EDUCATION
VIRAL VS BACTERIAL
Viral coughs are caused by viruses
which infl ame the throat or lungs and
can last up to three weeks without
treatment. However, the body can
fi ght the infection if the immune
system is strong enough. Viral coughs
develop over a day or two and typically
worsen after two to three days. They
aff ect the throat (larynx), main airway
(trachea), or the airways leading into
the lungs (bronchi), and can lead to
laryngitis, tracheitis, or bronchitis.
Bacterial coughs mainly attack the
upper respiratory tract – the nose,
throat, and bronchi. A bacterial cough
usually results in a chest infection,
whooping cough or, in extreme cases,
tuberculosis (TB), or pneumonia.
Bacterial infections can usually be
identifi ed with a doctor’s test. For
example, a throat test can check for
What’s causing
your cough?
As irritating as it may be, coughing is the body’s way of ridding the
lungs and airways of foreign substances and mucus
C
oughs can make breathing diffi cult living inside our bodies that help with essential
and irritating. Being aware of the functions. Viruses are also microscopic beings,
cause of your cough will help you but they behave diff erently to bacteria.
treat it quickly and eff ectively, and Viruses fl ourish inside a living organism and
help restore health. The fi rst step? Knowing can live for a brief period of time outside their
whether the culprit’s a bacteria or a virus. host, like hovering in the air right after a person
Bacteria are tiny single-celled organisms. Not
all bacteria are bad, there are benefi cial bacteria
coughs. But in order to multiply they need to
settle inside a host.
the presence of the streptococcus
bacteria.
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR
Most viral coughs clear with ease, and
a little help from an eff ective cough
medication. However, a secondary
infection with germs (bacteria) can
develop, which leads to more serious
conditions like pneumonia. It’s also
easy to confuse other causes of
a cough (like asthma) with a viral
infection. It’s advisable to see a
doctor if you have high temperature,
chest pains, or consistently severe
Viral coughs
are caused by
viruses which
inflame the
throat or lungs
and can last
up to three
weeks without
treatment
headaches. Monitor breathing
patterns and if you cough up
blood and the cough persists, take
immediate action with the advice of a
health practitioner.
TACKLING COUGHS
WITH TREATMENT
Many people resort to antibiotics
when they have an infection. However,
antibiotics won’t work to ease a cough
caused by a virus. They may even
make symptoms worse, as they cause
side-eff ects like diarrhoea and rashes.
If you test positive for a bacterial
throat or lung infection, your doctor
will usually treat it with antibiotics:
medicine that specifi cally inhibits
the growth of bacteria. However, be
weary of antibiotics in killing bacteria
completely as they can also destroy
natural bodily mechanisms that
protect the body from diseases,
resulting in a compromised immune
system as a whole.
Pharmacy Magazine MAY 2017 |
17