After suffering from a cold or flu, people will experience symptoms such as runny nose, stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, fever and chills, among which cough is the most common and quite stubborn. Even if it is a common cold, other cold symptoms will gradually disappear in seven to ten days, but the cough symptoms will not stop. This situation is generally caused by the following reasons:
First, the upper respiratory tract becomes inflamed after a cold, and the airway secretions will increase. Coughing can expel these secretions in the form of sputum to prevent the respiratory tract from being blocked. Therefore, in order to promote the excretion of phlegm, the body may cough continuously.
Second, is the damage of the respiratory tract. At present, it is generally believed that airway injury is caused by airway inflammation, and inflammatory factors are one of the most important mechanisms leading to airway hyperresponsiveness. After catching a cold, airway inflammation causes airway hyperresponsiveness, and the trachea is in a state of high sensitivity. When slightly stimulated by the outside world, the airway will shrink and cause coughing. The respiratory tract is damaged, making it easier for people to catch a cold again. Over time, the structure of the airway will change. lead to more serious respiratory diseases.
In addition, both the common cold and influenza are mostly caused by common cold viruses and influenza viruses, which may cause acute tracheo-bronchitis. Bacterial infections are often secondary to viral infections. If the patient’s physical fitness is relatively poor, or the lung function is not good, the bacterial infection may also affect the lower respiratory tract, resulting in persistent cough after catching a cold.
Prolonged coughing may trigger asthma or other medical conditions. Therefore, no matter what the reason is, the post-cold cough should be taken seriously and treated as soon as possible.