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Chronic cough can be the first sign of developing asthma. However, there are many causes of chronic cough aside from asthma that need to be considered. Coughing functions as a natural response to irritation of the airway, by removing mucus and other irritants, thus cleansing the airways. It is also a protective mechanism for expelling foreign substances and mucus that may obstruct the airway. Coughing, which is an explosive expiration (a fast and forceful breath out), can clear or dislodge dangerous objects, particles, irritants and mucus from the airway. A major function of coughing is the clearance of accumulations of mucus and the removal of "sticky" or thick secretions containing bacterial, viral, or toxic materials.
Coughing commonly follows infections (e.g."colds") of the nose, throat, sinuses, trachea, bronchi and/or lungs. However a persistent cough that lasts many weeks or months is not normal and may be a sign of an underlying disease. Coughing is mostly a non-voluntary automatic reflex action based on irritation of the bronchial or upper airway mucosa. Rarely it results from irritation outside of the respiratory mucosa. The exceptions to this include irritation of the ear canal, pleural inflammation (the membrane around the lungs), lung tumors and heart disease.
Chronic cough can be a serious health issue. It is often associated with many additional symptoms including: loss of sleep, chest pain, sore throat, vomiting, stress incontinence (urine leakage), fainting, dizziness, social problems and inability to function at home, school, or work. A chronic cough can be quite painful, and at times, disabling.
Chronic cough is one of the most common symptoms for which you may seek medical attention. Identification of the cause of a persistent or chronic cough can be particularly challenging. A chronic cough is generally defined as a cough lasting 8 or more weeks. In contrast, an acute cough usually lasts less than 3 weeks. The cause of an acute cough is often diagnosed early in the process since the cause is usually easy to diagnose and treat. Common causes of acute short term coughing include upper respiratory viral infections, such as the common cold, acute bacterial sinusitis, nasal allergies and occasionally lower respiratory disorders such as viral bronchitis, pneumonia and acute flares of asthma. In these instances, the cause of the cough is usually apparent after some investigation and often quite responsive to treatment.
The diagnosis of a chronic cough is usually more difficult since the cause is often atypical in its appearance or simply uncommon. However an indepth evaluation can often accurately diagnose the cause of the chronic cough. A treatment approach will have a good chance of success if the diagnosis is accurate.
Chronic cough may be a sign of the airway's natural response to:
*Cough receptors are sensitive sites on the respiratory mucosa that can be stimulated by pressure, inflammation, or irritation to cause a cough.
Chronic cough may last for years, causing unnecessary discomfort because a correct diagnosis has not been made and effective treatment has not been started. Further, a chronic cough may be a warning sign of a major medical problem which, if identified early in its course, may potentially respond to effective treatment (e.g. lung cancer).
The correct diagnosis of the cause of a chronic cough can result from taking a careful and complete history, listening to the quality of the cough, physical examination, x-rays, allergy testing, lung function tests and other specialized studies such as endoscopies and laboratory (blood) studies.
Treatment is dependent on the underlying disease process. Effectively treating the underlying disease process causing the cough will resolve the problem in most cases.
Common Causes of Chronic Cough
Uncommon Causes of Chronic Cough
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