Korean medicine help treat chronic cough

By Lee Sung-hun

This year, the number of chronic cough patients appears to be higher than usual, be it children or adults.

Some may have contracted colds a couple of weeks ago and after taking the medications all other symptoms have alleviated except for coughing.

Others may have consistent light coughs as a symptom of allergic rhinitis due to all the pollen and micro-dust of the season. When the coughing is severe, it can also trigger gag reflexes.

Although most cough symptoms do get better naturally with the passage of time, if you are experiencing consistent coughing for more than three weeks, it is advisable to visit a clinic as there are a variety of causes that can contribute to coughing.

Most commonly, chronic coughing is caused when the nasal discharge or other secretions from a viral infection such as a cold, or sinusitis, or allergic rhinitis trickles to the back of the throat.

This is generally called post nasal drip syndrome or an upper airway cough syndrome, the main culprit of which this year is likely to be seasonal allergic rhinitis.

Allergic rhinitis is an over-response from the body’s immune system to specific allergens, whose general symptoms include sneezing, clear nasal discharge and itchy eyes and noses.

With some patients, slight coughs are the only apparent symptoms because the patients feel itchy and prickling sensations in the back of the throat which appear to be alleviated with the coughing.

Asthma can also cause chronic coughing.

Typically, asthma is present with some combinations of coughing, difficulty in breathing and wheezing, but one form of asthma called cough variant asthma (CVA) is present solely with coughing.

CVA patients experience attacks of dry coughs – coughs with little or no mucus – and the coughs tend to worsen at night.

Coughing may also follow or be aggravated following a cold, or a respiratory infection, or after being exposed to an allergen or even cold air.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can also lead to chronic coughs.

When gastroesophageal reflux occurs, it stimulates the cough receptors in the lower esophageal area resulting in coughing. While in western countries, it accounts for ten to twenty percent of chronic cough patients, the number is lower among Korean patients.

While a typical GERD patient complains of the sensation of reflux, heartburn, chest pain and sour taste, many GERD patients experience only the coughing.

Some heart conditions can be present with difficulty of breathing or dry coughing.

With such patients experiencing chronic coughs, lying down can aggravate the coughing while sitting up does the opposite.

There are some widely available food items known to be effective in treating coughs, which are also Hanyak medicinal ingredients such as bellflower roots, big blue lilyturf, schisandra berries (or more commonly known as “five-flavor-berry”) and quince fruit.

Bellflower roots – the very same root vegetables found in bibimbap – are effective in treating coughs and expunging sputum.

Big blue lilyturf in a medicinal ingredient that supplements the yin-qi of the lungs and have been used as a common ingredient for prescriptions to treat coughs.

Schisandra berries, commonly taken infused in a tea, has warm characteristics without being dry that helps the lungs, and they can improve your energy and help you recover from fatigue.

Quince fruits also treat coughs and sputum and they can alleviate muscle soreness and indigestion.

As a chronic cough can be caused by a variety of underlying factors, the treatment of it accordingly will vary.

Traditional Korean medicine can also be an effective option in addressing those underlying conditions to alleviate chronic cough and if you suffer from chronic cough, a visit to your local clinic is recommended.

The writer practices Oriental medicine at the UN Oriental Medical Clinic in Hannam-dong, Seoul.