues of the upper respiratory tract which, when infiltrated by the pathological particles, cause coughing and thus prevent poisoning of the body.
Cough when quitting smoking occurs due to recovery of bronchial ciliary function. During the first period after quitting smoking, many people begin to experience violent coughing attacks. This process is thought to be natural because addiction causes inflammatory processes on the mucous membranes. As a result, sputum forms in the bronchi and lung tissue may be affected by toxins. Respiratory system organs self-clean when coughing.
How long do you cough after quitting smoking?
Most people who have recently quit smoking experience breathing problems. In rare cases, this behavior does not occur. As a rule, coughing doesn't bother people with little or no experience.
But for ex-smokers, how long a cough can last depends on a number of factors:
- the duration of the smoking period;
- Number of cigarettes smoked per day (number of cigarettes smoked per day);
- the presence of concomitant diseases;
- the extent of the effects of tobacco smoke;
- the age of the patient;
- have other bad habits.
There are no exact data on the nature of coughing after quitting smoking and how long this period lasts. Recovery is different and different for everyone.
According to statistics, if breathing problems occur after quitting smoking, the respiratory system will fully recover after 1 to 3 months. However, with more than 10 years of smoking experience, the problem can become chronic.
In general, improvement in the form of a reduction in the intensity and frequency of episodes should be observed after 2-3 weeks, even for severe coughs. If the situation does not change after a month, it is necessary to see a doctor.
Types of Cough After Quitting Smoking
Great importance was attached to the nature of cough in quitters. Pathological symptoms may indicate complications after smoking.
According to medical information, the nature of cough after quitting bad habits:
- wet;
- dry;
- with secretions.
A wet cough is a reflex rejection of purulent mucus (phlegm) that accumulates in the lungs or airways. There may be little phlegm, or conversely, mucus is excreted in large quantities, which can cause intense and frequent coughing episodes. However, expectoration with phlegm is considered normal.
It is suspected that pathological processes of the respiratory organs during recovery from smoking cessation lead to dry cough. Difficulty expelling sputum and bronchial disease with edema occur when ciliary fibers are inactive.
A dry cough should be treated with medication when quitting smoking. Lack of therapeutic help can lead to complications: poisoning, spastic shortness of breath, toxin formation in the lungs, etc.
For ex-smokers, the greatest danger is "dirty" expectoration. If expectoration is accompanied by phlegm, brown or black mucus, or blood, urgent medical attention is required.
Pathological secretions may indicate severe lesions in the bronchial walls, lung tissue, and trachea. Tobacco smoke can cause incurable burns to the respiratory tract due to a constant supply of toxins, causing the infection to spread rapidly in the damaged area.
important! Smoking can lead to life-threatening respiratory diseases (TB, cancer, cirrhosis, etc. ). Symptoms are dulled as nicotine enters the body, but once a person decides to give up the habit, the morbidity begins to manifest itself intensively.
What to do first - how to ease the condition
For long-term smokers, quitting smoking may seem impossible, but if a person still decides to do so, then he needs to go through a difficult recovery period.
The most difficult is the psychological craving, which few people can cope with. Coughing attacks can make the condition worse. As many smokers know, if you "drag" again, your breathing will return. However, there are other ways to mitigate this. To do this, use medicine or folk remedies.
treatment method
A persistent coughing attack can cause serious breathing problems and can also affect a person's life. To relieve the condition of smokers, it is recommended to take drugs with expectorant and sedative properties.
notes! After quitting smoking, cough suppressants are not recommended as their use can lead to lung abscesses.
In most cases, preparations of the mucolytic group are prescribed by doctors to facilitate sputum clearance when patients quit smoking.
You can speed up the removal of toxins from your body by taking an intestinal sorbent.
Antihistamines, immunomodulators, and antibiotics may be prescribed depending on the characteristics of the cough and possible respiratory disease.
folk method
The treatment of respiratory diseases troubled by long-term smoking cessation can be supplemented by folk remedies. Alternative medicine methods should only be used after obtaining expert consent and confirmation that there are no allergic reactions that could lead to anaphylactic shock and swelling of the respiratory system.
You can reduce the frequency and intensity of your cough if you use folk remedies:
- milk. You can add a teaspoon of honey or soda to hot milk. Drink three times a day.
- Onion syrup. Rub the medium onion on a grater (fine) and mix with 2 cups sugar. Remedies must persist for at least three hours. After that - lower the heat until the mixture gets a syrupy state. Take one teaspoon during the day, three hours apart.
- Propolis Eggnog. Egg yolks are grated and beaten with honey. Add 2 drops of liquid propolis to the mixture. Cover the small jar and place in the refrigerator. Drink 10ml. twice a day.
- Herbal decoction. Good for chamomile, St. John's wort, sage or wild rosemary. Steam one tablespoon of ground grass with 0. 5 liters. boiling water. Hold for half an hour or so, then filter. Drink three to four times a day as a teacup.
- Birch fried. Spread crushed birch sprouts (1 tablespoon liter) in melted butter (100 g). Transfer to a container and simmer on fire for 30 - 40 minutes. Add honey after cooling. Take 10 grams. Funding twice a day.
Do not abuse traditional medicines, self-medicate or refuse to take medicines. Folk remedies have an auxiliary role and may not be effective enough in severe pathological processes.
when should you see a doctor
After quitting smoking, even short-term smokers can experience serious health problems.
It is necessary to consult a doctor if the following symptoms begin to bother:
- Coughing that is too frequent and causes severe chest pain;
- Sputum discharge with release of blood or black mucus clots;
- When breathing, hear whistles and gasps;
- shortness of breath;
- When I took a deep breath, there was a sharp pain in my chest;
- General weakness.
Any pathological manifestations in a healthy condition are a signal to see a specialist. Immediate steps to recover from smoking are recommended as the consequences of smoking can be very serious.
in conclusion
Coughing starts to afflict the smoker while smoking and serves as a signal that the bad habit must be broken. Cough attacks may worsen after quitting smoking, however, this recovery period should be tolerated. In most cases, the condition will return to normal after 2 to 3 weeks. Of course, it will take more time to fully recover, but the main phase of cleansing the body is complete.
After quitting smoking, experts recommend visiting a medical facility for a consultation with a doctor and a diagnosis to determine if there are any complications of addiction and, if necessary, the necessary treatment.