Have Asthma. Why Does The Cough Recur? How To Avoid It?

Hello, thanks for using HCM. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that brings about constriction of small airways leading to the characteristic wheezing and cough of asthmatics. Cough is a symptom indicating an irritation of the respiratory tract. Such irritation could be a foreign body, or mucous that is produced. In asthmatics, there is a characteristic mucous production and an attempt to expel this mucous which is blocking the respiratory tract leads to cough which is mostly in the night or early mornings. Asthma is a chronic disease and the treatment depends on how advance or severe the asthma is. Mild forms require just fast acting beta mimetic drugs such as salbutamol with severe forms requiring more or less permanent steroids to reduced the inflammation. Yes steroids have side effects side such as increase weight, diabetes, hypertension reduce immunity but then all drugs potentially have side effects and are given when the potential benefits out weigh the side effects. Your father needs to be evaluated to get the severity of his asthma and to rule out an associated chest infection and then he will be prescribe drugs according to his degree of severity. In advance cases, long acting beta mimetic drugs and steroids will be given. He has to avoid getting into cold, polluted air, dust and avoid drugs that will cause broncoconstriction like propanolol. Best regards and hope this helps.