What Is A Chronic Cough?

Chronic Cough Causes, Treatment

This article focuses on what a chronic cough is, along with chronic cough causes and chronic cough treatment options. Our goal is to help you find ways to stop coughing. 

What is a chronic cough? A chronic cough is generally accepted to be a persistent cough that lasts more than three weeks. Such a cough is not just a health concern. Chronic coughing can be a problem because it can wake you up while you're sleeping, cause incontinence, soreness in the chest and throat, and even be downright distracting in social or business situations.

Chronic cough causes  Sometimes a cough will go on for weeks, months or even years and you'll never figure out why you have it, even though you go from doctor to doctor looking for a diagnosis and try a variety of prescription and non-prescription medications. But the most common causes of chronic cough are

• acid reflux disease
• asthma
• chronic bronchitis
• cigarette smoking
• post-nasal drip
• post-viral respiratory tract infections

Certain drugs and medications are listed among chronic cough causes, especially the so-called ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors that are used to control blood pressure.

In about one third of cases in a recent study, two or more causes were present.

Chronic cough treatment Treatment for a chronic cough, of course, depends on the cause. Your doctor will ask a lot of questions and take a thorough health history before making a diagnosis. In certain circumstances, testing may be in order.

A chronic cough caused by allergies or post-nasal drip usually responds well to treatment with antihistamines and decongestants. Older, sedating antihistamines may be more effective for chronic cough treatment than newer drugs. However, the older generation of antihistamines and decongestants are more likely to make you drowsy.

Chronic cough treatment when you have asthma usually involves inhaled corticosteroids. These are anti-inflammatory drugs.  Inhaled bronchodilators may also be needed in some cases. Corticosteroids may increase the risk of skin thinning, bruising, osteoporosis and cataracts when used for an extended period of time.

Lifestyle changes are usually necessary to stop coughing when you have acid reflux. but if lifestyle changes aren't effective, you may be treated with a proton pump inhibitor. These medications block acid production while giving esophageal tissue time to heal. Brand names of prescription-strength proton pump inhibitors include Nexium, Prevacid, Prilosec, Protonix and Aciphex. 

Most chronic coughs cannot be treated with antibiotics because they're not caused by bacteria. Even viral coughs caused by colds or influenza will not respond to such medications. Antibiotics are also ineffective for coughs caused by asthma or acid reflux. A chronic cough caused by COPD and emphysema is usually the result of long term lung problems or smoking, so treatment with antibiotics would be useless for these types of coughs too. 

Also see choosing a home cough remedy and choosing a dry cough remedy.