“What Does Your Cough Say About Your Illness? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic” plus 1 more

What Does Your Cough Say About Your Illness? - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

Posted: 16 Apr 2020 12:00 AM PDT

A persistent cough can disrupt your daily activities and drive you to distraction. But, whether it stays around for a few days or turns into a nagging annoyance that lingers for weeks, the type of cough you have can often give you a clue about what's ailing you.

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Pulmonologist Rachel Taliercio, DO, says upper respiratory infections cause a significant percentage of acute cough. Knowing more about your cough (whether dry or wet, acute or chronic) can help determine the best treatment options, especially if the cough does not resolve.

Acute coughs from temporary illness

An acute cough most likely appears when you have a cold, flu or other temporary infection. It may last up to eight weeks, and medication usually helps quiet this type of cough.

If you're not getting relief from over-the-counter medication or the condition persists beyond a week or two, consult your doctor. He or she will determine whether a treatable infection is causing your cough.

Whooping cough or pneumonia also may prompt an acute cough, Dr. Taliercio says. She describes how these coughs may sound and how to treat them.

Whooping cough (pertussis). A vaccine can prevent this virus, which once was on the decline. If you get pertussis, the cough can become so intense, you may vomit.

How does it sound? Severe, hacking cough, including a "whooping" sound with inhalation
How to treat it: Antibiotics

Pneumonia. This condition inflames the lungs and can make them fill with fluid. Vaccines can prevent some pneumonia infections.

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How does it sound? Initially a dry cough that later turns wet with yellow, green or red-tinged mucus
How to treat it: Antibiotics for bacterial infections; rest and cough medication for viral infections

Chronic coughs from underlying conditions

Chronic cough is defined as a cough that lasts eight weeks or more, and it can have several different causes. Treatment options for chronic cough caused by underlying conditions varies, depending on the illness.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This condition causes lung inflammation that constricts your airways, making breathing difficult. It's usually caused by long-term exposure to lung irritants, such as cigarette smoke.

How does it sound? A chronic, hacking cough that creates a significant amount of mucus, particularly in the morning
How to treat it: Bronchodilators (drugs that help open airways), inhaled steroids, oxygen therapy, quitting smoking

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD occurs when stomach acid irritates your esophagus. It's the second most common cause of chronic cough, accounting for 40 percent of cases.

How does it sound? Dry, spasmodic cough; occurs most often when you lie down
How to treat it: Over-the-counter medications to reduce acid production

Post-nasal drip. Mucus dripping down the back of your throat causes this type of cough, which may occur with allergies, colds or sinus infections.

How does it sound? Dry or wet; worsens at night
How to treat it: Antihistamines dry up post-nasal drip from allergies. Saline washes and steam relieve congestion from lingering colds. See a doctor if symptoms last more than a week to check for a potential sinus infection.

Asthma. Asthma causes airway inflammation, swelling and increased mucus production that makes breathing more difficult.

How does it sound? Dry or wet cough that ends with a rattle or wheeze; often worsens at night, in cold air or with exercise
How to treat it: Inhaled bronchodilators (such as albuterol) or corticosteroids (such as fluticasone) for quick relief

Medication-related cough. This type of cough may appear a few weeks after you start taking a new medication. For example, 20 percent of patients taking ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure experience a cough.

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How does it sound? Dry cough
How to treat it: Consult your doctor about switching medications.

Dealing with a cough reflex you can't control

A refractory chronic cough, or a cough you can't control, lasts for more than eight weeks and doesn't respond to treatment. It occurs less than 20 percent of the time, Dr. Taliercio says.

It happens when inflammation irritates the nerves in the larynx, causing an involuntary cough reflex. Patients also often feel as if there's something stuck in their throat.

"People are most bothered by and distraught over the unpredictable coughing episodes," she says. "Sometimes, they can cough so hard they pass out."

How does it sound? Dry coughs that occur in spasms and are difficult to control
How to treat it: Off-label use of existing medications for other conditions, including neuromodulators (such as neurontin) and low doses of tricyclic antidepressants (such as amitriptyline)

Behavioral speech therapy can also help patients manage this type of cough, Dr. Taliercio says. In two or three sessions, patients will learn about cough suppression techniques, cough causes, breathing exercises, vocal hygiene and personal cough triggers.

"This type of therapy gives people control over their cough," she says.

If you're struggling with a lingering cough, try listening to what it's telling you. And if it persists, your doctor can likely help pinpoint a cause and prescribe an appropriate treatment.

Do you have a stubborn cough that isn't going? It may be 'seasonal' bronchitis - Economic Times

Posted: 29 Jan 2019 12:00 AM PST

Prevention surely helps. But acting fast on symptoms can help you overcome this breathing bother quickly.

Some health issues are unique to periods when seasons change and some others to the season itself. One such is seasonal bronchitis that can affect people of all ages and is more common during winter.

