Clinical Corner: Cough

A cough is a reflex action that helps to clear the airways of mucus, irritants, or foreign particles. A cough can be a symptom of various medical conditions, including respiratory infections, allergies, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Here are some of the common types of cough:

– Dry cough: A cough that does not produce mucus.

– Wet cough: A cough that produces mucus or phlegm.

– Chronic cough: A cough that lasts for more than eight weeks.

– Acute cough: A cough that lasts for less than three weeks.

– Nighttime cough: A cough that occurs mainly at night.

– Persistent cough: A cough that lasts for several weeks or months

– Spasmodic Cough: an unproductive cough caused by muscular spasms usually in the sternocleidomastoid

Symptoms

Coughs can vary in severity, frequency, and duration depending on the underlying cause. Here are some of the common symptoms that may accompany a cough:

– Chest pain or discomfort

– Difficulty breathing or feeling like you can’t catch your breath.

– A high-pitched whistling sound when breathing.

– scratchy or painful sensation in the throat.

– Feeling tired or lethargic.

– Runny or stuffy nose

– Fever

– Coughing up phlegm or mucus

– Hoarseness: A change in the voice, which may be due to irritation or inflammation in the throat.

Treatment 

a. Cough

Application: massage, diffuser, chakras, sustained inhalation

Single Oils: fir balsam, peru  balsam, tolu balsam, benzoin, camphor, cedar, eucalyptus, hyssop, pine, sage, clary sage, hemlock spruce, sitka 

b. Cough, Chronic

Application: massage, diffuser, chakras, sustained inhalation

Single Oils: fir balsam, inula, frankincense, hyssop, myrtle

Blends: respiratory support

c. Cough, Spasmodic (producing no mucus)

Application: massage, diffuser, chakras, sustained inhalation

Single Oils: hyssop decumbens, larch, sitka 

Blends: unconscious

• take long slow deep breaths with one of the essential oils listed above
• Do the Essence Kit Protocol to help reduce reactivity and to relax smooth muscle
• Take a few drops of anise internally to help balance the nervous system and to reduce the gulping of air
• Do the pursed lip breathing with diaphragm technique