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When should you start worrying about cough that persists?

When should you start worrying about cough that persists?

Most people are not bothered about cough when it starts initially because it occurs with common cold or a viral throat infection. Cough is so common that hardly anyone realizes it could be due to a bigger problem.

Written by Anusuya Suresh |Updated : March 5, 2015 12:17 PM IST

Persisting coughMost people are not bothered about cough when it starts initially because it occurs with common cold or a viral throat infection. Cough is so common that hardly anyone realizes it could be due to a bigger problem.

Most coughs go away completely or at least improve significantly within a period of two weeks.

Cough that is persistent or lasts for more than 8 weeks is called as chronic cough. It can also go on for months together depending on what's the main underlying cause.

Ideally, any type of cough which does not improve after 2-3 weeks may imply a serious underlying condition that should be immediately addressed by a doctor. But, there are other signs of persistent cough that you should worry about:

  • If you tend to make high-pitched whooping sound (barking sound) while coughing.
  • If cough is accompanied by uncontrolled wheezing sound and breathing difficulty. This could be related to asthma.
  • If you constantly feel irritation in the throat even when you are not coughing. This could indicate an infection.
  • If you have recovered from cold but suddenly develop cough which hasn't gone after 2-3 weeks. You might have acute or chronic bronchitis.
  • If other symptoms like chest pain and stomach pain are associated with coughing.
  • If you have persistent wet cough that produces greenish or rusty mucuswith other symptoms like fever, fatigue and chills.
  • If exposure to certain pollutants has triggered chronic cough. You could be allergic to them
  • If your cough started after taking certain medications.
  • If you cough up blood.

Although doctors first try to determine what's causing cough, cough itself can cause several other problems. People with chronic cough become frustrated and often lose their focus.Coughing interferes with sleep and any other daily activities. Besides, chronic coughing can also lead to urinary incontinence, headache and rib injury.

References

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