How can a humidifier help relieve cough?
Of course, many of you would think that a humidifier is not a medicine that can help reduce coughing and other respiratory irritations. But the thing is, the job of a humidifier is what makes it effective in relieving some of the major discomforts you can experience in your body.
So while it is true that humidifiers cannot treat coughs, they can still help relieve their severity. Let’s discuss this matter in detail.
What Are The Causes Of Coughing?
To give a remedy or treatment to a problem, you need to find its cause first. Keep in mind that coughing itself can be just a symptom of something bigger. And you want to deal with its culprit right from the get-go.
Coughing is a defensive reaction that the body undergoes when it encounters something that it perceives as potentially harmful. The body expels the foreign matter through coughing, and in the process, the body also expels mucus and phlegm. There are a variety of ailments that can cause coughing.
They can be divided into two broad categories: upper respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections. A cough caused by the upper respiratory tract commonly affects the nose, throat, sinuses, and eustachian tubes. The lower respiratory tract includes the lungs.
Here are some causes of coughing:
- Viral infections – Most of the time, you cough because you catch the flu or cold. However, the periods of coughing because of these causes can be considered productive. After all, your body is trying to expel the viruses out from your lungs. They are often contained in mucus that comes every time you cough. Once you cough but there’s no mucus, that’s called dry coughing. And that can result in further irritations. Improved humidity might help deal with this dryness.
- Asthma – Asthma is the most common illness in the US, affecting over 25 million Americans. Symptoms are triggered by strong, dry, explosive coughs that can be difficult to control. The most common symptoms of asthma include wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing, chest tightness, and coughing up mucus. By treating the dryness in the air, you can curb down various asthma triggers such as molds.
- Allergies – Similar to asthma, common allergies can also cause a person to cough. But guess what? There are various irritants in the air that can be removed by simply improving the humidity in the air. Molds, for instance, are a typical cause of allergies. They should not exist in a home as long as your indoor humidity is at the correct levels.
- Post-nasal drip – This is a common cold condition characterized by nasal congestion, cough, and mucus production. Post-nasal drip is usually a symptom of upper respiratory infections. It can be triggered by colds, allergies, infections, and other medical conditions. Post-nasal drip can make you feel sick, but it usually does not make you feel feverish. Again, simple interventions like creating a conducive indoor environment can help ease this problem.
- Acid reflux – Acid reflux is a common problem that can affect anyone, regardless of age or gender. It is also referred to as reflux disease or GERD. What happens is the stomach acid backs up into the esophagus, which is the tube that connects the throat to the stomach. When the esophagus is damaged or irritated, the stomach acid can cause heartburn and a burning sensation in the chest. It causes coughing and other forms of irritation.
Can Dry Air Cause Coughing?
Believe it or not, dry air can cause coughs.
During the cold season, the air tends to get dry. This is due to the low temperatures, which strip the air with its ability to carry moisture. Hence, when the temperature is low, the air tends to get arid.
When there’s dry air, you’ll experience several things: skin irritation, nosebleeds, and sore throat. Furthermore, dry air can also affect your mood and stress level.
However, many people aren’t aware that low humidity can also make a person susceptible to illnesses. Specifically, inhaling dry air can result in various ailments such as sinusitis, bronchitis, and asthma. Obviously, all of these respiratory conditions have one common symptom: coughing. Alarmingly, dry air can also result in dehydration. Your body loses fluid, which makes you more prone to irritations.
Prolonged exposure to dry air is not a good thing. It quickly siphons the moisture away from your body through evaporation, leaving your body as dry as a desert. It can make your throat and nose arid, which increases the chances of experiencing symptoms like coughs.
Of course, too much humidity is not healthy, too. After all, a wet environment is the perfect breeding ground for foreign microbes, germs, and other bacteria. These impurities can also cause allergies, asthma, and other respiratory illnesses. If your problem is too much humidity in your indoor space, then what you need is a dehumidifier.
How Can A Humidifier Relieve Cough?
Just as mentioned, poor indoor humidity can cause harsh effects on the body. Coughing could be a manifestation that the air in your home is dry. Once your asthma or allergies suddenly surged unprecedentedly, you might need the service of a humidifier.
With a humidifier, you will be able to relieve these problems. The function of a humidifier is to release moisture in the air, further improving the humidity level. The proper humidity level should be around 40% to 60%.
You can get a whole-house humidifier or a room humidifier, depending on your needs. Make sure that the humidifier features an adjustable output function so that you can set it to match your current indoor conditions.
It will also benefit if the humidifier has a humidistat. In this way, you’ll never have to worry that the humidifier will cause over-humidification.
What If Your Coughs Don’t Disappear?
Of course, humidifiers are no cure for coughs. They can just relieve them. These devices work to ensure that the air in your home is not dry, effectively reducing the possibility of flaring allergies, asthma, and respiratory illnesses.
However, if your coughs still persist, then you might need immediate medical attention. You would need your physician to diagnose you. You see, it is possible that the cause of coughs is a severe underlying condition. Sometimes, it requires extensive medical treatment to get rid of it.
Having a lifestyle and clean living environment can also reduce your chances of developing coughs.
In Summary
A humidifier can help relieve coughs by ensuring that the air you breathe is properly humid. It is known that dry air can trigger various respiratory discomforts and conditions. Once you have a humidifier, you’ll never have to deal with dry air nor the symptoms that come with it.
That’s it for now. If you have other inquiries, feel free to ask me in the comment section below.