What to do when you have a cough with phlegm that doesn't go away for a long time?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Huy Nhat - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital. Doctor Nguyen Huy Nhat has many years of experience in the field of respiratory disease treatment.
Cough with phlegm is common in both adults and children. Cough with phlegm that lasts for a long time and does not go away is a symptom of a respiratory disease. However, many people are still subjective with this health condition. We need to know the cause of a persistent cough with phlegm in order to have an appropriate and effective treatment for each case.

1. What is the cause of cough with phlegm?

Sputum is a secretion in the respiratory tract including mucus, red blood cells, pus white blood cells, toxic substances entering the respiratory tract. These substances are secreted from the bronchi, alveoli, pharynx, frontal sinuses, nasal cavity... Therefore, the appearance of cough with phlegm is the result of many diseases in the respiratory tract such as pharyngitis, nose, laryngitis. bronchial asthma, pulmonary infarction, pneumonia, bronchial asthma ...
Cough with sputum depending on the condition is assessed as acute or chronic disease. When symptoms of cough with phlegm persist for more than 3 weeks and do not go away, it is considered a chronic disease.
Most cough with phlegm comes from a benign cause, but because it is not treated properly and completely, the condition becomes worse and more serious. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease that causes difficulty breathing because the airways are narrow, the risk of coughing up phlegm for a long time. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will become worse, especially in the morning, making it difficult for patients to breathe and chest tightness. Pulmonary tuberculosis is one of the causes of a long-lasting cough with sputum that does not go away, sometimes with signs of coughing up blood, chest pain, shortness of breath. When the condition becomes severe and prolonged, the disease will turn into a lung abscess with pus-filled pockets in the lungs. If not properly treated, the disease can lead to respiratory failure and unpredictable death. Wet bronchiectasis: This is the cause of a long-term cough with phlegm that causes the patient to frequently spit. Besides, acute cough with phlegm often occurs in the elderly in acute diseases such as colds, acute pharyngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis...

2. What to do when you have a cough with phlegm that doesn't go away for a long time?

Patients with cough with sputum do not arbitrarily buy medicine for treatment as well as self-medicate without the doctor's instructions. The wrong treatment makes the condition worse and affects the health of the respiratory system.
Along with that, the patient should also pay attention to the lifestyle regimen to prevent recurrence of cough with phlegm by:
Strengthening sports, increasing the body's resistance to pathogens for the respiratory system Minimize exposure to polluted environment Do not use tobacco, alcohol, stimulants Build a healthy, scientific diet, supplement with green vegetables, vitamins...

Cough with phlegm that does not go away for a long time is a manifestation of many dangerous respiratory diseases. If not treated promptly, properly. This situation will cause many dangers to the patient. When there is a symptom of a cough with phlegm that lasts for a long time and does not go away, the patient should be examined by a respiratory specialist, internal medicine specialist to determine the exact cause, indication, and appropriate and effective treatment orientation to quickly quickly put an end to a persistent cough with phlegm.
Note that you should not arbitrarily give drugs to children without the permission of the doctor. This can make the child's condition worse.
Vinmec International General Hospital system nationwide with a team of leading doctors and modern equipment, is an address trusted by many parents in treating children's diseases, typically cough with phlegm, wheezing cough, high fever, pneumonia, sucking the nose for the child without pain, the child does not cry.

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