Treating the underlying cause is the best way of reducing the severity and frequency of chronic coughs. However, OTC remedies may also help relieve symptoms. People should see a doctor for dry coughs that do not get better or if they start to cough up blood.
your cough is particularly severe. you cough up blood. you experience shortness of breath, breathing difficulties or chest pain. you have any other worrying symptoms, such as unexplained weight loss, a persistent change in your voice, or lumps or swellings in your neck.
See a GP if:
you've had a cough for more than 3 weeks (persistent cough)
If the dry cough is becoming a chronic problem, consult a doctor that specializes in pulmonology, a pulmonologist, who can accurately diagnose your condition. Effective treatment of a cough largely depends on the underlying medical condition that is causing the cough.
In most cases, a cough will go away when the illness gets better. It might take a week or even a month or so. Sometimes, a cough might last for longer than 8 weeks. This is known as a chronic cough.
These coughs are stubborn, and can be painful, even leading to pulled muscles or incontinence in older patients with severe cases. This could have a number of causes, including allergies, inflammation, or be a side effect of medication. This could also be caused by “long COVID-19” and post-viral asthma.
A bronchitis cough sounds like a rattle with a wheezing or whistling sound. As your condition progresses, you will first have a dry cough that can then progress towards coughing up white mucus.
Common symptoms of pneumonia include: a cough – which may be dry, or produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus (phlegm) difficulty breathing – your breathing may be rapid and shallow, and you may feel breathless, even when resting. rapid heartbeat.
What does a pneumonia cough sound like? This will depend on the type of pneumonia you have and be either a dry or chesty cough. Bacterial pneumonia is more serious and often results in a gurgling sound when breathing and mucus or phlegm when coughing.
Signs and symptoms of a chest infection
a persistent cough. coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood. breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing. wheezing.
"A cough is considered chronic if it persists longer than eight weeks," explains Dr. Safdar. "At that point, we start to worry whether the cause might be a chronic health condition that needs to be addressed."
Dozens of conditions can cause a recurrent, lingering cough, but the lion's share are caused by just five: postnasal drip, asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), chronic bronchitis, and treatment with ACE inhibitors, used for high blood pressure and heart failure.
While a number of symptoms can be signs of acute bronchitis, the most common is a cough (first dry but later with a lot of mucus) lasting 10 to 20 days. It's sometimes accompanied by wheezing and shortness of breath.
A persistent dry cough can be caused from a upper respiratory infection or bronchitis. Other common causes for a dry throat cough include asthma, smoking, or viral throat infection. Viral pneumonia and COPD are less common causes of dry cough.
Acute bronchitis often develops three to four days after a cold or the flu. It may start with a dry cough, then after a few days the coughing spells may bring up mucus. Most people get over an acute bout of bronchitis in two to three weeks, although the cough can sometimes hang on for four weeks or more.
Understanding the Signs of Pulmonary Infections
Difficulty breathing, especially during light exercise or regular activities. Chest tightness. Sharp chest pain. Body aches (myalgia)
Dry cough causes vary; most are the result of a recent cold or flu, which is often called a post-viral cough. However, they may also be caused by an allergy, asthma or chronic acid reflux. Less common dry cough causes include environmental factors like a dry atmosphere, air pollution or a sudden change in temperature.
Caffeine and alcohol
Both of these food items will dehydrate your body. So when you are already losing fluid from the body as mucus, you're better off these. Alcohol prevents the immune system from functioning properly prolonging the cough and cold in your body.
The main symptom of bronchitis is a hacking cough. It is likely that your cough will bring up thick yellow-grey mucus (phlegm), although this does not always happen. Other symptoms of bronchitis are similar to those of other infections, such as the common cold or sinusitis, and may include: sore throat.
Chest infections are common, especially after a cold or flu during autumn and winter. Although most are mild and get better on their own, some can be serious or even life-threatening.
Children with RSV typically have two to four days of upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as fever and runny nose/congestion. These are then followed by lower respiratory tract symptoms, like increasing wheezing cough that sounds wet and forceful with increased work breathing.