Many pharmacists believe that cough is a symptom of the common cold. But doctors describe coughing as a nightmare for the treating physician because it may be a sign indicating diseases not related to the respiratory system.
According to Dr. Alexander Myasnikov, an acute cough often indicates bronchitis, but if a person has a cough for more than a month or has a chronic cough, the causes may not be related to respiratory diseases. There are seven cases of chronic cough for various reasons.
1 - Whooping cough , characterized by a long, dry cough. In Chinese, whooping cough is called "the hundred-day cough." Anyone who is infected with it in childhood develops lifelong immunity to it.
2 - Heart problems , a dry cough that intensifies when engaging in physical activity or when lying down, in addition to pale skin, chest pain, and shortness of breath, and these are all symptoms of heart failure.
3 - The reflux of acidic stomach contents into the esophagus . There are cough receptors in the esophagus, and the acidity that is excreted causes irritation of these receptors, which is why coughing begins. Therefore, in this case, you should take antacid medications, not cough medications.
4 - Chronic sinusitis . This disease ranks second in the causes of the spread of chronic cough, as mucus flows down the back wall of the nasopharynx, causing the urge to cough.
5 - Asthma , a dry cough is a classic sign of bronchospasm. If a person suffers from a chronic cough, especially a child, a spirometry test should be performed.
6 - Tumors : When the character of a smoker’s cough changes suddenly, and becomes in the form of seizures, and is accompanied by green-colored phlegm, with streaks of blood, and shortness of breath appears, lung diseases must be checked.
7 - Tuberculosis : Tuberculosis is considered one of the diseases that is currently widespread, because the medications that were previously used to treat it have lost their effectiveness, as a result of the emergence of new bacteria that are not affected by existing antibiotics.
How might climate change affect the human brain?
Researchers have studied the potential impact of climate change on human brain function, as environmental factors, such as extreme weather events and air pollution, can change brain structure and cognitive abilities.
In a paper published in the journal Nature Climate Change, an international team of researchers examined the ways in which research has shown that a changing environment affects how our brains work, and how climate change could affect our brain functions in the future.
The study was led by researchers from the University of Vienna in cooperation with the Universities of Geneva, New York, Chicago, Washington, Stanford and Exeter in the United Kingdom and the Max Planck Institute in Berlin.
The study indicates that environmental changes caused by climate change can lead to changes in brain development and function. Researchers are particularly concerned about the effects of extreme weather events and pollution on cognitive abilities and mental health.
The paper calls for the intersection of neuroscience and environmental studies to better understand and address these influences.
Lead researcher, Dr Kimberly C. Doyle, from the University of Vienna, said: “We have known for a long time that factors in our environment can lead to changes in the brain. However, we are only just beginning to look at how climate change, which is greater, may alter "A global threat of our time, our brains."
He added: “Given the increasingly frequent extreme weather events we are already seeing, along with factors such as air pollution, the way we access nature and the stress and anxiety people experience about climate change, it is important to understand the impact all of this can have on our lives.” "Our brains. Only then can we begin to find ways to mitigate these changes."
Since the 1940s, scientists have known from mouse studies that changing environmental factors can profoundly alter brain development and plasticity. This effect has also been seen in humans in research examining the effects of growing up in poverty, which has found disturbances in brain systems, including lack of cognitive stimulation, exposure to toxins, poor nutrition, and increased stress in childhood.
The researchers are calling for studies to explore the impact on the human brain of exposure to more extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, hurricanes, and associated wildfires and floods. They believe such events may change brain structure, function and overall health, and the team is also looking to conduct further research to evaluate how this explains changes in well-being and behaviour.
The paper also explores the role that neuroscience can play in influencing how we think about climate change, and how we respond to it.
Dr Matthew White, from the Universities of Exeter and Vienna, points out: “Both brain function and climate change are very complex areas. We need to start seeing them as interconnected, take action to protect our brains from the future realities of climate change, and start using our brains better to deal with what "It actually happens and prevents the worst scenarios."