Coughing non-stop, use cough patch? Beware of chemical burns

Audit expert: Peng Guoqiu

Deputy Chief Physician, Fourth Medical Center, PLA General Hospital

Respiratory diseases are common in autumn and winter, and people always cough. After taking some medicine and feeling that it is not very effective, some people will choose to stick "cough patches" on the corresponding acupuncture points. However, if this type of plaster is used improperly, it is easy to have the opposite effect; skin redness, swelling, burning pain, blistering... this is a burn!

In addition to cough suppressants, it is also popular among the people to apply Sanfu plasters during the dog days of summer, which "violently attack" certain acupoints to achieve the effects of removing dampness, regulating the functions of internal organs, and restoring the balance of yin and yang.

"Through the stimulation of meridians and acupoints and the penetration and absorption of drugs, it can stimulate the Qi in the whole body, invigorate the corresponding organ functions of the human body, achieve the effect of dredging the inside and outside, dredge the meridians, promote the smooth flow of Qi and blood, and regulate the functions of the internal organs." The cough patches and Sanfu patches circulating on the market have clearly stated that they have very excellent therapeutic effects on chronic diseases of the respiratory system.

Be careful about allergies

The medicinal materials of this type of Chinese herbal plaster may contain ginger, cinnamon, white mustard, ephedra and other inflammatory drugs, which can easily penetrate the skin to achieve therapeutic effects, but they are also prone to cause skin allergies. People with allergies are prone to rashes, skin redness, swelling, itching and other symptoms after use.

If the plaster is applied for several days, or is not washed between applications, it may induce allergies or even contact dermatitis. The patient will develop a red spot with the same shape as the plaster and clear boundaries, accompanied by severe itching, and blisters may occur in severe cases. At this time, patients with mild symptoms should wash the affected area, reduce contact and friction with the affected skin, and stop using any plasters before recovery; patients with severe symptoms, such as blisters or even ulcers, must go to the hospital for treatment.

Ointments can also cause burns

Some ingredients used in cough and fu stickers are irritating. Many people also believe that the tingling, burning, or discomfort after applying fu stickers are normal drug reactions, which means they are effective. Some people dare not tear off the stickers easily in order to achieve the "effect", but they do not know that this will cause more serious harm to the body.

The picture shows a patient who suffered from redness, swelling, itching and scarring due to Sanfutie

In the formula of this type of ointment, white mustard, ginger juice and other medicinal materials that are highly irritating to the skin act as "foaming agents". Many people believe that redness and blistering of the skin indicate that the drug is effective. The role of the patch is that the drug enters the human body by stimulating and destroying the skin barrier, stimulating the body's immune regulation mechanism.

But this is not the effect of the medicine, but a reaction of the skin being irritated. If such ointment contacts the skin for a long time, it is easy to cause drug rash, irritant dermatitis and chemical burns.

Similar symptoms, different causes

They are all symptoms of cough, but in fact they are caused by different reasons. It is not scientific to use the same treatment to treat these diseases with different causes.

Bronchial asthma: It can be caused by allergic reactions or airway hyperresponsiveness (generally refers to the situation where the trachea is particularly sensitive and inhaling cold air can also induce asthma). The situation of each patient is different;

Chronic bronchitis and emphysema: Chronic airway inflammation often causes bronchial deformation, leading to symptoms such as cough, sputum, and wheezing;

Cold: Cold is caused by various viruses, such as Coxsackie virus, influenza virus, rhinovirus, etc.

These chronic diseases are generally characterized by long-term, recurrent, lingering, and easy relapse. Some patients always feel that the treatment of chronic diseases is too slow and the effect is not obvious, so they either tolerate and let it go or hope to get immediate results and eradicate the disease. This mentality is quite undesirable. For the above diseases, the scientific treatment method should be to treat them rationally and cooperate with doctors.

Use according to syndrome differentiation and seek medical treatment promptly

For long-term and easily relapsing diseases such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, and cor pulmonale, patients often hope to find a permanent treatment, but such a treatment has not yet been found.

After the appearance of cough patches and Sanfu patches, they have been enthusiastically sought after by a large number of patients due to their low price, (basically) painless treatment, and their claim to be "targeted" for this type of chronic diseases.

You should know that coughing is a defensive nerve reflex of the body and a way of self-protection. It is conducive to clearing respiratory secretions. You should not blindly pursue coughing. Generally speaking, as the condition improves, the cough will heal itself. Therefore, before using cough stickers or Sanfu stickers, it is best to follow the doctor's advice.