5 Medical Conditions That Can Cause Cough
It's rare to find people who have never had a cough. This condition is quite common and is often not a sign of serious health problems. On the other hand, coughing can also be a symptom of an illness.
So what are the diseases that usually trigger or cause cough symptoms? Find out the answer by reading the following cough reviews.
What happens in the body when you cough?
Coughing is the body's natural process of helping to clear or remove irritants (infection-causing) in the respiratory tract. Irritants that often cause coughing and are easily found in everyday life, such as smoke (pollution), mucus, or allergens (allergens ) such as dust.
Coughs can be classified into two types, from acute coughs to chronic coughs. Both can be very annoying, especially when doing activities and also resting.
Acute or chronic coughs can be caused by a medical condition. Furthermore, here are some health problems that trigger cough as one of the symptoms.
Diseases that can cause coughing
Sometimes, it's not easy to determine what is causing your cough. Naturally, because coughs can go away on their own without the need for special care or treatment.
However, if your cough is acute or chronic, this condition can last for less than three weeks to continue for up to eight weeks. Very annoying, right?
Plus, coughs are also divided into several types. The types that are most easily recognized are dry cough and phlegm. You need to know what disease or medical condition actually causes coughing. As reported by health.harvard.edu and several other sources, here are some of them:
Postanal drip (upper respiratory cough syndrome)
This first medical condition can cause you to cough because mucus fills your throat. This can result from an allergic reaction, irritation to the inhaled air, a cold, or a sinusitis infection.
When mucus fills the throat, the body reacts to cough and simultaneously secretes the mucus so it doesn't enter the lungs. If mucus gets into the lungs for a long time, it can trigger pneumonia.
Asthma
Asthma that has cough symptoms is usually accompanied by wheezing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath. Coughing due to asthma is usually a dry type and quite annoying when exercising or inhaling cold air suddenly.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD
GERD occurs when the acid in the stomach rises back up. This is caused by the muscle that normally functions to close the channel between the esophagus and stomach unable to close completely. Acidic fluids can irritate the esophageal wall and structures in the throat, triggering a cough.
Chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis
Chronic bronchitis is a chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes that causes the airways to narrow and increases mucus production. This disease is usually experienced by active smokers or exposed to industrial air pollution for a long time.
Bronchiectasis also occurs due to inflammation that damages the walls of the bronchial tubes. Both of these diseases can cause a chronic cough.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
The last medical condition that can cause cough is a disease caused by chronic lung inflammation. This results in obstruction of the flow of air from the lungs.
Other symptoms or signs of COPD besides coughing include shortness of breath and wheezing. Most COPD sufferers include former smokers or those who are still active.
Overcoming coughs caused by medical conditions
First, treatment for cough due to medical conditions must address the cause.
When your cough is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, etc., consult a doctor immediately to get a proper diagnosis.
Dr. Jessica McCannon, a pulmonologist at Mount Auburn Hospital affiliated with Harvard, states that overcoming coughs requires patience. Before completely healed, sometimes to treat a cough it takes several types of trials. You may only need to take over-the-counter cough medicine to relieve an annoying cough or need special care from a medical professional.
In addition, don't forget to keep your food intake, especially avoiding spicy, fried, fatty, or cold drinks, as well as foods and drinks that trigger GERD.
So what are the diseases that usually trigger or cause cough symptoms? Find out the answer by reading the following cough reviews.
What happens in the body when you cough?
Coughing is the body's natural process of helping to clear or remove irritants (infection-causing) in the respiratory tract. Irritants that often cause coughing and are easily found in everyday life, such as smoke (pollution), mucus, or allergens (allergens ) such as dust.
Coughs can be classified into two types, from acute coughs to chronic coughs. Both can be very annoying, especially when doing activities and also resting.
Acute or chronic coughs can be caused by a medical condition. Furthermore, here are some health problems that trigger cough as one of the symptoms.
Diseases that can cause coughing
Sometimes, it's not easy to determine what is causing your cough. Naturally, because coughs can go away on their own without the need for special care or treatment.
However, if your cough is acute or chronic, this condition can last for less than three weeks to continue for up to eight weeks. Very annoying, right?
Plus, coughs are also divided into several types. The types that are most easily recognized are dry cough and phlegm. You need to know what disease or medical condition actually causes coughing. As reported by health.harvard.edu and several other sources, here are some of them:
Postanal drip (upper respiratory cough syndrome)
This first medical condition can cause you to cough because mucus fills your throat. This can result from an allergic reaction, irritation to the inhaled air, a cold, or a sinusitis infection.
When mucus fills the throat, the body reacts to cough and simultaneously secretes the mucus so it doesn't enter the lungs. If mucus gets into the lungs for a long time, it can trigger pneumonia.
Asthma
The next disease that can trigger or cause cough is asthma. Common symptoms experienced by people with asthma are shortness of breath or wheezing. However, for some people, the symptoms can be a cough.
Asthma that has cough symptoms is usually accompanied by wheezing, tightness in the chest, and shortness of breath. Coughing due to asthma is usually a dry type and quite annoying when exercising or inhaling cold air suddenly.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD
GERD occurs when the acid in the stomach rises back up. This is caused by the muscle that normally functions to close the channel between the esophagus and stomach unable to close completely. Acidic fluids can irritate the esophageal wall and structures in the throat, triggering a cough.
Chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis
Chronic bronchitis is a chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes that causes the airways to narrow and increases mucus production. This disease is usually experienced by active smokers or exposed to industrial air pollution for a long time.
Bronchiectasis also occurs due to inflammation that damages the walls of the bronchial tubes. Both of these diseases can cause a chronic cough.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
The last medical condition that can cause cough is a disease caused by chronic lung inflammation. This results in obstruction of the flow of air from the lungs.
Other symptoms or signs of COPD besides coughing include shortness of breath and wheezing. Most COPD sufferers include former smokers or those who are still active.
Overcoming coughs caused by medical conditions
First, treatment for cough due to medical conditions must address the cause.
When your cough is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, etc., consult a doctor immediately to get a proper diagnosis.
Dr. Jessica McCannon, a pulmonologist at Mount Auburn Hospital affiliated with Harvard, states that overcoming coughs requires patience. Before completely healed, sometimes to treat a cough it takes several types of trials. You may only need to take over-the-counter cough medicine to relieve an annoying cough or need special care from a medical professional.
In addition, don't forget to keep your food intake, especially avoiding spicy, fried, fatty, or cold drinks, as well as foods and drinks that trigger GERD.
