Characteristics of bronchiectasis cough

Most cases of bronchiectasis are caused by infection. Bronchiectasis is a very common chronic airway disease. This disease is most common in children and adolescents. People with bronchiectasis need to be actively treated. The earlier the treatment, the better. If the treatment is not timely, it can easily lead to pneumonia, which is a great threat to daily life and physical health.

Symptoms of bronchiectasis cough

1. Nature of cough Coughing without sputum or with very little sputum is called a dry cough. Dry cough or irritating cough is common in acute or chronic pharyngitis, laryngeal cancer, early stage of acute bronchitis, tracheal compression, bronchial foreign bodies, bronchial tumors, pleural diseases, primary pulmonary hypertension and mitral stenosis. Coughing with sputum is called wet cough, which is common in chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, pneumonia, lung abscess and cavitary tuberculosis.

2. Timing and regularity of coughing. Sudden coughing is often caused by inhalation of irritating gases or foreign objects, lymph nodes or tumors compressing the trachea or bronchial bifurcation. Paroxysmal cough can be seen in whooping cough, endobronchial tuberculosis, and bronchial asthma (variant asthma) with cough as the main symptom. Long-term chronic cough is more common in chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, lung abscess and tuberculosis. Night cough is common in patients with left heart failure and pulmonary tuberculosis. The cause of night cough may be related to the aggravation of pulmonary congestion at night and increased vagus nerve excitability.

Causes of bronchiectasis cough

1. Inhaled matter: Inhaled matter can be divided into two types: specific and nonspecific. The former include dust mites, pollen, fungi, animal dander, etc.; non-specific inhalants include sulfuric acid, sulfur dioxide, chloramine, etc. Specific inhalants of occupational cough include toluene diisocyanate, phthalic anhydride, ethylenediamine, penicillin, protease, amylase, silk, animal dander or excrement, etc. In addition, non-specific ones include formaldehyde, formic acid, etc.

2. Infection: The formation and onset of cough are related to recurrent respiratory tract infections. Patients with cough may have specific IgE to bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma, etc., and inhalation of the corresponding antigens may induce coughing. After viral infection, the respiratory epithelium can be directly damaged, resulting in increased respiratory tract reactivity. Some scholars believe that interferon and IL-1 produced by viral infection increase the histamine released by alkaliphilic granulocytes. During the infant period, many children develop cough symptoms after being infected by respiratory viruses (especially respiratory syncytial virus). Coughing caused by parasites such as roundworms and hookworms is still seen in rural areas.

3. Food: Cough attacks caused by diet are common in cough patients, especially infants and young children who are prone to food allergies, but the incidence gradually decreases with age. The most common foods that cause allergies are fish, shrimp, crab, eggs, milk, etc.