Coughing is a regular, natural occurrence which chucks out the bad things that get caught in your throat in order to keep breathing in the good. Chronic coughing is when this persists for a matter of weeks. Unless you’re a smoker, chronic cough has three major causes: post-nasal drip, asthma (the most likely of lung diseases that can cause coughing) and gastroesophageal reflux disease, better known as GERD or as “acid reflux.”
Post-nasal drip is the mucus from your nose slipping down the back of your throat. Whilst unpleasant, is not often dangerous. This usually happens when the individual is suffering from hay fever or allergies, in which histamines, antibiotics or piriton can usually be prescribed to combat the effects.
Then there’s the commonly known asthma. This happens when the respiratory tract and lungs becomes inflamed, which causes short-breath, narrowed airways, chest tightness or wheezing. The lungs push out mucus, which in turn, fills up the airways. If any of these symptoms happen to you or to someone you know, it is best to check with your doctor who can do some in-clinic tests. Although difficult to diagnose, the sooner that it is done, the better. Later, you can get asthma therapy, which can control the number of attacks you can get.
GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) or more frequently known as an “acid reflux”, is normally associated with heartburn, but there are sometimes coughing fits as well. Acid reflux happens when the lower muscle between the stomach and the food tube is weakened, allowing stomach acids to travel upwards, which causes heavy coughing.
Although these are the likeliest reasons for chronic coughs, they are not the only reasons out there. Do not let it nag you. If you find yourself concerned about your symptoms, do not hesitate to contact your doctor so that you can freely breath fresh air without risking a cringe.
Comments are closed.