Cough with phlegm, also known as wet cough, and acute wet cough are mostly due to infections, commonly bronchitis and pneumonia.
Chronic wet cough has a complex etiology. The main cause of chronic wet cough in children aged 1 year and older is upper airway cough syndrome, while the main cause of chronic wet cough in children younger than 1 year is prolonged bacterial bronchitis.
In addition, asthma combined with upper airway cough syndrome or infection, bronchiectasis, prolonged or chronic pneumonia, pertussis and pertussis-like syndrome, tracheobronchial tuberculosis, and tracheobronchial foreign bodies can also cause chronic wet cough.
The principles of treatment are
Etiological treatment: the cause is clarified as much as possible and treated for the cause; unknown causes can be treated empirically according to the order of common and rare causes.
Anti-infective treatment: with evidence of pathogenic infection, consider the use of sensitive antibacterial drugs.
Expectorant treatment: expectorant is the mainstay and cough suppressant is supplementary; cough suppressants should not be applied to infants.
Anti-airway inflammatory therapy: In the presence of airway inflammation and allergic disease, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic therapy may be chosen.
Follow-up and re-evaluation: After treatment, follow-up should be promptly conducted and the diagnosis and treatment should be re-evaluated if there is no significant relief of symptoms.