Nervous cough manifests itself as a common cough, but is mainly caused by stress and anxiety. Let’s see what are the typical symptoms and what are the most useful remedies to get through.
The nervous cough is a real psychosomatic symptom, it is therefore a disorder that has a psychological nature but that really affects our body. Often there is a tendency to confuse it with the cough triggered by bacterial or viral infections and it is not uncommon for the person to consume significant quantities of drugs without obtaining any results.
This psychogenic cough manifests itself as any cough, but is actually caused by stress and anxiety. This means that it becomes an alarm signal that needs its interpretation and understanding.
Indeed, there are many symbolic meanings that can be associated with this symptomatic picture. The nervous cough could express an attempt to expel something harmful and toxic to our health, removing worries and problems that cause suffering. It could become the metaphor for a repressed anger that the person cannot openly express. Then that cough is as if it puts the signature in an unpleasant context, where one does not feel seen enough or where, on the contrary, one is the outlet for the frustrations of others.
That rumbling, that dry and irritated way of making one’s voice heard in a distorted way, becomes a megaphone to shout to the world that there is something wrong and that needs to be changed. The nervous cough affects adults and children indistinctly, but often the symptom is underestimated in its psychological essence. This in fact only extends its duration for months, if not years, until it is associated with its real cause.
The symptoms of nervous cough are identical to those of a common bacterial or viral infection in the respiratory tract. In reality, clinical tests always have normal values and do not reveal any organic problems. The person may warn:
Dry, persistent and continuous cough that worsens in times of tension and stress;
Feeling of discomfort in the throat which can lead to repeatedly lightening the voice;
Difficulty breathing fluidly.
The frequency and intensity of symptoms will vary from person to person. Often there are no problems during the night, while in other cases one is awakened with a start by acute episodes of cough.
How to recognize that it is actually a nervous cough
The main criterion for distinguishing between nervous cough and organic cough is given by the negativity of clinical tests. If there is no evidence of infections, inflammations, specific medical conditions or allergic conditions in progress that can explain the episodes of cough, you are most likely faced with a psychosomatic form. In these cases it will be necessary to carry out an evaluation on the conditions of anxiety and stress in order to understand how to intervene.
Main causes of nervous cough
Like all symptoms of an anxious nature, the causes of nervous cough are to be found in purely psychological reasons. Often there are evident worsening in connection with highly stressful events, such as job interviews or university exams. In the specific case of children, the cough could be particularly irritating during the school year, perhaps in the presence of specific situations and people.
When the nervous cough becomes a clinical problem
The nervous cough may need targeted intervention when it tends to present itself with a certain insistence and when causes of organic origin have been excluded a priori. In fact, if the symptoms become a way to express one’s malaise, in all likelihood the person will already be experiencing a period of intense stress that in the long run can weaken the body. Seeking help from a therapist could help you understand how to heal your emotional wounds, improving your daily life.
Nervous cough: what to do? Natural tips and remedies
In the case of a nervous cough, natural remedies help to alleviate the symptoms, allowing you to eliminate, or at least to mitigate, those sudden attacks that often become a source of embarrassment in comparison with each other. In any case, to get rid of the nervous cough, you need to act at the root of the problem, therefore going to eliminate the sources of anxiety and stress .
In addition, if the symptoms occur excessively and for a long time, we recommend that you contact your doctor, who will indicate the most suitable therapy for you. Let’s try now to see what are the main remedies for psychosomatic cough, effective especially in mild or moderate cases.
1) Phytotherapy
There are several herbs that can calm the cough. Rosemary, chamomile, hawthorn and mugwort can be taken in the form of herbal tea or essential oils. Good results can also be obtained with scleranto, passiflora and valerian. These plants are able to promote a sedative and relaxing state.
2) Homeopathy
Although the effectiveness of homeopathic remedies is now widely debated, for completeness of information we report the generally recommended remedies for treating nervous cough. Among these we find Gelsemium, Ambrea grisea and Argentum Nitricum, three plants that would act on anxious states. To act specifically on stress, the Acidum phosphoricum plant is recommended. Before experimenting with this type of remedy, it is advisable to consult a doctor experienced in this discipline.
3) Password: relax
To achieve a condition of balance and inner calm, Autogenic Training, Visualization and Guided Imagination exercises, Muscle Relaxation and Controlled Breathing can be practiced. Find experts in your city who can bring you closer to the world of relaxation to immediately experience the benefits.
4) Eliminate sources of anxiety
If the causes are to be attributed to excess stress, the living environment must be remedied from all those situations that cause malaise. If you live in a context where you are always under pressure, it is essential to try to change relationships.
5) Dare to do more
Those who suffer from psychosomatic forms often find it difficult to freely express emotions and thoughts. In this way the body becomes a vehicle of messages to the outside. Start to assert in a decisive way what you want, try to ask for what you deserve, walk with your head held high and be sure of yourself. It is a demanding and gradual path of change, but it will improve the quality of your life.
