Cough is defined as a sudden, forced noise at expiration.
Causes of cough:
• Infections :
• Laryngitis
• Tracheitis
• Bronchitis
• Pneumonia
• Whooping cough
• Pulmonary T.B.
• Lung abscess.
• Mechanical causes:
• Inhalation of dust, fumes, irritant gases or pungent smells, tobacco smoking.
• Foreign body in larynx, bronchi
• Pressure in air passage
• Reflex: - wax in external ear or otitis media
• Distention of stomach
• Liver abscess
• Thermal condition: inhalation of cold air especially in asthmatics.
• Psychogenic cough – obsessional disorders
• Hysteria.
Types of cough:
• Dry or unproductive – this type of cough is without expectoration and is found in following diseases:
• Psychogenic
• Upper respiratory tract infection (URTI)
• Smoker's cough
• At early stage in bronchitis
• Bronchial asthma.
• Wet or productive cough is with expectoration and is found in
• Bronchiectasis (dilation of bronchi
• Fungal infections
• Chronic bronchitis
• Paroxysmal – cough comes in attacks where intensity of disease is increased. It is found in-
• Bronchial asthma
• Whooping cough
• Cardiac failure
• Cough with wheezing –respiration with a hissing sound (sibilant) is called cough with wheezing is found in
• Bronchial asthma
• Chronic bronchitis.
• Barking – harsh, loud cough in paroxysms, is generally found in hysteria.
• Nocturnal : cough at night
• Asthma
• Chronic sinusitis (due to dropping of mucus in throat)
• Inflammation of foot tract (oesophagitis).
• Croupy: harsh hoarse cough in laryngeal infection.
• Hacking: short dry, irritating and frequent cough. It is seen in smokers, congestion of pharynx, upper respiratory infection.
• Suppressed cough: cough is suppressed as it causes pain in the chest as seen in pleurisy.
• Cough related to exertion: cough coming on exertion in early left ventricle failure and mitral stenosis.
• Cough related to meals: cough from eating, drinking suggests diseases of the esophagus like reflux esophagitis.
Acupressure treatment for cough:
Treatment should be started after investigating the cause. The external factors causing cough such as dust, fumes, gases, strong odors should be avoided.
DU 20
CV 17
Lu 1,5,6,7
UB 13
St 25, 36, 40
P 6
Ex 1, 17
H 7
Sp 6, 10, 15
LI 19
Acupressure reflex points for Cough: nose, lungs