Cough

Cough - exactly what is it?

A cough is an unconditioned defense mechanism of the body to remove debris, lingering secretions or foreign bodies from the respiratory tract. The mechanism of action involves irritation of nerve endings in the airways, which causes bronchospasm. The cough can last up to several weeks, and with chronic inflammation of the lungs and bronchi even for years. We divide cough into dry cough, which most often occurs during infections and is caused by viruses multiplying and irritating the bronchial epithelium. A wet cough, on the other hand, is indicative of mucus lodged in the bronchial tree, which the body must get rid of through the cough reflex.