If you are having a cough that doesn't seem to go away, bronchitis could be the reason.

Dr Prashant Shetty, executive director of the biochemistry, haematology and immunoassay department at iGenetic Diagnostics, Mumbai, said: "Seasonal bronchitis is swelling and reddening in your bronchial tree. Your bronchial tree consists of tubes, which carry air into your lungs, and if they get inflamed, eventually they swell and mucus (thick fluid) forms inside them and it becomes hard to breathe."

According to Dr Ranganath R, consultant of pulmonology at Narayana Health City, Bengaluru, "there is no official term called seasonal bronchitis." He said this term is used to describe conditions which are exacerbated during a few seasons; for example, asthma gets worsened during spring and winter. Chronic bronchitis worsens in winter and is sometimes called winter bronchitis. "Sometimes these seasonal variations are the initial or only manifestation of asthma, and patients are completely asymptomatic the rest of the year," he added.

KNOW THE CAUSES
Seasonal bronchitis usually is caused by environmental changes and constant irritants such as smoking. It can be caused either by bacterial infection or by viruses or any exposure to substances that irritate the lungs such as dust, fumes, vapour and air pollution. It remains for a short time and can reoccur. If left untreated, it can lead to pneumonia and can inflame the lungs further, Shetty said.

In many cases, viral attacks could be the culprit. Dr Alok Kumar Dwivedi, consultant-paediatrics and neonatology, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Noida, said: "Seasonal bronchitis is commonly associated with viral infections. A small number of cases is due to bacteria like mycoplasma and pertussis. Risk factors are air pollution and tobacco smoke. In healthy children, complications are few whereas in undernourished children, ear infections, sinusitis (infection of the sinuses) and pneumonia are common."

SYMPTOMS
Symptoms of seasonal bronchitis are similar to some of the symptoms of asthma, pneumonia and other respiratory illness.

Ranganath said: "Usually, symptoms of bronchitis depending on individuals' predisposition can be short-lived or prolonged. For example, if an individual with no allergic tendency or pre-existing lung pathology develops bronchitis, which is usually secondary to a viral infection, it would last for about a week or two. But for patients with allergic tendency, symptoms tend to last longer. Chronic bronchitis, a more serious condition, is a constant irritation or inflammation of the lining of airways, often due to smoking."

Dwivedi explained that the symptoms of seasonal bronchitis are very different from chronic bronchitis. Frequent dry cough, chest discomfort, wheezing, shortness of breath, low-grade fever or no fever indicate that the person is suffering from seasonal bronchitis. Some of the symptoms also include body aches, runny, stuffy nose and sore throat.

Chronic bronchitis in adults is defined as three months or more of productive cough each year for two or more consecutive years, he said.

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BRONCHITIS ISN'T PNEUMONIA
Bronchitis is very common and is caused by cold, flu and viral infection. It may also be called a chest cold. It is worse than a normal cold but not as bad as pneumonia. Pneumonia is a lung infection, which can make you really sick. You can have cough with fever and you may have a hard time breathing. For most people, pneumonia can be treated at home. But some babies and old people may need to be hospitalised, iGenetic's Shetty explained.

However, acute bronchitis is a frequent dry cough of relatively gradual onset of 3-4 days after appearance of rhinitis and absence of fever or mild-grade fever. Depending upon the severity, other symptoms could be chest pain, loss of appetite and bluish tint to the nail and lips. Pneumonia symptoms can be mild or severe based on what causes it — your age and overall health. Cough, fever, shortness of breath, headache and chest pain are some of the symptoms of pneumonia. One must consult a doctor if fever and other symptoms persist, Dwivedi said.

PREVENT IT WITH EASE
Acute bronchitis is more often secondary to viral infection and flu. Vaccine decreases the chances of viral infection. Avoiding cigarette smoke (active and passive) is imperative as smoking increases the risk of respiratory infections. Pollution, fumes, strong smells like paints, etc., should be avoided and washing hands regularly is recommended, said Ranganath of Narayana.

In addition to avoiding exposure to air pollution, Dwivedi said, moving around crowded places and cigarette smoking are a no-no.

TREATING IT
Dwivedi said there is no specific therapy for treatment. However, taking rest, having paracetamol for fever or aches or sore throat, taking cough medicine especially if antihistamines and expectorant are not helpful will help. Antibiotics generally should not be used except in cases caused by bacteria. Only patients with recurrent episodes may need antibiotics.

It is important to treat the underlying cause, Ranganath said. If it is acute bronchitis with no allergic tendency or preexisting lung disease, most of the times it is self-limiting and only supportive therapy — like steam inhalation, saltwater gargles, antipyretics such as paracetamol and cough suppressants — is needed. If seasonal bronchitis symptoms are an exacerbation of underlying asthma or chronic bronchitis, then it needs proper evaluation and optimisation of the underlying condition.

Frequent handwashing is recommended if a person is diagnosed with bronchitis.

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