Smoker’s throat clearing can indicate lung disease: know how to differentiate
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Pulmonologist explains when you should see a doctor for proper treatment
The throat clearing is the sensation of secretion in the throat, which usually generates the need to clear the airways through coughing. Mistakenly, it is usually seen as something normal and characteristic of advancing age, especially when it affects smokers.
The big problem with this idea is that it often delays the diagnosis of respiratory diseases that have throat clearing as one of their symptoms. Among these possible conditions are:
When to worry?
According to pulmonologist Bruna Gheller, from Hospital Policlínica Cascavel, it is necessary to seek medical help whenever the throat clearing is very frequent or accompanied by other symptoms, such as shortness of breath (dyspnea), wheezing (wheezing) and dry cough or expectoration.
At the consultation, the specialist should ask a few questions related to the symptom, in addition to performing a physical examination and an analysis of the need for spirometry, radiography or CT scan. After all, only these procedures are capable of evaluating the functioning of the lung, confirming (or not) the existence of diseases.
Importance of early detection
“The sooner the diagnosis is established, the better for the patient”, warns the doctor Bruna Gheller. According to her, this can make all the difference, especially in the treatment of COPD – a disease characterized by inflammation and progressive destruction of the airways due to contact with toxic substances, such as cigarettes.
In diseases like this, which are chronic, early detection allows for a quick start of treatment and, consequently, a reduction in the chances of complications and the rate of progression of the condition.
For this reason, it is very important to follow medical guidelines, which usually include the use of inhaled or oral medications associated with behavioral measures, such as: smoking cessation, supervised physical exercise and respiratory physiotherapy. All these factors can significantly improve the time and quality of life of patients, acting mainly in relieving symptoms.
Content for educational purposes only. Consult a Doctor.
The translator user relied on the following source:
Minha Vida Website – REF99827
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Isenção de responsabilidade – (versão em português): Este conteúdo foi preparado com base em informações de pesquisas, publicações adicionais ou no trabalho de tradução/verificação de um editor voluntário deste conselho web. Este é um serviço sem fins lucrativos. É altamente recomendável que todos os detalhes e informações publicadas sejam verificadas cuidadosamente. Nunca permitimos recomendações de medicamentos, bulas ou qualquer orientação sobre medicamentos. Nunca permitimos a política partidária como base para checagem. Para mais informações, leia nossos termos.
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