Cough

What is coughing?

Coughing is a sudden forcing of air from the lungs. It is a natural reflex to clear the air passages. It can also be a symptom of a disease or other medical problem.

Some coughs are dry and hacking. Some coughs are deeper, even painful at times, and the cough brings up mucus or phlegm. Health care providers call this a productive cough because it produces mucus or phlegm. It brings mucus up out of your airways and can make it easier to breathe. For example, if you have pneumonia, coughing is helpful because it clears the airway of mucus. This relieves chest congestion and it is easier to breathe.

How does it occur?

Coughing often occurs when the airways are irritated. It can be caused by:

a cold or flu
sinus infection
bronchitis
allergies
heartburn (reflux)
asthma.

It may also be caused by more serious illnesses such as:

heart failure
pneumonia
tuberculosis
cancer.

Some drugs may cause coughing as a side effect. Examples of such drugs are ACE inhibitors or beta-blockers, which are drugs used to treat high blood pressure.

Sometimes people just have a nervous habit of coughing or throat clearing.

Any cough that lasts 3 weeks or more is chronic. This is true even if it occurs only in the morning, only at night, or only in the winter. One common cause of a chronic cough is exposure to irritants such as smoke or pollen. Some people with a chronic cough get so used to coughing that they consider it normal. This is often true of the smoker's cough that many smokers come to accept as a part of waking up in the morning. The problem may be more serious than they think.

How is it treated?

Many different medicines for coughs are available without a prescription. If you need relief from a dry, hacking cough, choose a type of cough medicine called a cough suppressant. If you need to loosen mucus, choose an expectorant.

Cough suppressants are medicines that lessen the urge to cough. If you have a dry, hacking cough and do not have mucus in your airways that needs to be coughed up, a cough suppressant can help you cough less and sleep better. Cough medicines with the initials DM in the name contain the suppressant drug called dextromethorphan.
Expectorants help keep the mucus thin and help bring up mucus from the lungs when you cough. This relieves chest congestion and makes it easier to breathe. The drug used most often as an expectorant is guaifenesin.

How can I take care of myself?

Always follow the instructions on the label of cough medicines.
If you have a wet-sounding cough, do not use medicines that contain antihistamines. Antihistamines dry up the mucus.
Drink a lot of water to help loosen mucus and make it easier to cough it up.
Use a cool-mist humidifier, especially in the bedroom, to help relieve coughing. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for cleaning the humidifier.
Do not smoke.
Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
Contact your health care provider if you have:
- a cough with fever or thick, foul-smelling, rusty or greenish mucus
- a cough that interferes with your sleep or daily activities
- a cough that has not gotten better in 7 days
- a violent cough that comes on suddenly
- a high-pitched sound when you breathe in
- unexpected weight loss as well as a cough.
Contact your health care provider if a baby under 3 months of age has a cough.
Call your health care provider or 911 right away if you have a cough that causes shortness of breath or severe pain, or if you begin coughing up blood.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File RSP4809F.HTM Release 9.0/2006