Chronic Cough Symptoms, Risk Factors & Treatment | Diseases List A-Z

What is Chronic Cough? In cases of coughing that occurs for several days or less than a week, it is usually caused by the flu.

However, if the cough does not improve, there is a possibility that it is caused by something serious.

A cough that persists for eight weeks or more for adults, or four weeks for children, is defined as a chronic cough.

Coughing itself is a positive reflex of the body.

When coughing, the body expels mucus and foreign material from the airways that can irritate the lungs.

However, this condition makes the sufferer feel very uncomfortable.

Generally, chronic cough causes sleep disturbances and interferes with work performance, and also social life.

Chronic Cough Symptoms Symptoms and signs that indicate chronic cough are as follows: A runny nose and a stuffy feeling; Sore throat that causes coughing to clear the throat; There is an indication of liquid water running down the back of the throat, or postnasal drip; A hoarse voice; Shortness of breath; An upset stomach or sour taste in the mouth; Weight loss; Fever and may cause chills; Sweating at night; Difficulty swallowing or coughing when swallowing; Easily tired; and In severe cases, sufferers may experience coughing up blood.

Causes of Chronic Cough A variety of medical conditions can cause a chronic cough that lasts for weeks.

Indications of a chronic cough are also usually caused by more than one cause.

The following are causes of chronic cough which usually occur due to one or a combination of various causes: 1.

Postnasal Drip It occurs when someone has sinus or nasal inflammation which produces extra mucus, which can drip down the back of the throat and cause a cough reflex or is known as chronic respiratory syndrome.

Asthma occurs due to the narrowing and swelling of the airways.

This triggers excessive mucus production.

Chronic cough caused by asthma usually occurs in certain seasons when infections attack the respiratory tract.

In addition, exposure to cold air, chemicals, or certain fragrances can also trigger asthma.

3.

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) / Gastric Acid Disease This condition commonly occurs when stomach acid flows up into the tube connecting the stomach and throat.

This condition causes irritation with symptoms of pain in the pit of the stomach or a burning sensation in the chest.

This ongoing irritation can lead to chronic cough.

4.

Chronic Bronchitis If inflammation of the pulmonary tract (Bronchi) occurs over a long period of time, a chronic cough can occur accompanied by phlegm.

Generally, people who suffer from bronchitis are passive smokers, active smokers, or people who have quit smoking.

However, there are several other factors that rarely cause chronic cough, such as: Bronchiectasis (damage to the bronchi and airways).

Cystic fibrosis.

Lung cancer.

Sarcoidosis (a collection of inflammatory cells in various parts of the body, most commonly the lungs).

Chronic Cough Risk Factors This condition can be triggered by several things, including: The toxins contained in cigarettes are the main risk factor for causing chronic cough.

This is because the toxins contained in cigarette smoke can damage the hairs that filter dirt along the respiratory tract, making it easy to cause irritation.

2.

Allergies Allergens or factors that cause someone’s allergies to recur can be a risk factor for the emergence of chronic cough symptoms in allergy sufferers.

Allergies that appear can be caused by cat fur, dust and air pollution, cold air, certain foods or drinks, or by smelling certain fragrances.

If the cough gets worse, it could be caused by an allergy.

3.

Environment Environments that create high-risk factors are such as workplaces that contain irritants so that sufferers inhale the air which causes coughing.

In addition, the risk can also increase in areas with high air pollution, such as cooking using coal.

4.

Lung Disease People who suffer from asthma, bronchiectasis (enlarged airways), and lung infections are at higher risk of developing a chronic cough.

5.

Female Gender The risk of this condition is higher for women because women have a more sensitive cough reflex.

Chronic Cough Diagnosis To establish a diagnosis, the doctor will ask about your medical history and perform a physical exam.

Usually, doctors will provide therapy according to clinical symptoms first.

If the response to therapy is not good, several tests will be carried out, such as: X-ray Imaging Examination A routine chest X-ray may not be able to diagnose common causes of cough such as postnasal drip, acid reflux or asthma.

With X-rays, the picture of lung cancer, pneumonia, and other lung diseases that can cause chronic cough can be clearer.

A sinus x-ray may be performed if there is suspicion of a sinus infection.

Computerized Tomography (CT) Scan Through a CT scan, the image provided will be clearer and more detailed when compared to using X-rays.

Lung Function Test Lung function testing is relatively simple to use to diagnose asthma.

This test is used to measure how much air the lungs can hold and how fast the patient can exhale.

Chronic Cough Complications Chronic cough can not only disrupt daily routines but can also affect the sufferer’s quality of life.

The most significant impact is difficulty sleeping or insomnia because coughing will prevent sufferers from sleeping soundly.

Then, the sufferer will feel very tired because they can’t sleep.

Coughing continuously can also cause muscle pain and broken ribs.

Some other complications that can also occur due to chronic coughing include: Headache or dizziness.

Urinary incontinence, loss of bladder control.

Subconjunctival hemorrhage, a small hemorrhage in the eye.

Chronic Cough Treatment Treatment for chronic cough depends on the cause, such as: Acid Reflux The use of this drug is to reduce the production of acid in the body.

Types of acid reflux drugs are as follows: H2 receptor blockers; Proton pump inhibitors; and The types of drugs that can be used to treat asthma are inhaled steroids and bronchodilators which are obtained from a doctor’s prescription.

Chronic Bronchitis Medications for this disease are usually bronchodilators and inhaled steroids which are used as a treatment for chronic bronchitis and others.

Antibiotics The doctor will prescribe antibiotics if the cause of chronic cough is a bacterial infection.

Allergic reactions can occur as a side effect of antibiotics.

This treatment process can be done at home by warming drinkable fluids, inhaling warm water, and maintaining air humidity.

Chronic Cough Prevention Chronic cough prevention can be done by: Avoid things that can trigger allergies or asthma; Maintain personal and residential environment cleanliness; Avoid smoking; and Establish good eating and sleeping patterns.

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