Have A Persistent Nagging Cough? Some Tips Why & What to do

You’ve been having that persistent nagging cough for weeks now and nothing you do alleviates it. Your sleep is disrupted and your daily life disturbed. It’s disturbing and worrying! Could it be tuberculosis, or worse – LUNG CANCER?

Firstly, before jumping to conclusions – for a cough lasting eight weeks or more, did you visit a doctor and done a chest x-ray? The doctor would evaluate and check for tuberculosis or lung cancer or any other abnormalities.

Well actually, there are other not so extreme possibilities regarding that nagging cough that you and your doctor should look into!

Possible Causes and Remedies of the Troublesome Nagging Cough

 Before we start, here are 2 questions you should ask about your nagging cough:

1. Am I a smoker now or have I been one in the past?
2. Were there abnormalities from the chest x-rays?

If you’ve answered “no” to both which are possible causes, chances are one of the reasons listed below could be the reason behind your elusive nagging cough.

1. Postnasal Drip 

Now known as the Upper Airway Cough Syndrome, it often comes with chronic rhinitis is known to be the leading cause. The insides of our noses are lined with nasal membranes which secrete mucus. 

Viruses, dust particles, airborne chemical particles, and allergens cause irritation of these membranes causing an influx of mucus – outwardly, a nuisance. However, when mucus drips down the throat it irritates the throat. Consequently, triggering cough. 

In this case, your doctor would most likely prescribe you with a decongestant or antihistamines. Newer antihistamines like Claritin or Zyrtec may be better options as they are less likely to cause drowsiness. 

2. Asthma

We often associate breathlessness and wheezing with asthma though not all patients wheeze. True enough, some just cough. 

Asthma occurs when our airways come in contact with allergens. The airways then temporarily narrow making a wheezing sound as air travels through these narrowed airways. Although in cough variant asthma, coughing is the only symptom. 

While cough might be the only symptom seen in this type of asthma, your doctor will still treat it as regular asthma. He will prescribe an asthma inhaler and/or with inhaler steroids

3. Acid Reflux or GERD 

Gastroesophageal reflux disease ( GERD) occurs when stomach acid flows backwards into the esophagus, the organ connecting your mouth and stomach. When this happens the acid irritates the lining of the esophagus triggering your cough reflex. 

 In fact, a cough is sometimes the only symptom of acid reflux. Coughing sometimes worsens GERD, which then worsens the cough in an unfortunate cycle.

If this is the case for you, your doctors may prescribe antacids, omeprazole, esomeprazole (PP inhibitors), and cimetidine, famotidine, and ranitidine (H-2 receptor blockers). These medications aid by lowering acid production giving the esophagus time to heal. 

4. Blood Pressure Lowering Medication 

Doctors often prescribe angiotensin-converting enzyme  (ACE) inhibitors, for high blood pressure or heart failure. Though generally safe, there are a few side effects. Besides headaches, dizziness, and tiredness, 1 in 5 people develop a dry, hacking cough that won’t go away. 

You might notice it within weeks or up to a year after you start the medication. Your doctor may be able to switch your prescription to rid you of the cough.

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Reference : https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/that-nagging-cough

Tags

• Cough
• Respiratory System