Cough at night can make the sufferer unable to sleep well. In fact, to be able to recover quickly, the body needs a lot of rest. However,you tidI need to worry. There are several ways which coulddone to relieve complaint cough in evening.
Coughing is the body's natural way of clearing the throat and respiratory tract of germs, viruses, as well as pollution and dirt, such as dust, cigarette smoke, or mucus. Coughs are also often felt when you have the flu, allergies, or asthma.
In some cases, coughing due to irritation or infection of the respiratory tract can be felt more severe or more annoying at night. If this is the case, the sufferer will find it difficult to sleep and rest.
Coughs that get worse at night can be caused by several conditions and diseases, for example:
- Respiratory tract disorders, such as asthma, COPD, bronchitis, and ARI.
- tuberculosis.
- Heart problems, such as heart failure or heart valve disease.
- Acid reflux disease (GERD).
- Sleep apnea .
- Side effects of drugs, such as high blood pressure drugs group ACE inhibitor , beta blockers , and NSAIDs.
- Often smokes.
Diverse How to Relieve Cough at Night
To treat cough complaints at night, you need to check with a doctor. Once the cause of the cough is known, the doctor will provide appropriate treatment to treat the cause.
In addition to drugs, there are several ways you can do to relieve the annoying cough at night, namely:
1. Take a shower or bath with water warm before bed
Dry airways can make coughing at night worse. Taking a warm shower or bath before bed can help moisten the airways and relieve coughing.
But if your cough is caused by asthma, don't use this method. The reason is, the steam inhaled when bathing or taking a warm bath can actually worsen asthma symptoms.
2. Drink water or drink hreally before bed
Drinking water before bed can help loosen mucus in the airways and relieve coughing at night. In addition to water, drinking warm tea or lemon water mixed with honey can also be an option to relieve coughs.
But remember, honey should only be given to adults and children over the age of 1 year. yes !
3. Sleep with higher head position
The lying position can cause you to cough more often. To outsmart, try to sleep with a higher pillow. Sleeping in this position will help drain mucus from your nose and throat.
In addition to relieving coughs due to the flu or colds, sleeping in this position can also prevent stomach acid from rising up into the throat (GERD) which can trigger coughs.
4. Use humidifier (humidifier) in the bedroom
Air humidifier can help relieve coughs if the air in your bedroom tends to be dry due to the use of AC.
Be sure to set the humidity level to between 40-50%, as air that is too humid can promote the development of mites and mold, which can actually make coughing worse.
Another thing you need to remember is to avoid sleeping under the direct blow of air from a fan or air conditioner, to prevent coughing from getting worse.
5. Make sure the bed and bedding you are clean
This is one of the tips to help relieve a cough at night due to allergies. Dust and mites are the most common allergy triggers. So, make sure your bed and bedding are in a clean condition.
Change sheets, pillowcases, bolsters, and blankets every week. Wash all the bedding by soaking it in hot water first. After washing, dry in the sun to dry.
6. Take medicine cough
In addition to the methods above, you can also take cough medicine to relieve coughing at night. Take cough medicine that suits your cough type.
There are several types of cough medicine with different contents and functions, namely:
- Eexpectorant Expectorant cough medicine is used for coughing up phlegm. This medicine works by thinning mucus or phlegm, while reducing coughing.
- Antitussive Antitussive cough medicine, such as dextromethorphan , is used to treat dry cough. This drug works by reducing the stimuli that can trigger coughing, so that the frequency of coughing can be reduced
- Decongestants Decongestants, such as phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine can help relieve coughing at night. This medicine can relieve nasal congestion and relieve pressure in the sinus cavities caused by allergies and colds.
- Antihistamines Antihistamines, such as brompheniramine and chlorpheniramine , is used for coughs due to allergies, which are accompanied by symptoms of sneezing, itching in the nose and throat, and runny nose.
If the cough is caused by a viral infection, for example in the flu and ARI, then antibiotics are not needed. Antibiotics are only effective for coughs caused by bacterial infections.
Coughing at night is often annoying. But be patient, because basically, coughing is the body's way of getting rid of the cause of the cough itself. With adequate rest and doing some of the tips above, coughing at night will usually subside within 1-2 weeks.
Even so, be aware if the cough at night gets worse, lasts more than 3 weeks, or is accompanied by a high fever, shortness of breath, weight loss, and phlegm that is green, yellow, or even bloody.
These symptoms can indicate a serious illness, such as pneumonia, bronchitis, heart failure, or tuberculosis, that requires medical attention. If you or a family member has a cough like that, it is advisable to immediately consult a doctor.