Chronic Cough Causes
Coughing is one of the most common symptoms that people will have. In many cases, it is not even necessary to be ill to have a cough as it can be caused by what is in the air you are breathing. Regardless, it can be very annoying and, in some cases, it can be downright agonizing.
A cough will not usually last for long but some unfortunate people will suffer from a chronic cough. This means a cough that will stay with them for life, or at least for longer than the standard cough would last. There are numerous potential causes, some of which are worse than others.
1. Chronic Lung Aspiration
When used in a medical sense, the term aspiration means that you are breathing in objects into your lungs. Obviously, the lungs are only supposed to inhale air and anything else the gets in can be a problem for the patient. It can result in a number of problems for the patient, including a chronic cough.
Chronic lung aspiration means that this is a near permanent problem for the patient. Not only can it cause a chronic cough, but debris in the lungs can result in pneumonia. It can also cause permanent damage to the lungs, and it is something that should be addressed as soon as possible.
2. Smoking
Smoking used to be very common and little attention was paid to the health problems associated with it. In recent years, however, we have come to learn more about the harm that it causes, and the habit has become less common as a result. Regardless, some people still smoke and will experience the associated symptoms.
Smoking can irritate the lining of the esophagus, and this can cause chronic coughing. Coughing is one of the milder symptoms of long-term smoking, however, and worse conditions like lung cancer are more likely to arise. If you are a smoker then there are numerous reasons why you should consider quitting.
3. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as (GERD), or heartburn, is a fairly common condition that you may have experienced yourself at some point. It happens when the digestive juices are able to escape out of the stomach and up the esophagus.
These juices are slightly caustic and can irritate the delicate tissues of the esophagus. This causes the well-known burning sensation that is commonly known as heartburn. It can also irritate the lining of the esophagus and, in some cases, this can result in chronic coughing.
4. Medication
Many drugs will cause us side effects when we use them. These side effects are usually quite mild, but some side effects can be more severe. In some cases, you might find that any medication you are using is giving you a cough. Drugs that can do this include angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. These are usually used to help treat heart failure and a high blood pressure.
It is always a good thing to bear in mind the potential side effects that can be caused by some drugs. Always check with your doctor and always follow the advice of a professional when it comes to using them.
5. Postnasal Drip
When we get a cold, flu, or one of many other illnesses, we are likely to start producing a lot more mucus than we usually would. This excess mucus has to go somewhere, and this usually means down the back of the throat. Nasal mucus is usually disposed of this way and we don’t usually notice it.
When it is present in higher than usual volumes, however, the extra mucus dripping down the back of our throat can become very noticeable indeed. The patient will often be able to feel the mucus and it can also cause some irritation – resulting in a cough.
6. Infections
There are numerous different types of infection that can cause us to have a cough. The presence of the pathogen can result in inflammation of the lining of the throat. This inflammation is likely to be irritating, and we will end up coughing as a result.
The cough will usually pass once the underlying cause has been dealt with, but a cough will sometimes linger for a while afterwards in some cases. An example of this would be whooping cough which can leave the patient coughing for weeks or months after the infection has passed. Other possible causes of a cough that won’t go away include tuberculosis, and some fungal infections.
7. Asthma
Asthma is a condition that causes the airways to become inflamed, potentially making it harder for the patient to breathe. While the symptoms are often quite mild, it can be dangerous in some cases where the patient’s ability to breathe is heavily restricted.
Asthma will also often mean that more than usual mucus is produced. The airways will also become more narrow. This can, in turn, cause the esophagus lining to become irritated and smaller, resulting in a cough. Some people with asthma will find that a cough is the main symptom of the condition. The cough can also be made worse by certain environmental factors, such as the presence of chemicals, or cold weather.
8. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a blanket term for conditions that include emphysema and bronchitis. These conditions can cause the passage of air to the lungs to be obstructed, and difficulties in absorbing oxygen from inhaled air. They can cause a number of other symptoms, including a chronic cough.
In cases of bronchitis, the cough will also cause the patient to cough up more than usual sputum. The causes of these conditions will vary, but many patients used to be heavy smokers. Other potential causes include exposure to damage chemicals and/or pollution, and some medical conditions can also be responsible.
9. Cystic Fibrosis
Cystic fibrosis is a condition that causes the build up of a sticky mucus in the lungs. This can result in an increased number of lung infections, and breathing can be difficult for the patient. One of the symptoms is a chronic cough, and the constant coughing can even result in damage to the patient’s airways causing a condition known as bronchiectasis.
Cystic fibrosis is a condition that people tend to have from birth. Most people with the condition will live into their 30s, although this is improving as our ability to treat the condition advances. Cystic fibrosis can also affect other organs, including the digestive system, causing digestive problems.
10. Lung Cancer
Lung cancer can be caused by a wide range of things, and smoking is among the most common of all causes. Regardless of the cause, cancer is a very serious condition that needs to be treated as soon as possible. It is a very difficult condition to treat and survival rates are low. As with other types of cancer, however, the chances of recovery improve the earlier it is caught.
Lung cancer will often lead to quite severe coughing although, of course, other symptoms can be even worse. As the damage to the lungs increase, the patient will find it increasingly difficult to breathe. The condition can be a great deal worse if/when it spreads to other parts of the body.
