Cough: Causes, Emergency Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention - Healthline

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A cough isn’t usually concerning unless it lingers for more than two weeks or you have additional symptoms such as difficulty breathing.
Coughing is a common reflex that clears your throat of mucus or foreign irritants. While everyone coughs to clear their throat from time to time, a number of conditions can cause more frequent coughing.
Most episodes of coughing will clear up or at least significantly improve within 2 weeks. Contact a doctor or healthcare professional if your cough doesn’t improve within a few weeks. This could indicate a more serious condition.
Also, contact a doctor if you cough up blood or have a “barking” cough.
A cough that lasts for less than 3 weeks is an acute cough. If a cough lasts between 3 and 8 weeks, improving by the end of that period, it’s considered a subacute cough. A persistent cough that lasts more than 8 weeks is a chronic cough.
There are several possible causes of a cough.
Coughing is a standard way of clearing your throat.
When your airways become clogged with mucus or foreign particles such as smoke or dust, a cough serves as a reflexive reaction that helps clear the particles and make breathing easier.
Usually, this type of coughing is relatively infrequent, but coughing will increase with exposure to irritants such as smoke.
The most common cause of a cough is a respiratory tract infection, such as a cold or the flu.
Cough is associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), too. A chronic cough is also one of the hallmark symptoms of long-haul COVID-19 (long COVID).
Respiratory tract infections are usually caused by a virus and may last for 1 to 2 weeks. Antiviral medications such as those for the flu are most effective when you take them within 2 days of your symptoms starting.
Smoking is another common cause of coughing.
A cough caused by smoking is almost always a chronic cough with a distinctive sound. It’s often known as a smoker’s cough.
A common cause of coughing in young children is asthma. Asthmatic coughing typically involves wheezing, making it easy to identify.
Asthma exacerbations should be treated with the use of medications to open your airway (delivered by an inhaler or a nebulizer). It’s possible for children with asthma to outgrow the condition as they get older.
Some medications will cause coughing, although it’s generally a rare side effect.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors can cause coughing. They are often used to treat high blood pressure and heart conditions.
Two of the more common ACE inhibitors are enalapril (Vasotec) and lisinopril (Zestril).
Your coughing will stop when you quit using the medication.
Other conditions that may cause a cough include:
Another common condition that can cause a chronic cough is gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In this condition, the contents of your stomach flow back into your esophagus. This backflow stimulates a reflex in your trachea (windpipe), causing you to cough.
Contact a doctor if you have a cough that hasn’t cleared up or improved in 2 weeks. It may be a symptom of a more serious problem.
Get immediate medical attention if you develop additional symptoms. Symptoms to watch out for include:
Coughing up blood or having difficulty breathing also require immediate emergency medical attention. Call 911 or your local emergency services right away.
A cough can be treated in a variety of ways, depending on the cause. Healthy adults will mostly be able to treat their coughs with home remedies and self-care.
A cough that results from a virus can’t be treated with antibiotics. You can soothe it in the following ways instead:
Check out more natural cough remedies here.
Typically, medical care will involve a doctor looking down your throat, listening to your cough, and asking about any other symptoms.
If your cough is likely due to a bacterial infection, the doctor will prescribe oral antibiotics. They may also prescribe either cough suppressants that contain codeine or expectorant cough syrups.
If the doctor can’t determine the cause of your cough, they may order additional tests. These tests could include:
It’s very rare for a cough to be the only symptom of heart problems, but a doctor may request an echocardiogram to ensure that your heart is functioning correctly and isn’t causing your cough.
Difficult cases may require these additional tests:
In cases where the previous tests are either not possible or extremely unlikely to be successful, or your cough is expected to resolve without treatment, doctors may prescribe cough suppressants.
In most cases, a cough will disappear naturally within 1 or 2 weeks after it first develops. Coughing won’t typically cause any long lasting damage or symptoms.
In some cases, a severe cough may cause temporary complications such as:
These are very rare, and they’ll normally stop when your cough disappears.
A cough that’s the symptom of a more serious condition is unlikely to go away on its own. If left untreated, the condition could worsen and cause other symptoms.
Infrequent coughing is necessary to clear your airways. But there are ways you can prevent other coughs.
Smoking is a common contributor to a chronic cough. It can be very difficult to cure a smoker’s cough.
There are a wide variety of methods available to help you if you decide to quit smoking, from gadgets to advice groups and support networks. If you quit smoking, you’ll be much less likely to catch colds or experience a chronic cough.
According to a 2018 case study, a diet high in fiber-rich fruits may help relieve chronic respiratory symptoms, such as a cough with phlegm.
In addition, guidelines from the American College of Chest Physicians suggest that adults with GERD may reduce their cough by avoiding eating within 3 hours of their bedtime.
If you need help adjusting your diet, a doctor may be able to advise you or refer you to a dietitian.
If you can, avoid anyone with a contagious illness such as bronchitis. This will reduce your chances of coming into contact with germs.
Wash your hands frequently and don’t share utensils, towels, or pillows.
If you have existing medical conditions that increase your chances of developing a cough, such as GERD or asthma, ask a doctor about different management strategies. Once you manage your condition, you may find that your cough disappears or becomes much less frequent.
Last medically reviewed on January 24, 2023
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Current Version
May 9, 2023
Written By
Kati Blake
Edited By
Ashley Williams
Copy Edited By
Kit Hitchcock
Jan 24, 2023
Medically Reviewed By
Angelica Balingit, MD
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