If you experience symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath, then these are well-known symptoms of asthma, and they do not appear equally. One of the not so familiar varieties of asthma is cough variant asthma where the main symptom or the sole symptom is the persistent cough. It is not stated in the usual features of asthma and is often overlooked and mistaken with cough or infection. It can eventually progress into normal asthma in the long run when untreated. One has to know its causes, symptoms, and ways to manage it to control early and live a long and healthy respiratory life.


What Is Cough Variant Asthma?

Cough variant asthma is asthma in which cough is the chief persisting symptom, there are no other symptoms such as wheezing and chest tightness. The cough is usually dry and non-productive and may take months or even weeks. The condition is also known as chronic cough asthma since cough is persistent in more than eight weeks in adults and four weeks in children. The hidden issue is airway inflammation and hypersensitivity, just like standard asthma, just that the airway exhibits less symptoms and only coughing.


Key Symptoms of Cough Variant Asthma

Symptoms of unconventional asthma are subtle and can be ignored. Common signs include:


  • Prolonged dry cough with many weeks.
  • Night-time/early morning cough is exacerbated.
  • Exercise induced cough, cough on exposure to cold air or laughter.
  • No most cases of mucus production.
  • Short-term alleviation using asthma drugs.

This type has been commonly referred to as dry cough asthma since usually there is lack of phlegm, which complicates the differentiation between this type and other respiratory complications.


Causes and Triggers

Cough variant asthma is similar to classic asthma in terms of the causes and effects of the disease; it is caused by airway inflammation and hyper responsiveness. Ordinarily, they are precipitated by:


  • Contact with allergens like dust mites, pollen or pet dander
  • Weather change or cold air
  • Respiratory infections
  • Air pollution and smoke
  • Physical exertion
  • Such strong smells or fumes

Some of the cough variant asthma triggers may lead to coughing without wheezing hence this makes the condition not to be noticed at all over a long period.


Read More: What Are The Causes of Asthma - Symptoms and Prevention


How Cough Variant Asthma Is Diagnosed?

The diagnosis is sometimes tricky since the typical symptoms of asthma are not always observed. Physicians typically depend on a complex of medical history, tests, and treatment response. The methods of diagnosis include:


  • Cough duration review and pattern.
  • Tests of lung functions (spirometry)
  • Meth choline challenge test to determine sensitivity of airways.
  • Experiment with asthma drugs to see improvement.
  • Chest X-ray to eliminate other conditions.

A night-predominant cough, alternatively known as night cough asthma is an important sign that assists physicians to put into consideration this diagnosis.


Treatment Options

The treatment objectives include a reduction of airway inflammation and the avoidance of coughing. The Cough variant asthma treatment resembles the classic asthma treatment and is more attentive to the long-run control, as compared to the quick-fix. The most common treatments are:


  • Inflammatory-reducing inhaled corticosteroids.
  • Bronchodilators relax airway muscle.
  • Control of allergic responses: leukotrienes modifiers.
  • Symptom relief inhalers Short-acting sympathomimetic inhalers (SSIs).

The cough can take some weeks before it improves and therefore treatment may have to be done over a few weeks before an improvement can be observed.


Lifestyle and Home Management

Besides medical care, lifestyle modification is important in terms of controlling symptoms and eliminating a flare-up. Helpful strategies include:


  • Elimination of known allergens and irritants.
  • Using air purifiers indoors
  • Cold or polluted environments in cold or polluted areas, wear a mask.
  • Indoor humidity levels should be maintained.
  •  Engaging in breathing exercises.
  • Exercising and maintaining physical activities with adequate warming up.

Regular management is used to decrease the airway sensitivity and long-term control.


Complications If Left Untreated

The disregard of cough variant asthma may result into deterioration of respiratory health. As time passes, un-treated airway inflammation can develop into the classic asthma having more serious symptoms. The possible complications are:


  • Wheezing and dyspnoea develop.
  • Reduced lung function
  • Nocturnal coughing with impaired sleep.
  • Greater vulnerability to asthma attacks.
  • Lower quality of life

These risks are mitigated at an early stage of diagnosis and treatment.


When to See a Doctor?

It should be medically checked when a cough continues after several weeks or disrupts the normal life. You need to visit a doctor when:


  • The duration of cough is more than 6-8 weeks.
  • It exacerbates at night or as a result of exercise.
  • Non-prescription cough medicine is unsuccessful.
  • You are allergic or asthmatic.
  • The cough impacts on sleep or work.

Early consultation eliminates the developmental stage and results in proper therapy.


Prevention Tips

Although it is not always possible to prevent asthma, it is possible to decrease symptoms with the help of triggers. Prevention strategies involve:


  • Detecting and preventing individual triggers.
  • Maintaining indoor settings to be clean and dust free.
  • Prevention of allergies.
  • Evading smoking and secondhand smoking.
  • Vaccination against diseases of the respiratory system.

Prevention has been shown to lower the flare-ups and enhance respiratory stability in the long run.


Conclusion

Cough variant asthma is a small, but important type of asthma which comes in the form of persistent cough. It is misdiagnosed, or even ignored as it is not typical in symptoms. Early identification of the signs, knowledge of triggers and early initiation of adequate treatment can help avert complications and escalate to a higher form of asthma. Through medical treatment and management of lifestyle, people are able to manage the symptoms and lead a good quality of life.


Please book an appointment with the best Pulmonologist in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad and all major cities of Pakistan through Instacare, or call our helpline 03171777509 to find a certified doctor for your illness.