Many parents see that their child''s cough will be tense. They are always used to link "cough" and "disease" together. This is because parents do not understand why their children cough. Today, I will lead my parents to walk into the medical hall with me to understand the mystery of "coughing".

　　Cough is not a disease, just One symptom is a physiological reflex process of the body. This reflex is a very complex neurophysiological reflex process. For thousands of years, medical workers have always wanted to find the "secret" of human cough reflexes. However, there are many difficulties in human body research. Therefore, the current medical community mainly comes through the research of guinea pigs, rats and rabbits. Understand the "cough reflex" process.

How does our "cough reflex" happen?

　　There is a magical "cough reflex arc" in our body. This reflex arc includes four parts: (1 ) Cough receptors. (2) Afferent nerve of cough reflex. (3) Medullary cough center. (4) Efferent nerve of cough reflex. It is this "cough reflex arc" that allows us to see the action of coughing. This action is: the human body inhales violently and forcefully, and then the glottis closes, and the intercostal muscles and diaphragm contract vigorously, which can build up a lung pressure of about 40kPa (kPa). Then the glottis opened suddenly, and the diaphragm contracted quickly and forcefully, so that the gas in the lungs rushed out of the respiratory tract at a high speed, ejecting the substances adhered to the mucosa of the respiratory tract, forming a cough and sputum.

　　The study found that there are five types of cough receptors (slow adaptation to stretch receptors, fast adaptation to stretch, lung C-fiber receptors, bronchial C-fiber receptors, neuroendocrine bodies) distributed on the human respiratory tract mucosa ). These receptors are like the organs in the secret room. When the outside cold air, dust, smoke or foreign objects touch these "organs", they stimulate the nerve terminal receptors, and excite the cough center of the medulla oblongata through the afferent nerves. The cough center sends out impulses, and efferent nerves act on the intercostal muscles, the diaphragm, and the glottis to cause a cough. Changes or malfunctions in any part of the above cough reflex arc will cause coughing actions to be impaired.

In addition to the respiratory tract, cough receptors may also be present in tissues and organs such as the nose, paranasal sinuses, pharynx, ear, pleura, stomach, pericardium, and diaphragm. When these places are stimulated, they can also cause coughing. There is currently controversy about whether there is a cough center, and it is unclear where the brain "feels" cough, and how the cortex and brainstem interact to affect the exact mechanism of cough. Cortical control is mainly manifested as suppression of cough and spontaneous cough. The way to control autonomous cough and induce cough is the same, so even professional doctors sometimes have difficulty distinguishing between physiological cough and visceral disease-induced cough

　　 From a certain perspective, we can In this way, coughing, like our swallowing, hiccups, and peeing, is relatively unique and normal. There is no need to panic. We want to thank our body for this magical "cough reflex", because its existence gives our body such a powerful protective function, so that our body is so healthy and safe.

In the face of cough, what we need to know is that the cough reflex can last for days or even months. The cough associated with the most common acute respiratory infection lasts about a few days, and most of them disappear after inflammation control. At this time, we do not need to panic and panic at all, the cough is not serious, and we do not need cough medicine at all; and when the cough continues to be violent, affecting sleep or eating, or the cough lasts for more than 4 weeks, it is time for us Attracted attention. Parents, don’t give your child any medicine, especially antibiotics. You must use safe and appropriate cough medicine with the help of a professional doctor.