Doctor Alexander Myasnikov: coughing clears the lungs and protects them from infections the body. The specialist spoke about why this reflex should not be suppressed in an interview with Vechernyaya Moskva.
The TV presenter noted that coughing is one of the most important reflexes of the body. According to Myasnikov, it cleans the lungs of irritants and foreign objects, and also protects them from viruses. “This is one of the main mechanisms for protecting the lungs from infections and maintaining the function of gas exchange,” the doctor emphasized.
As specified by Myasnikov, in some cases, a cough may indicate health problems. “There may be pathological reasons: disturbances in the acidity of the stomach or other things that irritate cough receptors (they are not only in the lungs, but also in the esophagus, pericardium, ears, and so on),” he said.
The specialist urged everyone who is faced with a cough to look for its causes and treat. However, according to Myasnikov, even if a cough arises in the form of a protective reflex, then it is not worth suppressing it, since after that a person can cough even more.
Previously, the TV presenter listed the possible causes of headaches in the morning. In particular, Myasnikov recommended paying attention to the position of the neck during sleep – an uncomfortable or incorrect posture can lead to this problem.