KAS / Cough

It’s a reflex or symptom, in which the air is expelled from the mouth with the sound of “Khas”. There are many variants of Cough depending upon the sound and other expellant coming from mouth. Cough is usually seen in many other diseases and also called Kas, Khansi, Phlegm, etc.

The most common symptoms are allergens which are present in the environment like dust, fumes , Cold & dry weather and sometimes due to modern life style habits like eating too much cold food or spicy food.

Types of Cough:

As per Ayurveda our body is made of 3 humors called Tridoshas vata, pitta, and kapha. The imbalance in Tridoshas cause various type of Cough. depending on which dosha is predominant the symptoms and treatment procedure of Cough varies.
In case it Cough lasts longer that convert to other serious problems like Asthma.

Vata Cough:

Vata Cough commonly known as Dry Cough. Nothing comes up from mouth with the cough and so usually called unproductive Cough. Its symptoms are Dryness in throat, Chest. Person feels urge of water even without thirsty.
The Common treatments for Vata Cough or Dry Cough is :-

• Abhyangam/ Oil message on the chest and throat region
• Enema Basti for Detoxification.
• Increase consumption of ghee in the diet .
• Avoid taking dry and cold food esp of astringent taste.

Pitta Cough:

Its productive cough with medium bouts. In This variant of Cough, patient feels Burning Sensation, loss of taste. He usually feels thirsty quite often.

The Common treatments for Pitta Cough is :-

• Modification in Lifestyle like Patient is advised to Avoid taking spicy, hot, sour, burning or corrosive food.
• Panchkarma Procedure Virechan is recommended depending upon severity.

Kaphaz Cough :

Kapaha Cough is productive type of Cough, Sputum is thick, dense and patient has lesser bouts compared to Vata and Pitta Cough. But the quantity of Sputum expectorated from the throat is higher and with lesser efforts.
Person feels heaviness in body due to low Digestive Capacity.

The Common treatments for Kapha Cough is :

• Patient are advised to avoid taking Oil, sweet food.
• They are advised for Steam inhalation .
• Drink Cinnamon, ginger, clove tea.

Other Variants

There are few other types of variants of Cough like

Kshataja Cough

This is caused due to injury in the chest region, Patient will have pain in throat and thorax. Voice resembles of pigeon cry while breathing.

Kshyaja Cough :

There will be productive cough with suptum which has foul smell, greenish and blood stained mixed with pus.