Smoker's Cough

For countless smokers, smoker's cough is a daily companion. However, the mucus-congested airways should absolutely not be ignored, as they can be the first sign of serious lung disease. Begin treating your smoker's cough as early as possible — our doctors at avi Medical are here to help.

The diagnosis of "smoker's cough" is highly individual — depending on pre-existing conditions, susceptibility, and the number of cigarettes smoked regularly by the patient. Smoker's cough never appears suddenly but develops gradually.

Smoker's cough is caused by long-term smoking (including e-cigarettes or shisha) and the associated continuous exposure of the bronchi and lungs to a wide range of toxins. The cough is caused by the following abnormalities:

• The cilia of the lungs, which normally filter inhaled particles and transport them out of the organ, become sticky and die off. The cough serves as a substitute to help transport the particles
• Nicotine consumption leads to reduced clearance of pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses from the lungs. Smokers therefore fall ill more easily and recover more slowly
• Smoking causes inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, resulting in its narrowing and increased mucus production, which is intended to serve as a protective mechanism for the lungs

You can recognise smoker's cough by the following typical symptoms:

• Chronic cough, occurring mainly in the morning
• Thick sputum with discolouration that varies depending on any accompanying conditions (usually clear at the onset of development, later turning yellow-greenish or with blood-tinged streaks)
• Shortness of breath, which can occur both on exertion and at rest
• Breathlessness
• Wheezing or crackling breath sounds
• "Expansion crackles" after getting up (a crackling breath sound caused by alveoli that have stuck together or collapsed during sleep)

Our experienced doctors are by your side at all our locations when it comes to the treatment of smoker's cough. For us, the first important step is excluding another underlying condition (such as a tumour) as the cause.

If this can be ruled out, targeted treatment of the smoker's cough follows, aimed at preventing the development of chronic bronchitis or COPD. The essential measures here include:

• Stopping smoking. This allows the cilia of the lungs to recover and regenerate
• Saline inhalations
• Expectorants (e.g. pursed-lip breathing technique)