Sometimes a cough helps a person to clear his lungs and prevents the development of infection in him. But it is necessary to distinguish between this type of cough from chronic, which is determined when it lasts from eight weeks or more. Chronic cough is a symptom of many diseases, including serious ones, and if it does not go away for more than two months, this is an occasion to consult a doctor to find out the cause. Even if a cough is not a signal of a serious illness, it causes a person significant discomfort: it interferes with work, normal sleep, causes dizziness, irritates, causes muscle pain and creates many other problems.
The main causes of chronic cough
Chronic cough, in most cases, is caused by chronic bronchitis of smokers, postnasal syndrome, asthma and acid reflux of the stomach – these causes make up 90% of all cases of chronic cough. Less common causes include drug allergies, lung disease, and various infections.
Smoker’s chronic bronchitis is a condition in which a cough is caused by irritation of the respiratory tract as a result of inhalation of tobacco smoke containing tar and toxic substances.
Postnasal syndrome is a condition in which secretions irritating the throat and causing coughing attacks drain from the nose along the back of the throat. Other signs of postnasal syndrome include a runny nose, a desire to clear the throat, and a sensation of fluid in the back of the throat, although in some people postnasal syndrome may not be accompanied by other symptoms.
Asthma is also the most common cause of chronic cough in adults and the main cause in children. In addition to coughing, the patient experiences shortness of breath and wheezing, although in half the cases, coughing is the only symptom of asthma. Asthma-related coughing is seasonal and can begin when exposed to the upper respiratory tract infection and may increase when exposed to odors, vapors, or dry air.
Acid reflux of the stomach, or heartburn, develops when acid from the stomach enters the esophagus, which connects the stomach and throat. Chronic cough caused by heartburn is usually accompanied by a sour taste in the mouth.
Other causes of chronic cough
Other common health problems may be less common causes of chronic coughing, although they are quite rare, they still cannot be deregistered.
Respiratory infections or upper respiratory tract infections can sometimes cause a cough that lasts more than eight weeks.
The use of ACE inhibitors. These medicines can be used by humans to treat high blood pressure. In cases of chronic cough, the patient needs to see a doctor to replace the drug, after which the cough stops for one to two weeks.
Lungs’ cancer. This disease can cause a chronic cough, although a very small percentage of people with lung cancer suffer from a chronic cough. It can be suspected if, along with a cough, a person sputters blood.
Eosinophilic bronchitis is a special type of airway inflammation that can also cause chronic cough. Such a diagnosis is made when studies do not reveal signs of asthma, but the airways contain sputum or a biopsy shows the presence of cells called eosinophils.
Diagnosis and treatment
To determine the causes of chronic cough, the doctor needs to listen to the main symptoms, then the patient is prescribed a physical examination – an X-ray of the lungs. Based on the symptoms, the doctor may prescribe a trial treatment, and in cases if it does not help, additional studies are prescribed.
Treatment of chronic cough is aimed at eliminating the root cause, and combinations of treatment methods depend on the medical history and main symptoms.