Cough Therapy (Breathing Therapy)

Chronic cough is a health issue that impacts many individuals’ lives and can often be a symptom of an underlying medical condition. However, alongside medical treatments, non-pharmacological approaches can also be beneficial in managing this condition.

Cough therapy, also known as breathing therapy, can be performed in conjunction with or as an adjunct to pharmacological treatments, following a detailed clinical evaluation. This treatment is a learned technique that helps control the urge to cough. Known by various names such as respiratory retraining or cough suppression physiotherapy, this technique is taught by specialists. Studies indicate that up to 80% of patients who have tried and failed existing medical treatments can benefit from this type of training.

This therapy is tailored to the patient’s specific cough condition. It involves working on cough triggers to identify the causes of the patient’s cough and control the urge to cough, including treating co-occurring functional disorders such as muscle tension dysphonia and paradoxical vocal fold movement. Patients need to understand that suppressing their cough is safe and that unproductive coughs offer no benefit and can even have negative side effects. Furthermore, it is important for them to be aware of coughs caused by cough hypersensitivity.

Breathing Therapy is a lesser-known and underutilized treatment method that can be beneficial for many chronic cough patients. When applied correctly, it can help patients control their urge to cough and improve their quality of life.