Cough Therapy (Breathing Therapy)

Chronic cough is a health issue that affects many people and can often be a sign of an underlying medical condition. However, in addition to medical treatments, non-pharmacological methods can also help in managing this condition.

Cough therapy, also known as breathing therapy, can be conducted alongside or in addition to medical treatments following a detailed clinical evaluation. This therapy involves techniques that are taught to help control the cough reflex. It is known by various names such as respiratory retraining or cough suppression physiotherapy, and it is taught by specialists. Studies have shown that up to 80% of patients who have tried and failed with existing medical treatments can benefit from this type of training.

The therapy is tailored to the patient’s cough condition. It involves working on cough triggers to identify the causes of the cough and control the cough reflex, as well as addressing other functional disorders such as muscle tension dysphonia and paradoxical vocal fold movement. Patients need to understand that suppressing their coughs is safe and that non-productive coughs have no benefit and can even have negative side effects. It is also important for them to be aware of coughs caused by cough hypersensitivity.

Breathing therapy is a lesser-known and less commonly used treatment method that can be beneficial for many chronic cough patients. When properly applied, it can help patients control their cough reflex and improve their quality of life.