If you cough for at least 8 weeks in adults or 4 weeks in children, it is considered you have a chronic cough. While it may not seem serious, it may cause multiple problems, including extreme tiredness, sleeping problems, vomiting, lightheadedness, and even break a rib.
In most cases, this condition occurs due to asthma and tobacco products. Other causes include postnasal drip (it occurs when the fluid drips from the nose to the back of the throat) and acid reflux (this condition occurs when the acid from the stomach goes backward into the esophagus). However, this condition goes away once the underlying cause is treated.
Symptoms
This condition may happen with other symptoms. For example:
- Stuffy or runny nose
- Sore throat
- Heartburn
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing up blood (rarely)
- Hoarseness
Immediately contact your healthcare professional if your cough lasts more than 8 weeks, causes sleeping problems, or negatively affects your school or work.
Causes
While coughs that occur once in a while are common because they help clean the airway from irritants and mucus to prevent infections, frequent coughs that last more than several weeks may indicate serious health problems. Check below the most common causes of a chronic cough:
- Asthma – Cough caused by this condition usually comes and goes with the seasons. However, there is an asthma type in which cough is the primary symptom. It is called cough-variant asthma.
- Postnasal drip – Cough may also occur when your nose or sinuses make extra mucus and it goes to the back of the throat. Sometimes, this condition is called upper airway cough syndrome.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – It occurs when the stomach acid goes backward into the tube that carries food and drinks to the stomach (also known as the esophagus). Persistent irritation of the esophagus may lead to a chronic cough.
- Infections – In some cases, the cough may last longer after certain infections, such as a cold, flu, pneumonia, or another upper respiratory infection. Moreover, this condition may occur due to fungal infections as well. These include tuberculosis (TB), nontuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM), and others.
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) – This is a life-long inflammatory condition of the lungs in which air flow is limited. It also includes bronchitis and emphysema.
- Blood pressure drugs – Some people develop a chronic cough due to ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitors. This group of medications is used to treat hypertension and heart failure.
Other Less Common Causes
- Aspiration – It occurs when food or drinks are swallowed or inhaled and go into the lungs.
- Bronchiectasis – This is a condition in which airways become widened and damaged, which impacts the ability to clear mucus.
- Bronchiolitis – This is an infection that causes swelling and irritation of the airways of the lung.
- Cystic fibrosis – A genetic disease that negatively affects the lungs, digestive system, and other body organs.
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis – In people with this disease, the lung tissue gradually becomes scarred.
- Lung cancer – These include non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.
- Nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis – This condition causes inflammation of the airways.
- Sarcoidosis – This condition causes multiple cell groups to form lumps and nodules anywhere in the body. However, it mostly occurs in the lungs.
Risk Factors
If you smoke or are a former smoker, it is a risk factor for chronic cough. Moreover, frequent secondhand smoke also may lead to cough and lung damage.
What Are The Potential Complications of Chronic Cough?
If you do not treat this condition, it may lead to multiple complications. For example:
- Headaches
- Sleep problems (insomnia)
- Vomiting
- Increased sweating
- Dizziness
- Urinary incontinence (unintended bladder loss)
- Broken ribs
- Syncope (also known as passing out)
This article does not contain all possible complications of chronic cough. Discuss with your healthcare professional if any of them occur and about measures to prevent complications.
Diagnosis
Physicians usually begin the diagnosis of this condition with a physical examination to check for irregularities associated with the disease and questions about your medical history and symptoms. However, they can order some tests to confirm the condition and determine the exact cause of the chronic cough.
In any case, most doctors begin treatment for the most common causes instead of performing expensive tests. Therefore, if it does not work, you may get tested. Check below some tests often used in people with chronic cough:
Imaging Tests
- X-rays – This test can identify lung cancer, pneumonia, and other lung diseases. However, it cannot reveal the most common causes of chronic cough, including acid reflux, tobacco use, asthma, and postnasal drip.
- Computerized tomography (CT) scans – These tests are often used to check for lung infections and underlying lung conditions.
Lung Function Tests
Tests used to check lung function can diagnose asthma and COPD, which may cause a chronic cough. These tests measure the amount of air the lungs can hold and how fast you exhale.
Laboratory Tests
Specific tests to check for bacteria may be needed if the mucus that you cough up is colored.
Scope Tests
The following tests are usually used to look for possible causes. For example:
- Bronchoscopy – It involves a small and flexible tube with a lighted camera on the end to check the lungs and air passages for abnormalities linked with chronic cough. During this test, doctors may take a small sample of the affected tissue and test it in the laboratory (biopsy).
- Rhinoscopy – This test uses a fiberoptic scope (also called rhinoscope) to check your nasal passageways and upper airway.
Treatment
The treatment effectiveness depends on the exact cause of the chronic cough. That’s why it is very important to determine the exact cause of the condition. If you are a smoker, doctors may recommend quitting, which helps to achieve this goal. If you develop a chronic cough due to ACE inhibitors, physicians may reduce the dose or even change the medicine. Check below some medicines often used to treat a chronic cough:
- Antihistamines, Corticosteroids, and Decongestants – These medications are often used to treat allergies and postnasal drip.
- Inhaled asthma medications – Bronchodilators and Corticosteroids are the best medicines for asthma-related cough.
- Antibiotics – This group of medicines is used to treat fungal and bacterial infections that cause a chronic cough.
- Acid blockers – If you experience a chronic cough due to GERD, doctors may recommend lifestyle changes and acid blocker medicines. They help reduce stomach acid production, which helps lessen irritation to the esophagus.
Home Remedies
To treat the condition faster, you should follow the treatment exactly as prescribed by your doctor. They may also recommend some tips that may improve the cough. For example:
- Drink warm liquids because they can thin the mucus in the throat. These include broth, tea, or juice.
- You can also suck on cough drops or hard candies to lessen dry cough and soothe irritated throat.
- To reduce cough, a teaspoon of honey may help.
- Moisturize the air
- Quit smoking or never begin. Moreover, secondhand smoke also negatively affects the lungs and may cause a chronic cough. If you are facing problems with smoking cessation, discuss it with your healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you treat a chronic cough?
Physicians usually recommend different treatments for people with a chronic cough. Generally, they prescribe medicines, lifestyle changes, and home remedies. These include:
- Antihistamines
- Acid blockers
- Quit smoking
- Antibiotics or antivirals
- Pump proton inhibitors
- Decongestants
- Bronchodilators
What are the most common causes of a chronic cough?
These include postnasal drip, asthma, and acid reflux, which account for up to 90% of all chronic cough cases. However, it may occur due to smoking, secondhand smoke, infections, allergies, COPD, certain medicines, and others.
What are the chronic cough complications?
If the condition is left untreated, it may lead to multiple complications. Check some examples below:
- Broken ribs
- Syncope
- Muscle pain
- Laryngitis
- Urinary incontinence
- Pneumonia
- Subconjunctival hemorrhage
- Sleeping disorders
- Stress
- Depression
You can consult with your healthcare professional about ways to prevent chronic cough complications. If you have additional questions, ask your healthcare provider.
