As we enter the colder months across the subcontinent, we experience a phenomenon called temperature inversion - where the difference between the day and night temperatures is quite a bit. It leads to higher than usual pollutants being trapped in the atmosphere. The result, for many of us, is bouts of coughing.
A cough is a reflex action that clears your airway of irritants and mucus. There are two types of cough: productive and non-productive. A productive cough produces phlegm or mucus, clearing it from the lungs. A non-productive cough, also known as a dry cough, doesn’t produce phlegm or mucus.
While pollution is just one cause, many things — from allergies to acid reflux — can cause a dry cough. In some cases, there’s no obvious cause. Regardless, an ongoing dry cough can seriously impact your day-to-day life, especially if it’s worse at night. Let’s examine a few of the common causes:
Asthma: Coughing is a common symptom of asthma, but it’s usually not the most prominent one. However, there is a type of asthma called Cough Variant that includes a chronic dry cough as its main symptom.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a type of chronic acid reflux. It happens when stomach acid regularly flows back up into your esophagus, which connects your mouth to your stomach. Stomach acid can irritate your esophagus and trigger your cough reflex.
Postnasal drip: Postnasal drip refers to extra mucus dripping down your throat. When you have a cold or seasonal allergy, the membranes in your nose respond by producing more mucus than usual. Unlike healthy mucus, this mucus is watery and runny, so it drips easily down the back of your throat. Postnasal drip can tickle the nerves in the back of your throat, triggering a cough. The treatment for postnasal drip will depend on what’s causing it. It’s usually the result of allergies, a bacterial infection, or a virus.
Viral infection: When you contract one of the many viruses that cause the common cold, your short-term symptoms usually last less than a week. It’s not uncommon, however, for a cough to linger long after your other symptoms have improved.
These post-cold coughs are usually dry and can last for up to 2 months. They’re usually the result of irritation in your airway, which is often overly sensitive after a viral illness.
This type of cough is difficult to treat and often requires time and patience. Coughing only increases the irritation in your airway, so try using throat lozenges and warm liquids to soothe your throat. This may help you cough less, giving your airway a chance to heal.
Dry cough and COVID-19
One of the most common early symptoms of COVID-19 is a dry cough. This is experienced by 60 to 70 per cent.
One can fight dry cough with medication as prescribed by doctors or with home remedies; however, it is always better to get a checkup if the ailment continues for more than a week as it may be a sign of something more serious - particularly - lung or heart related issues.
Whatever protocol prescribed, it is always good to complement the healing with a technique that has no side effects. One such technique is “yoga-Mudra” or yogic hand gestures. Mudra is a Sanskrit word that means 'gesture' or 'attitude.' Mudra refers to a variety of body postures that are mostly used for relaxation. It originated from yoga. It is a type of yoga which can be easily understood and done. It is a style of yoga that is simple to learn and practice that even kids can do without any difficulty.
Two mudras work best for dry cough - Shunya mudra and Ling Mudra.
Shunya Mudra
Shunya mudra is a simple yoga gesture that is performed to reduce the space element (Akasha) in the body. It's a hand (hasta) mudra, and it's one of several therapeutic mudras with healing powers.
How to do the mudra
Sit on the mat in Padmasana or Sukhasana
Keep your spine, back, and neck straight
Place both your palms on the knees
While performing the mudra, the palms should be facing upwards
Fold your middle finger towards the palm
Place your thumb on the top of the middle finger and keep the rest of the fingers straight
Slowly close your eyes and maintain a normal breathing rate
Stay in this position for about five minutes before returning to normal
Linga Mudra
Linga Mudra is a powerful gesture against dry cough. It increases the body's fire element, generating heat in the body. This mudra can help reduce the production of a cough.
How to do the mudra
Interlock your fingers on both the hands
Keep the left thumb straight
Let the right thumb encircle the left thumb
Duration for both the mudras
These mudras can be done at any time of the day. You can start by doing these mudras for five minutes. To achieve effective results, stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and fluids.
(There are over 350 health problems that can be prevented/cured with mudras. To know more visit www.artofselfhealing.in)
