Why will my cough not disappear?

A persistent cough can be embarrassing, especially if people think you have Kanid.

Coughing can often make you physically tired, disturb your sleep AND Cause urinary incontinence. As a general doctor, I even treated patients whose repeated forceful cough caused stress fractures in ribs.

So why some coughing for so long? Here are some of the most common causes – and signs should be checked something more stern.

Why are we coughing?

The cough reflex is an significant protective mechanism. Raw air excretion helps to remove the lungs and protect them from irritants, infections and the risk of choke.

Some people who have long -term conditions, such as chronic bronchitis or bronchitis, I have to cough often. This is due to the fact that lung cilia-hair reminiscent of hair that move mucus, debris and germs-no longer operate to immaculate the lungs.

Damp or “productive” cough cough Lots of mucus.

The cough can also be dehydrated or “needless“

Causes of chronic cough

AND The cough is considered chronic When it lasts more than eight weeks in adults or four weeks in children.

. The three most common causes If:

• Post-Nasal drip (where the mucus drips on the back of the nose to the throat)
• asthma
• Acid reflux from the stomach.

They often go together. One examination It was found that 23% of people with chronic cough had two of these conditions, and 3% had all three.

It makes sense – people are more likely expand Both asthma and hayfever (allergic nasal inflammation). Hayfever is probably Main reason indefinite drip after the nose.

Meanwhile, prolonged, energetic cough can also Cause of refluxProbably causing further coughing.

Chronic cough is the main symptom of two other conditions, although there may be more difficult to diagnose: Asthma cough and eosinophilic bronchitis. Both conditions tread. However, they do not improve quickly with Ventolina (standard test of asthma diagnosis clinic).

Cough after respiratory infections

Cough It can also last a long time viral or bacterial infection. In children with colds, one Systematic review It was found that over 90% took over 90% to be free from coughing.

After infection a cough Hypersensitivity may develop Thanks to inflammatory respiratory tract and excessively reacting cough receptors. Even minor irritating will then cause a cough reflex.

The body’s reaction to infection makes mucus more sticky – And more complex for worked, recovering cilia to immaculate. Allergens in the air can also easily penetrate the damaged lining of the upper respiratory tract.

This can cause an unsuccessful feedback loop, which slows down the recovery of the body after infection. Excessive and useless cough tends to further fatigue of returning cilia and irritates the lining of the respiratory tract.

Can I still have an infection?

When the cough remains, a common problem is whether secondary bacterial infection He followed the first viral infection that requires antibiotics.

Simply cutting off yellow or green phlegm is not enough to say.

To diagnose a stern chest infection, your doctor will consider a whole picture of symptoms. For example, regardless of whether you also have shortness of breath, deteriorating with fever or your lungs make abnormal sounds through a stethoscope.

The possibility of unrecognized asthma or allergies should also be considered.

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Read more: Check health: Why do I have a cough and what can I do about it?

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What does persistent cough treat?

People with persistent cough, who are otherwise vigorous, can request and will be rewritten Antibiotics. But they rarely shorten how long the cough lasts, because irritation – not infection – is the main cause of cough.

The most effective treatments for moving sticky mucus from the respiratory tract are straightforward: salt sprays and nose washing, steam inhalation and medicinal Sore throat.

Honey also shown To reduce throat irritation and the need for coughing.

The effectiveness of the cough syrup is less bright. Since these mixtures have potential side effects, they should be used carefully.

Signs of something more stern

Sometimes a cough that does not disappear can be a sign of a stern state, including lung cancer or unusual infections. Fortunately, they are not common.

To exclude them, Australia Chronic guidelines for coughing Recommend x -rays and spirometry (which tests the volume and lung flow) for anyone who presents to the doctor with chronic cough.

You should seek quick medical assist if, In addition Down Your coughYou:

• cough
• produce a lot
• Breath is very lacking, especially during rest or at night
• They have difficulty swallowing
• lose weight or have a fever
• have repetitive pneumonia
• They are a smoker older than 45, with a fresh or changed cough.

What if there is no clear reason?

Very from time to time, despite exact tests and treatment, the cough stays on. This is called a resistant chronic cough.

When no reason can be identified, this is known as an unexplained chronic cough. In the past, an unexplained cough could be diagnosed as a “psychogenic” or “habit” cough that has a term fell from favor.

We now understand that hypersensitivity to coughing means that a coughing person is not proportional to the trigger and that both peripheral and central nervous systems play a role In this. But our understanding relationship It remains incomplete between hypersensitivity and chronic cough.

These are Exclusion conditions and should be directed to a respiratory clinic or a chronic cough. Treatment of speech pathology can also be effective for resistant and unexplained cough.

There is a class new drugs In the pipeline, which block the cough receptors and seem promising for indefinite, troublesome cough.