WHAT IS COUGH?

Cough is a voluntary or involuntary act of clearing the throat and breathing passage of foreign particles, microbes, irritants, fluids, and mucus. In most cases, it is a common problem that clears on it’s own, however in some cases it can be a sign of a serious illness.  

Cough can be due to different reasons such as an infection in the upper respiratory tract (URTI), affecting the throat and could be flu, common cold or laryngitis. In case of a lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), the lungs may be infected, and/or the airways lower down from the windpipe and it may be due to bronchitis or pneumonia among other possibilities.  

Casues of Chronic Cough: Some causes of chronic cough include:

• Smoking

• Post nasal drip

• GERD (gastro-esophageal reflux disease)

• Asthma

• Some medications

• TB (tuberculosis)

• Fungal Lung Infections 

• Lung cancer

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT 

Diagnosis: A Doctor can diagnose a cough and the treatment required based on review of the symptoms, medical history, a detailed physical examination and other diagnostic tests to determine the cause of cough such as a chest X-ray, spirometry, lab investigation of the phlegm sample to determine the cause of cough.   

Treatment: The treatment will be based on the reason for cough, e.g if it  is caused by common cold or flu, the general advice is rest, drinking plenty of fluids and let it run its course. Such type of coughs usually clear up after 1-2 weeks. The  doctor might prescribe medications, cough syrups, expectorants, etc. to relieve the symptoms. 

If the cough is due to Asthma as a cause, treatment would be conducted accordingly. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION 

1. In case severe cough persists for 3 weeks or more, it should be assessed by a doctor. Also, the Doctor should be consulted if the cough is getting worse, there is swelling or lumps in the neck, difficulty in swallowing, blood in cough, chest pains or difficulty breathing. 

2. Persistent coughing can be a sign of heart disease or even lung cancer. Consult a Doctor in case cough persists beyond 3 weeks.