Cough (spastic)
Synopsis of Cough (spastic)
A spastic cough, sometimes called a spasmodic or paroxysmal cough, is characterized by sudden, uncontrollable bursts of coughing that can be forceful, exhausting, and sometimes accompanied by wheezing, gagging, or difficulty breathing. Unlike a simple dry or wet cough, a spastic cough tends to come in fits or attacks and may leave the person gasping for air.
This type of cough can occur after an infection (like pertussis/whooping cough), as part of asthma or chronic bronchitis, or due to irritant exposure (like smoke, dust, or cold air). In children, spastic coughs are especially concerning and may need prompt medical evaluation.
Types of Spastic Cough (by Cause):
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Infectious Spastic Cough: Post-viral, pertussis, croup.
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Asthmatic Spastic Cough: Related to airway hyperreactivity.
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Allergic Spastic Cough: Triggered by environmental allergens.
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Reflux-Related Cough: Gastric acid irritating the throat and airways.
Common Causes:
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Pertussis (whooping cough)
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Post-viral airway hyperreactivity
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Asthma (especially cough-variant asthma)
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COPD or chronic bronchitis
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GERD (reflux causing chronic irritation)
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Environmental pollutants (smoke, chemical exposure)
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Cold, dry air exposure
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Airway hypersensitivity after infection
Severity Factors:
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Coughing fits that cause vomiting, exhaustion, or trouble breathing
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Prolonged coughing attacks lasting weeks to months (especially post-pertussis)
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Severe coughing in young children can cause dehydration and respiratory distress
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In asthma or COPD, spastic cough can signal worsening airway inflammation
When to See a Doctor:
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Persistent coughing fits longer than 2 weeks
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Severe difficulty breathing or wheezing
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Coughing up blood or frothy mucus
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Chest pain with coughing
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High-pitched "whoop" sound on inhalation (suggests pertussis)
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If coughing fits disturb sleep, eating, or daily activities
Natural remedies for Cough (spastic)
Warm, soothing drinks: Honey and herbal teas (ginger, licorice root) calm spasms (no honey under 1 year old).
Steam inhalation: Loosens airway irritation and helps breathing during attacks.
Humidify air: Moist air soothes inflamed airways.
Avoid cold air and smoke: Common triggers of spastic coughing.
Hydration: Keeps mucus thin and reduces airway sensitivity.
Rest voice and body: Excessive coughing strains muscles and tissues.
Elevate head when sleeping: Helps prevent nighttime coughing fits.
Ingredients
These raw ingredients are often used in alternative medicine to treat Cough (spastic)
aloe vera
alpha-pinene
anthocyanins
apple
astaxanthin
waterhyssop
benegut perilla (proprietary)
berry flavor
beta-pinene
bilberry
black cumin
black currant
black pepper
blueberry
Indian frankincense
caffeine
cat's claw
chen pi
Chinese salvia root
cinnamon
clove
cowage seed
turmeric
elderberry
garlic bulb
ginger
glehnia root
grape
greek mountain tea
onion
green tea
heartwood
Indian tinospora
jujube
lemon
licorice root
lovage
natural flavor
nettle
ophiopogon root
orange
pear
phellodendron amurense
platycodon root
plum fruit
pomegranate
quercetin
resveratrol
spearmint leaf
sphaeranthus indicus
spirulina
thyme
vitamin C
vitamin D
wasabia japonica
zhejiang fritillary
zinc
sarsaparilla
boneset
mullein
tangerine
hyssop
atractylodes
lobelia
capsicum
Indian bael
malabar nut
alpinia galangal
hedychium spicatum
inula racemosa
anise
pistacia integerrima gall
punarnava
prickly ash
fritillaria
yerba santa
elecampane
coltsfoot
juniper berries
dodder
sweet flag
eucalyptus
abies spectabilis
horehound
soursop
1,3,7-Trimethylpurine-2,6-dione
Alcohol
Aster tataricus
Aralia
Angelica archanglica
Abies alba
Asafetida
Alpinia katsumadai
African Ginger
Agastache
American Basil
Anamarrhena
Angel's Trumpet
Average Herb Strength
Aldimine
Alpha-terpineol
Ambergris
acacia
Allium tuberosum Rottl.
Allicin
Ajowan
Ammonium chloride
Asarum heterotropoides
Albizia
American Elder
Ammonium glycyrrhizinate
Aconite
Asafoetida
Andrographis paniculata
Andrographolide
Asian Bayberry
Aerva lanata
Allium (unspecified)
Alpinia (unspecified)
Asam gelugor
Apricot
Ammonium salt (unspecified)
Andrographis
Alkaloids
Amomum (unspecified)
Aresaema (unspecified)
Allyl Sulfide
Arecoline Hydrobromide
Atractylodes
alkaloid
Arabinogalactans
Adenophora
Anise
Avian (unspecified)
Arabinogalactan
Ammonium carbonate
Allium tuberosum
American Chestnut
Aniseed myrtle
Asarum sieboldii
Asparagus adscendens
Alantolactone
Atractylone
Belladonna
Black Seed
Blend (Combination)
Botanical Blend
Bengal Fig
Brandy
Batavia cinnamon
Bayleaf
Bioflavonoid
Bioflavonoids (mixed)
Betel
Beta-pinene
Brine
Basil
Baccharoides anthelmintica
Balloon-Flower
Black willow
Bicarbonate (mixed)
Bioflavonoids
Beadlets
Bicarbonate (unspecified)
black salt
Buchu (unspecified)
Berries (unspecified)
Brassica (unspecified)
British Elecampane
Buddha's Hand
Boneset
Borage
Black Pepper and White Pepper
Black Pepper
Balloon Flower
Balsam pear
Belamcanda
Bergenia
bitartrate
Blend (combination)
Cubebs
Cyperus (unspecified)
Cinnamomum loureirii
Cinnamic aldehyde
Cnidium
Cactus
Citrus (unspecified)
Citron
Coltsfoot
Citrus
Cineole
Capsaicin
Capsicum
Chinese Chive
Carrot fiber
Color (Natural & Artificial)
Capsaicinoids
Curcuminoids
Cabbage palm (not specifed)
Calamus rhizome
Cinidium
Centidepa (unspecified)
Chinese orchid
Chrysanthemum (unspecified)
Cistus
Common madia
Cubeb
Chinese Club Moss
Cowslip
chrysanthemum
Calamus
Citrus nobilis
Chinese Pine
Citrus (mixed)
Cyanthillium cinereum
Cinnamaldehyde
Costus
Chekiang Fritillary
Capsaisin
Clam
citrus spp.
