If a coughing attack occurs at night, it is not always possible to immediately seek medical help. You can stop an attack at night without medication. There are several ways to stop a coughing attack at home: warm drinking, inhalation, massage, compresses.
You can stop a coughing attack without medication, but this is only a temporary measure
How to stop a coughing fit at night without medication
When a cough appears at night, often you do not have the right tablets and syrups at hand. You can alleviate the condition with the help of improvised means, using only medicinal plants, water and mint sweets.
Warm drink
You can quickly get rid of an attack with the help of warm drinks. A plentiful drink softens and moisturizes the mucous membrane, removes mucus from the throat. What will help relieve the attack:
- warm milk with honey;
- folk recipes – a decoction of chamomile, mint, marshmallow, wild rose;
- green or black tea;
- slightly alkaline mineral waters (without gas).
You can only drink warm drinks. Too hot or cold drinks will not help get rid of cough, but will only aggravate the condition.
Inhalation
To stop a coughing attack in adults, you can use inhalation. Inhalations not only effectively cope with a coughing fit, but also positively affect the course of the disease. When inhaled, the drug acts directly on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, which leads to the following effects:
- the mucous membrane is moistened;
- inflammation and swelling decreases;
- coughing stops;
- breathing is restored.
At home, the easiest way to use steam inhalation. It is necessary to heat the solution to 50 ° C, bend over the container by 20-30 cm and cover your head with a towel. It is enough to breathe steam for 5 minutes. You need to breathe through the mouth, not the nose.
As a solution, you can use water with soda, mineral water, decoctions and infusions of plants. You can also breathe over steam of boiled potatoes.
For the preparation of a decoction, medicinal herbs or their mixture are used:
| Nature of cough | Medicinal plants |
| Dry | chamomileSt. John’s wortthymemarshmallowplantain |
| Wet | yarrowsuccessionrosemarypine needleseucalyptus |
Steam inhalations have a number of contraindications – you can’t breathe steam at elevated body temperature, nosebleeds, a tendency to increase blood pressure, purulent inflammation.
Steam inhalations are especially carefully used to treat a child, so the procedure can cause burns to the skin and mucous membranes.
You can use warm inhalation with essential oils. Eucalyptus, pine, sea buckthorn oil is used.
Warm and steam inhalations help with inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (pharyngitis, tonsillitis), larynx and trachea. With bronchitis, inhalation with a nebulizer is more effective. With the help of a nebulizer, medicinal substances reach the smallest branchings of the bronchi.
Local treatment
Quickly get rid of the attack help lozenges for resorption and sprays with anesthetic effect. At home, you can use mint sweets, they act no worse.
At home you can gargle. To do this, use water with soda or salt, a decoction of herbs with an antiseptic effect (chamomile, calendula).
Distracting procedures
You can use distracting procedures:
- rubbing the chest;
- warming compress on the chest;
- foot baths.
In addition, it is recommended to warm your feet – put on warm wool socks, cover yourself with a blanket.
Foot baths can be effective in coughing attacks.
Fresh air
When an attack occurs, ventilate the room. The lower the temperature, the higher the humidity. Fresh and cool air reduces the intensity of coughing, making breathing easier. It is necessary to ensure that the air is not too cold, as this provokes the appearance of spasms.
The most comfortable ambient temperature is 20 ° C.
Massage
With a wet cough, you can do vibration massage, which facilitates the removal of sputum. It is necessary to tap a palm edge on the back in the lungs. The movements should be soft. Massage is carried out for 2–5 minutes.
Why night attacks are dangerous
Coughing at night prevents sleep and recovery. This not only tires, but also leads to the development of unpleasant symptoms:
- asthenia – severe fatigue, weakness;
- violation of cognitive abilities – memory, attention, thinking;
- increased irritability.
The consequences are largely affected by the duration of the attacks. If sleep is disturbed for several days in a row – the risk of complications increases several times.
Further treatment
First aid for an attack is only one of the components of treatment. You can not be limited only by emergency methods, you need to act on the cause.
Coughing does not occur just like that, it is always the body’s response to any stimulus. Before starting treatment, you need to see a doctor for a diagnosis.
The main groups of drugs that are used:
| Drug group | The mechanism of action, under which conditions are applied | Examples |
| Antibiotics | They are used for tonsillitis, adenoiditis, bronchitis, which are caused by bacteria. Antibiotics from the macrolide group are prescribed for whooping cough.They are used only as directed by a doctor. | Amoxicillin Amoxiclav Azithromycin |
| Antiviral | Used for flu | RemantadineOseltamivirZinamivir |
| Mucolytics | Used for viscous sputum.Reduce viscosity and promote sputum excretion. | Acetylcysteine Bromhexine Ambroxol (mixed action) |
| Secretory motor | They are used for difficulty in sputum removal.Enhance the secretion of bronchial mucus and the activity of ciliated epithelium. | Mukaltinsyrup AlteykaAmbroxol (mixed action) |
| Antitussive | They are used for painful, obsessive cough.Inhibit the cough center or peripheral receptors. | Central action: Glaucin, Oxeladine, Butamirate.Peripheral Action: Libexin, Lidocaine |
| Antihistamines | Used for allergic diseases, for example, with a cough of bronchial asthma.They have anti-allergenic and decongestant action. | SuprastinLoratidine |
| Decongestants (vasoconstrictor) | They are used for nasal congestion.Affect the vessels located in the nasal mucosa. Vasoconstriction leads to a decrease in edema and restoration of nasal breathing. | Nazivin dropsNaphthyzineVibrocil |
| Antiseptics | Used for infection of the tonsils, pharynx. | Chlorophyllipt (rinse)Ingalipt spray |
When can I do without medication?
Medications are not really indicated in all cases. This mainly concerns coughing in acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI). With an uncomplicated course, drug treatment may not be used, it is enough to observe bed rest and drink plenty of fluids. If the cause is more serious (bacterial bronchitis or tonsillitis, bronchial asthma, whooping cough), then you can not do without the use of medications.
