You are just out of bad flu, but the cough is still persisting even after 8 weeks. Your cough is making you weak, angry, and frustrated. You are unable to concentrate on your work. It is annoying your colleagues at work and family at home, and they are keeping a distance as they fear they may get affected too. If you are facing or have faced such a situation, then it is case of chronic cough. If you are coughing for more than 3 weeks then it is regarded as a chronic cough. You should consult your doctor, if you have any of these symptoms like having a temperature of more than 110 F, weight loss, profuse sweating during night time, wheezing sound during breathing, and coughing up phlegm and blood.
Causes
Smoking: If you are a smoker, then you are likely to have chronic cough. You must stop smoking immediately, and consult your doctor for medication and a product that replaces nicotine.
Asthma: Chronic cough is the most common symptom in asthma, especially in children. In asthma you may have cough with wheezing, which is a whistling kind of sound during breathing and shortness of breath. In mild form of asthma, only cough occurs. The cough in asthma appears due to respiratory infection, cold air exposure, and worsens due to exposure to certain perfumes and chemicals. The doctor will conduct breathing tests to evaluate your condition, and then give the appropriate treatment.
Allergies: Allergy causes post nasal drip which is mucus that goes down the throat from the back of the nose and results in cough. The allergens that cause allergy are smoke, dust, pollen, room deodorizers, cleaning agents, chemical fumes, pets, certain variety of plants, and freshly cut grass. The doctor may prescribe medication to reduce the allergy symptoms.
Heartburn: In a condition called ‘acid reflux’, the acid in the stomach goes back into the throat. This causes cough and heartburn, especially when you are in a lying down position. It is recommended that you raise the head of bed for 4 inches and avoid drinking or eating anything for a few hours before lying down. To reduce acid reflux, the doctor will prescribe over the counter medications.
Medicines: Medicines like angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors that are used for high blood pressure may cause cough. You must inform your doctor if your cough is worsening. He may prescribe another alternative medication for you.
Respiratory infection: In infections like pneumonia, flu and common cold, the cough persists for a long time. This can happen even when the infection comes down as there is inflammation in the airways of the lung.
- Chronic Bronchitis: In this condition, there is severe inflammation of the bronchial tubes in the lung which act as major airways. There is cough, wheezing, congestion, breathlessness, and the sputum is discolored. This is a sign of damages to airways and lungs. Chronic bronchitis is usually seen in chronic smokers.
- Lung Cancer: A small percentage of people with lung cancer also have chronic cough. They have a history of smoking. If you see blood in your sputum, you must consult your doctor immediately.
- Heart Failure: In heart failure, the heart is unable to pump blood to all parts which in turn results in fluid buildup in the lungs causing chronic cough.
- Bronchiectasis: This is a condition in which there is widening of bronchial tubules in the lung which affects the clearing of mucus from your lung. The symptoms include cough, breathlessness, weakness and blood in sputum.
Diagnosis
The chest X ray is used to check for any lung disease or lung cancer. In computerized Tomography (CT scan), X rays from different angles are taken, and then combined to form cross-sectional images by which the physician can check sinus cavities and the detailed view of lungs can be seen. With the help of lung function tests you can measure the amount of air the lungs can hold. In Nasal endoscopy procedure, a fiber optic tube with a camera attached to it (scope) is passed through the nostrils to check the condition of the nasal mucosa. To check for signs of acid reflux, the scope is passed into esophagus through your throat and this procedure is known as upper endoscopy. In bronchoscopy, the scope is passed through the wind pipe to check if there is any infection in the bronchial tubules.
Treatment
When the underlying cause of cough is not known, and the cough is getting uncomfortable to bear, then medications are prescribed for relief from cough. To get relief from cough, the doctor prescribes cough suppressants. To loosen mucus in the airways of lungs, expectorants are prescribed. The bronchodilators are used to relax the airways of the lungs thus reducing cough. For cough relief, you can also use a steam vaporizer that clears the airways of mucus, drink lots of water, fruit juices, and soups.
Getting rid of Cough
In ancient times, people used herbal remedies to get rid of cough. The herb Coltsfoot, licorice, slippery elm bark, marshmallow root extracts was used to treat cough since ancient times. Drinking plenty of water is recommended as it makes the mucus thin and easy to cough up. Children under 6 years of age should not be given any medication for cough as there can be serious side effects. It is advised that you consult your doctor before taking any medication. Remember that to get rid of cough you must first get rid of the underlying cause for effective treatment.
