A form of violent exhalation by which irritant particles in the airways can be expelled. Stimulation of the cough reflexes results in the glottis being kept closed until a high expiratory pressure has built up, which is then suddenly released.
The act of coughing serves as a vital mechanism to disintegrate pulmonary secretions, facilitating the subsequent suctioning or expulsion of mucus from the respiratory passages. Patients adopt an upright posture and engage in deep inhalation through the nasal passages, followed by forceful exhalation in a series of abrupt exhalations or coughs. This cyclical process of coughing is repeated multiple times throughout the day.