Coughing is a symptom and not a disease. People with asthma will have symptoms when their airways are narrowed, swollen or filled with mucus, making air exchange in the lungs difficult. As a response to these symptoms, the body uses coughing to clear the airway and increase oxygen exchange. The cough reflex is a vital part of the body's defense mechanisms and the severity can vary from one asthma episode to the next.
Avoid Triggers
People who have asthma should know what their triggers are so they can be avoided both during an attack and to prevent a coughing spell. According to the Nemours Foundation website Kids Health, triggers for most people with asthma are allergens and irritants such as dust mites, pollen, mold, animal dander, cockroaches, smoke, perfume, cosmetics and cleaning solutions. Avoidance of these triggers will help reduce the incidence of cough related to asthma.
Rescue Medications
Rescue medications such as albuterol, pirbuterol, levalbuterol, bitolterol, atrovent and prednisone, are used for quick relief when a person with asthma is coughing. Family Doctor, the website of the American Academy of Family Physicians, describes quick relief medications as those that increase the diameter of the airways and make it easier to breathe. They are inhaled medications that should be used when a person with asthma is coughing, wheezing or the chest feels tight.
Change Medications
According to Net Doctor, a collaborative effort of more than 250 of Europe's leading health professionals, metered dose inhalers can induce a cough. People who suffer from asthma may have to consider changing medications to a dry powder inhaler or adding a volume spacer device to the inhaler. The additional coughing from an asthma inhaler is often related to the propellant in the medicine. By increasing the space between the inhaler and the user, the propellant has a chance to dissipate.
No Cough Medicine
Coughing is the body's way of keeping the airways open when an individual suffers from asthma. Although the cough may interrupt sleep at night, Alberta Health Services warns that cough medicine should not be used. Curbing the cough can cause the mucous to build up in the airways, create a place for bacterial growth and increase the likelihood of bacterial pneumonia. It is more important to treat the underlying asthma condition and prevent further episodes than to only address the singular symptom of coughing.
