Johns Hopkins Health Alert
What To Do When A Cough Turns Chronic
- Any cough that lasts more than two months is defined as chronic and requires medical attention.
Coughing is a reflex that keeps the lungs and airways free from phlegm (excess mucus) and foreign objects (such as food) that might interfere with breathing. Occasional coughing is normal, as is the coughing associated with a cold (the most common acute medical problem that triggers a cough). Any cough that lasts more than 2 months, however, is defined as chronic and requires medical attention—even if the cough occurs only in the morning, at night, or at certain times of the year.
Chronic cough is not a disease; rather, it is considered a symptom of another condition. A cough attributable to a cold, flu or some other known cause that fails to get better within 3 weeks, or a persistent cough of unknown origin, is reason to see your doctor. Your cough may have qualities that, together with other symptoms, point towards an underlying cause that requires proper diagnosis and treatment.
A chronic cough associated with a normal chest x-ray most often results from one or more conditions that include postnasal drip, asthma, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), and chronic bronchitis. Blood pressure medications can also cause a dry, hacking cough in some people.
More serious (but less common) causes of chronic cough include interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis (persistent dilatation of the bronchi or bronchioles) and pneumonia—all of which produce inflammation or scarring of the lungs. Lung cancer is usually suspected only when someone with a history of smoking has an abnormal chest x-ray.
Self-care measures may help relieve a chronic cough but are not a substitute for medical evaluation. Try to increase the humidity in your home and drink plenty of fluids to thin phlegm and other secretions. However, do not treat a chronic cough with over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine for more than 2 weeks unless directed by your doctor. These medications can suppress your cough but may not cure it. If your cough never entirely clears up or returns after you stop taking OTC medications, see your doctor.
Posted in Lung Disorders on April 17, 2006
Reviewed June 2011
Medical Disclaimer: This information is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician. Click here for additional information: Johns Hopkins Health Alerts Disclaimer
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I am 70 yrs old and have never smoked a cigarette in my life. I have been on 24hr oxygen since Feb 06. I am under the care of a pulmonary specialist. I have a phlegm problem in that I have a constant flow of (Tapioca Pudding like stuff) down the back of my throat which causes me to cough up large wads and causes my heart rate to go up to 115/125 and my o2 reading to drop from 92 to 78/83 ranges. The doctor has prescibed 6 different antibiotics and NONE has had any effect at all. My nasal sinuses are always clear and not blocked and nothing runs out of my nose. I am diagnosed as having Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. I am at my wits end!
Posted by: grimmye | January 9, 2007 4:36 AM
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I have had fatigue, chronic cough, chest pain and nausea for the past four months now. CT scans of chest and abdomen reveal several enlarged lymph nodes in both areas. Several blood tests plus a biopsy are in the works. Symptoms continue to get worse. I am 73 years old and a former smoker who quit in 1984. Any ideas?
Posted by: robrob | August 9, 2006 4:30 PM