Cambodium Cardamom
Chinese Cabbage
Color
Chondrus
Dihydrocapsaicin
Dendrobium fimbriatum
Dragonhead
Dioscorea nipponica
Diterpenes
Dichrostachys glomerata
Echinacea
English Ivy
Elecampane
Ephedrine
Elcampane
elderberry
esters (unspecified)
Fruit (unspecified)
Fenuside
Fritillaria (unspecified)
Fritillary
Flavonoid glycosides
Flowering quince
Fatty Acid (unspecified)
Fernbush
Finger Leaf Morning Glory
Flavoglycosides
Flavor (Natural & Artificial)
Fruit Blend
Fritillary (unspecified)
Goldenrod
Glehnia littoralis
Gelcap
Gastrodia
Garlic pear
Guava
Gingerol
Glycoside
Guaco
gum (unspecified)
Glycyrrhiza (unspecified)
glycyrrhizic acid
Grindelia
Greater galangal
Gallesia
Glehnia root
Glycyrrhetinic Acid
Gecko
Ginger oleoresin
Glycyrrhizinic acid
Galangal
Glycyrrhizin
Galanga
Ginger phenols (unspecified)
Hedychium Spicatum
Halitum
Horseradish
Hyssop
Honey
hydrogen sulfate
Hoenelen
Honey loquat syrup
Horehound
Holy Basil
Irish Moss
Inula
Isothiocyanate
Indigo pulchra
Ilex (unspecified)
Indian Elecampane
Iceland Moss
Ivy (unspecified)
Japanese Apricot
Juice (unspecified)
Japanese Kadsura
Japanese Mint
Jatoba
Javanese Long Pepper
Jujube
Khella
Korean Pine
Loquat
Lindera aggregata
Lactucarium
Licorice (unspecified)
Linden
Licorice
Licorice (various)
Lilyturf
Ligustilides
Lung
Lesser Galangal
Lindera (unspecified)
Lingustilides
Lemon
Lobelia
Large-Leaved Linden
Loblolly pine
Loranthus
Lungwort
Ligusticum
Lung
Malabar Nut
Mentha haplocalyx
Mugo Pine
Myristicin
Marsh Tea
Menthol
Malt (Barley)
Mucilage
Mandarin
Melia (unspecified)
Moroccan oregano
Mace
Morinda (unspecified)
Magnolia biondii
Molluscs
Marshmallow
Mexican oregano
Marshmallow
Madder
Mint (unspecified)
Maidenhair Fern
Malabar Nut Tree Leaf Extract
Meadow sage
Marine colloids
Ma Huang
milk
Mullein
Maple (unspecified)
Mucolase
Notopterygium
Nigella Seed
Neral
Nymphaea nouchali
Natural flavor(s)
Nutmeg & Mace
Nutmeg
Ophiopogon
Oroxylum indicum
Oxyephedrine
Osha
Osmanthus
Peppermint leaf
phenyl alkyl ketones
Pleurisy
Phellodendron
Poria Mushrooms
Piper chaba
Piperoylpiperidine
perilla
Pinellia Ternata
Prepared Aconite Tuber
Polygonatum (unspecified)
Proanthocyanidins (unspecified)
Polypodium
Platycodon
Paris polyphylla
Pelargonium (unspecified)
Pyrrosia
Piper retrofractum
Pareira
Pimpinella
Pinellia
Pubescent Angelica
Poppy
Polygonatum cirrhifolium
Phleum Pratense
Polygala
phenolics (various)
Red Spruce
Rosemary antioxidant S-32
Raspberry
Red Raspberry
Rose Hip
Ravinsara
Red Sage
Rhododendron (unspecified)
Ricinoleic acid
Sabadilla
Sichuan Pepper
Sharp-leaf galangal
Stinging Nettle
Sete sangrias
Salicylate (unspecified)
Sodium metabisulfite
Sarsaparilla
Sweet Orange
Stemona
Skunk Cabbage
Sodium Bicarbonate
Stabilizers
Safflower
Spanish Oregano
Syrup
Syrup (unspecified)
scallion
Sage-leaf alangium
Sinigrin
Shogaol
Squash (unspecified)
Sugarcane
Sodium Bicarbonate
Star Anise
Scots Pine
Southern Elder
Squill
Sedanenolide
Terpenoids
Theobromine
Tea (unspecified)
Terpene
Tea (mixed)
Turnip
Thymoquinone
Trachea
Tonka Bean
Tea (not specified)
Turtle
Terminalia (unspecified)
Trachea
Terpinolene
Tree (unspecified)
Visnea Mocanera
Varuna
Vasicine
Vladimiria souliei
Vasicinol
Vasicinone
Water Lily (unspecified)
White Rice
White Lily
Wasabia japonica
Wild Thyme
Wild Mint
White Globe-Lily
Yerba buena
Yerba Santa
Yellow Ginger
Zedoary
Zingerone
