HOW COVID MAKES A NORMAL COUGH PROBLEMATIC
LIKE any other days since the pandemic began, Sol, a realestate executive, was about to attend a virtual meeting. As he patiently waited for participants to be complete, he suddenly felt a tickle in his throat. He tried to clear it but it just wouldn’t go away so he slightly pushed down the monitor of his laptop and let out a productive cough. When he tilted his monitor back up, all 12 of his colleagues were in the gallery wearing facial masks and shields.
Was that embarrassing? Wait till you hear the story of Ace, a tech guy who had a major crush on the accounts executive named Suzie, but couldn’t make her notice him. One day, an opportunity presented itself as Suzie was having technical problems with her desktop computer. Ace swooped into the rescue but accidentally choked on his own saliva, causing him to cough incessantly. Suzie immediately ran out of the room. Pharmaceutical giant Unilab has now mounted a campaign for its Solnux Adance brand, dubbed “#Pigilhiningamoments,” in order to educate people that not all coughs are Covid-related.
“Contrary to what most people think, a cough is not a disease but rather the defense mechanism of the lungs and airways from irritants like cold air, cigarette smoke, or strong perfumes,” says pulmonologist Dr. Gwen Agra.
She adds: “A cough is a reflex that starts when the respiratory system sensory nerves are stimulated. An impulse is sent to the brain, which then sends a message to the muscles in the respiratory system to contract to produce a cough.”
There are three parts to a cough, according to Agra. First, you take a breath in. Next, pressure increases in your throat and lungs when the vocal cords close. And then there’s the explosive release of air as your vocal cords open, creating that characteristic sound.
Agra reiterates, “Cough is supposed to protect you by getting stuff that doesn’t belong in your lungs and windpipe. But if a cough persists for three weeks with no sign of improvement, go see a doctor.”
There are myriad triggers for cough apart from irritants. Some of these are allergies and asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, even acid reflux and postnasal drip. But the most common of all triggers are viruses that cause respiratory tract infections.
“Colds and the flu are the most common causes.
Wet or productive coughs get the germy mucus out of your lungs when you’re sick. Most will go away in a few days. After a cold, though, some ‘dry’ cough last weeks or months,” shares the doctor.
Agra, however, also warns: “A cough that is a symptom of a more serious condition is unlikely to go away on its own. If left untreated, the condition could worsen and cause other symptoms.”
Unilab’s Solmux Advance is an over-the-counter medicine that provides complementary action against Respiratory Tract Infection (RTI) addressing both sticky, hard to expel phlegm and lowered immunity when one is sick. It contains carbocisteine and zinc, a unique formulation that aids return to health in no time. Zinc is a nutrient that people need to stay healthy, as it helps the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses. Meanwhile, carbocisteine has been recognized as an effective treatment for the management of COPD. Several studies also show that it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
“I usually coprescribe minerals like zinc with a mucolytic like carbocisteine. Together, this is an ideal combination that effectively relieves cough by aiding in the expulsion of phlegm with decreased bacterial adhesion to cells, and helping in faster recovery by boosting immunity,” concludes Agra.