Chronic Cough: Symptoms, Causes And Treatment
Chronic cough is more than just a health annoyance. It can interrupt sleep and show up at inopportune times, such as when speaking in public. Likewise, in severe cases, it can leave the person completely exhausted and induce vomiting or even cause fractures.
It is a symptom frequently encountered in clinical practice and can have various causes. One of the most common is smoking. Smokers are estimated to be three times more likely to develop chronic cough at some point in their life than non-smokers or former smokers.
Other factors involved in this disorder are environmental pollution, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux, and postnasal drip. The good news is that as soon as the cause is identified and treated, the chronic cough usually goes away.
What is chronic cough?
We talk about chronic cough when it persists for more than three weeks. If it lasts longer than eight weeks, a medical consultation is essential. It is estimated that up to 23% of healthy non-smokers have chronic coughs for various reasons.
Coughing is an involuntary or voluntary action that aims to expel secretions or foreign bodies. These elements can be found in the larynx or in the airways. It is therefore a defense mechanism of the body to clean up certain areas as needed.
We all cough at times, without this indicating a health problem. If it happens very frequently and over several weeks, it is called a chronic cough. Only occasionally is this type of cough associated with serious health problems.
Symptoms
The main symptom is obviously a persistent cough that lasts for some time. Chronic cough is often accompanied by mucus. Consult your doctor if it does not go away and is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Wheezing or noises when breathing.
- Very thick or bloody mucus.
- Temperature.
- Inflammation of the face and hives.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Chest pain.
- Night sweats.
- Weight loss with no apparent cause.
The doctor will perform a physical examination taking into account the patient’s medical history. Many tend to start chronic cough treatment without the necessary diagnostic tests.
If the patient does not respond positively to the treatment, the specialist may prescribe other tests such as radiography, CT scan, spirometer, laboratory analysis and endoscopic tests.
Causes of chronic cough
Smoking is the leading cause of chronic cough. 90% of non-smokers have this problem from three causes: asthma, gastroesophageal reflux and postnasal drip. In the remaining 10%, the causes can be various, from taking certain medications to severe lung problems.
It is estimated that 75% of people with neutrophilic asthma also have chronic cough. Likewise, persistent bacterial bronchitis can trigger this symptom. In these cases we speak of chronic cough with involvement of the lower airways (lungs).
Chronic cough is also associated with upper airway conditions, such as chronic rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis, obstructive sleep apnea, vocal cord dysfunction, and laryngopharyngeal or gastroesophageal reflux. Regarding the latter, cough appears in about 50% of reflux episodes.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause. Generally, it starts with conservative treatments, which include natural remedies and administration of antihistamines, glucocorticoids and decongestants. It is the first choice treatment for allergies and postnasal drip.
If cough is associated with asthma, inhaled glucocorticoids and bronchodilators are taken. These calm the inflammation and open the airways. Antibiotics are used only if a bacterial infection is present. If the cough is associated with reflux, antacid medications will most likely be prescribed.
In many cases, natural remedies are also effective. It is recommended to drink plenty of fluids, humidify the air, avoid smoking and take cough lozenges. Likewise, it is useful to carry out nasal washes with physiological solution and drink herbal teas based on plants rich in mucilages.
