A Chronic cough is a cough that doesn’t go away. It is one of the most common reasons for doctor visits. A Chronic cough can last from two weeks to years with little or no relief. The non stop coughing can cause chest pain, urinary incontinence, dizziness and it can even interfere with your work or lifestyle.
There are hundreds of causes of coughing, but here are the most common:
Smoking is the number one cause of chronic cough. Chronic coughing is more common in people who smoke one or more packs per day. If you smoke, you should talk to your doctor about nicotine replacement therapy so you can stop or explore other methods for stopping. Even though a chronic cough in smokers does not necessarily mean a more serious condition, a visit with your physician could rule out a more serious problem, such as throat cancer.
Postnasal drip from allergies and colds are another cause of chronic cough. In this case, the glands in your nose, sinuses and throat produce mucus that is thicker than normal and becomes difficult to cough up, causing the coughing to continue. There are several over the counter medications that can help. If coughing isn’t resolved with over the counter meds, a visit to your physician is advised, especially if you have a fever.
Acid Reflux can also cause a chronic cough. In this instance, the coughing is usually worse at night or why lying down. There are also over the counter medicines that you can try, but, it is advisable that you go to the physician for the initial diagnosis because these medicines can cause the levels of certain vitamins and minerals to become too low because of the reduced ability of the stomach lining to absorb these in your diet. While taking reflux medications, you may need to take supplements of calcium, vitamin D, and niacin to maintain the proper levels.
Asthma is also said to be one of the reasons that leads to chronic dry cough. The symptoms most often seen in asthma are difficulty breathing and wheezing. Some people also experience a chronic dry cough. There is also a type of asthma for which excessive chronic dry cough is the most prevalent or only symptom.
Chronic bronchitis, or COPD also causes chronic cough. With chronic bronchitis, the mucus is thicker and more difficult to cough up, therefore, clogging the airways, causing a chronic cough. Chronic bronchitis is usually caused by smoking or being around a lot of cigarette smoke, but it can be caused by other things.
