Treating a cough is not such an easy task as it might seem at first glance. Do you know how to do inhalation? Read about this treatment in our article.
In order for inhalation to have an effect, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules. Before proceeding to the treatment of cough with this method, you need to understand: how to do the inhalation correctly, what methods exist for its implementation, if you have any contraindications.
Inhalation as a way to treat cough
The essence of inhalation is the inhalation by a person of small particles or vapors of a medicinal substance together with air. Thus, they spread throughout the bronchopulmonary tree. To obtain such vapors and small particles of a substance, special devices are used (inhaler, nebulizer). Evaporation of a medicinal substance can also be achieved at home, using dishes with boiling water, hot stones, etc.
The quick effect of inhalation is due to the fact that the drug substance quickly appears on the inner lining of the respiratory tract, starting to exert its pharmacological effect immediately. Therefore, inhalation is ideal for treating cough.
Inhalation effects:
- moisturizing the mucous membranes, which helps to eliminate for some time a painful and irritating dry cough;
- stimulation of the formation of sputum and mucus, which will help translate a dry cough into a wet one;
- increased sputum discharge during a wet cough, which accelerates the healing process and prevents the transition to a chronic form.
Types of inhalation
Depending on the temperature of the solution, inhalations are divided into hot and cold. With cold inhalation, a person inhales a medicine at room temperature. Hot are called inhalations, in which the warmed up medicinal substance or their vapor is inhaled.
In addition, inhalations are divided into instrument and steam. Instrument inhalation is carried out using a special device (nebulizer, inhaler) that breaks the medicine into tiny particles that a person inhales. Accordingly, with steam inhalation, the medicine is placed in water and evaporates from its surface, forming a vapor cloud that must be inhaled.
Indications for inhalation
Inhalations can be used in the following cases:
- cough treatment for acute respiratory viral infections;
- cough treatment for tonsillitis, pharyngitis, tracheitis, laryngitis, bronchiolitis, bronchitis, pneumonia caused by various pathogens;
- cough treatment for chronic respiratory diseases;
- treatment of bronchial asthma in the interictal period;
- cough treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis;
- cough treatment for cystic fibrosis;
- prevention of complications in the postoperative period.
Contraindications for inhalation
Inhalation is contraindicated in the following cases:
- the presence of pus in the sputum;
- tendency to nosebleeds;
- hemoptysis;
- increased body temperature (above 37.5 ° C);
- allergy to drugs used for inhalation;
- severe diseases of the heart and blood vessels (heart failure, suffered a stroke or heart attack less than six months ago, hypertension, cerebrovascular accident);
- arrhythmia;
- severe diseases of the respiratory system (severe respiratory failure, cavities in the lungs, emphysema, recurrent pneumothorax).
Cough treatment at home
Comprehensive treatment of cough often involves the use of inhalations, which can be carried out not only in the physiotherapy departments of hospitals, but at home. To do this, just dissolve the medicine or essential oil in a pan with hot water. Also, decoctions of herbs, mineral waters, soda solution are often used. The choice of the drug component depends on the type of cough (wet or dry) and the nature of the disease.
How to do inhalation correctly?
Inhalation should be carried out according to certain rules:
- Nebulizer inhalation is performed in a sitting position, steam inhalation is performed while sitting or standing.
- The duration of inhalation is 5-10 minutes.
- For inhalation, use pure water (preferably distilled), saline.
- You can not talk during inhalation.
- The temperature of the solution should be 50-60 ° C, so as not to cause a burn of the respiratory tract.
- With pathology of the upper respiratory tract (laryngitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis), one should breathe deeply and slowly through the mouth.
- With pathology of the lower parts of the respiratory system (bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia), one should breathe deeply with the mouth, holding the air for several seconds in the chest, and then exhale evenly through the nose.
- In case of damage to the nasopharynx and sinuses, it is necessary to calmly and slowly inhale the vapor with the nose.
- Inhalation is carried out no earlier than an hour after exercise or eating.
- After inhalation, rinse your mouth, rinse your nose with water (not antiseptic).
- After inhalation, do not drink or eat for 30 minutes.
- After the procedure, you can not smoke for an hour.
- If medications are involved in inhalation, it is necessary to observe the sequence – first bronchodilators, then (at least 15 minutes) – expectorant, mucolytic drugs, after sputum discharge – antiseptics, anti-inflammatory drugs.