Symptoms
A cough is your body's way of responding to irritants in your throat and airways. An irritant stimulates nerves there to send a cough impulse to your brain. The brain signals the muscles of your abdomen and chest wall to give a strong push of air to your lungs to try to expel the irritant.
An occasional cough is normal and healthy. A cough that persists for several weeks or one that brings up discolored or bloody mucus may indicate an underlying condition that requires medical attention. A cough rarely requires emergency care.
A coughing attack can be very forceful — the velocity of air from a vigorous cough through the nearly closed vocal cords can approach 500 miles per hour. Prolonged, vigorous coughing is exhausting and can cause sleeplessness, headaches, urinary incontinence, and even broken ribs.
Acute sinusitis
Bronchiectasis
Bronchiolitis (especially in young children)
Choking (especially in children)
Chronic sinusitis
COPD — Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Croup (especially in young children)
Cystic fibrosis
Emphysema
Hay fever
Heart failure (congestive)
Laryngitis
Lung cancer
Medications called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
Neuromuscular diseases such as parkinsonism, which weaken the coordination of upper airway and swallowing muscles
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (especially in young children)
Tuberculosis
Common causes — chronic
Allergies
Asthma (most common in children)
Bronchitis
GERD — Gastroesophageal reflux disease
Postnasal drip
An occasional cough is normal. But a cough that persists may signal an underlying problem. A cough is considered "acute" if it lasts less than three weeks; it's "chronic" if it lasts longer than eight weeks (four weeks in children).
Some causes of coughs include:
Common causes — acute
Common cold
Influenza (flu)
Inhaling an irritant
Pneumonia
Whooping cough
Note: Causes shown here are commonly associated with these symptom. Kindly consult to your doctor or other health care Practitioner for an correct diagnosis and treatment.
Dr M Rathod MD, PhD
Ram Speciality Clinic, # 113/697, Opposite to Govt School,
Munnekolala, Bangalore, Karnataka
email: ramclinc2@gmail.com,
Mobile: 9611303443
webiste: www.ramclinic.com