Contents:
- Medical Video: Asthma Symptoms & Treatments : Chronic Asthma Cough in Children
- Cough-variant asthma symptoms
- Causes of cough-variant asthma
- Diagnose cough-variant asthma
- Cough-variant asthma treatment
Medical Video: Asthma Symptoms & Treatments : Chronic Asthma Cough in Children
Cough-variant asthma (CVA) is a type of asthma whose main symptoms are dry cough and not phlegm. A cough without phlegm means there is no mucus in the throat. People with CVA usually do not have other asthma symptoms, such as wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. CVA is a common diagnosis in children, and usually continues to develop asthma afterwards.
Cough-variant asthma symptoms
CVA is sometimes called a chronic cough because it can last up to 6-8 weeks. Coughing with asthma can appear both morning and night. If you experience asthma at night, it will disturb your sleep. People with CVA usually realize that their cough increases with activity, called exercise-induced asthma. Coughing may increase during exposure to triggers of asthma or allergic substances such as dust, or sharp aromas, or when in cold air.
Causes of cough-variant asthma
CVA causes are difficult to know because there are too many conditions that can cause it, such as respiratory infections, but when the cough lasts for more than a few weeks without any infection, the doctor may suspect that it is CVA. In addition, coughing that starts after someone starts beta-blockers is easier to experience CVA. Beta-blockers are drugs to treat high blood pressure, liver pain, liver failure, migraines, palpitations, and other conditions. Beta-blockers are also found in eye drops to treat glaucoma and other eye problems. These eye drops can cause asthma symptoms, including coughing. Sensitivity to aspirin can be another cause of coughing in asthma.
Diagnose cough-variant asthma
A diagnosis of CVA can be difficult because coughing can be the only symptom, and the cough itself can appear due to bronchitis or cough associated with a cold. If you experience a chronic, dry cough, which means there is no phlegm or mucus, your doctor may recommend checking lung function to determine if you have CVA. Examination can be X-rays and spirometry. Spirometry involves how much air you can exhale after taking a deep breath, and how fast you can empty your lungs. Asthma examination uses a device called a spirometer to measure.
If the results of your lung function tests still don't show the final results, you may have to do a methacholine check to see how your lungs work. On this examination, you will be given an increasing dose of the methacholine drug to breathe in and then the doctor will check your lung function. If you have asthma, methacholine can trigger wheezing when breathing. People with normal lung function will only show little reaction or not at all.
Another way to diagnose CVA is to treat the cough with asthma treatment. If the cough gets worse during treatment, you will be diagnosed with CVA.
Cough-variant asthma treatment
Treatment for CVA is actually the same as normal asthma - inhaled steroids every day or every other day for daily control, plus short-acting bronchodilators as rescue inhalers when symptoms appear. You usually see gradual progress in asthma symptoms after 6-8 weeks.
Some people with CVA find that using an inhaler actually stimulates reflexes from coughing. If that happens, taking oral steroids such as Prednisone should be taken for about a week, then steroids can be tried again. Another type of asthma treatment called leukotriene modifier can also be useful for dealing with CVA.
In addition, like other types of asthma, people with CVA must protect themselves by avoiding things that are indicated to cause coughing to appear. A common trigger for CVA is cold air, allergens, and exercise.
