Chronic Cough

Chronic cough is a cough that persists over time. Chronic cough is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying condition.

Causes and risk factors for chronic cough include:

- smoking,
- chronic bronchitis,
- common colds,
- flu,
- emphysema,
- dry mouth,
- asthma,
- allergies,
- hay fever (allergic rhinitis),
- sinus problems and post-nasal drip,
- GERD,
- cystic fibrosis,
- whooping cough (pertussis)
- infections,
- allopathic medication side effects,
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),
- bronchiectasis,
- lung cancer etc.

Other symptoms that may accompany chronic cough include:

sore throat,
postnasal drip runny or stuffy nose,
hoarseness,
heartburn, and
a bad taste in the mouth.

What is chronic (persistent) cough?

Chronic cough is a cough that persists over time. Chronic cough is not a disease in itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying condition.

What causes chronic cough in children and adults?

Some common causes and risk factors for chronic cough include asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus problems (for example sinus infection), esophageal reflux of stomach contents, medications such as ACE inhibitors, and whooping cough.

In rare cases, chronic cough may be the result of inhaling foreign objects into the lungs (usually in children).

Common causes of chronic cough include:

Smoking

Smoking is the most common cause of a constant, chronic cough.

Asthma

Asthma is a disease of the airways, resulting in difficulty breathing or wheezing often characterized by abnormal breathing tests. Some asthma sufferers have chronic cough as their only symptom. They may even have normal lung functions tests. This is often referred to as cough-variant asthma. Asthma symptoms can be aggravated by cold air, exposure to air pollutants, pollen, smoke, or perfumes.

Gastroesophageal reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) refers to acid reflux, or backward flow, of stomach acid and other contents into the esophagus, reflexes result in spasms of the airways that can cause shortness of breath and coughing. In some instances, acid reflux can be so severe that substances can be inhaled (aspirated) into the lungs and cause similar symptoms as well as damage to lung tissue.

Sinus problems and postnasal drip

Sinus problems and postnasal drip also are causes of chronic cough with mucus. CT scan of the sinuses is necessary for diagnosis. Affected individuals often complain of a “tickle in their throat” and frequent throat clearing.

Infections

Infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia can cause acute cough or a chronic cough. These infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungus. Viral infections do not respond to antibiotics. The common cold and the flu often produce a dry cough. Viral upper respiratory tract infections often result in a prolonged cough even after the infection has cleared in people with asthma. Acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis are common causes of coughing up blood (hemoptysis).

Pneumonia

A particular strain of bacterial pneumonia, called Mycoplasma, may cause a chronic cough with fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and sputum production. This infection is sometimes referred to as “walking pneumonia,” and commonly affects young and healthy people.

Whooping cough

Whooping cough (pertussis) is an acute, highly contagious respiratory tract infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. It can cause violent, rapid, constant coughing (often a high-pitched cough with a “whoop” sound at the end) and it can be life-threatening in young children. Whooping cough commonly affects infants and young children but can be prevented by immunization with the pertussis vaccine. In adults, whooping cough can be a cause of chronic cough.

Chronic cough

Chronic cough in children is uncommon foreign material obstructing the airways of the lungs, asthma, and allergies need to be evaluated by a pediatrician.

Allopathic medication

Certain medications, like ACE inhibitors used in treating high blood pressure can cause a chronic cough.

Common Causes

Less common causes of chronic cough include allergies, tumors, sarcoidosis, congestive heart failure, or other lung diseases such as chronic obstructive disease (COPD) or emphysema. Lung diseases also can cause coughing up blood.

Whooping cough can last for 10 weeks, and vaccination can prevent whooping cough.

Signs and symptoms of chronic cough in children and adults

A chronic cough may be accompanied by other cold symptoms, including:

Sore throat,
Postnasal drip,
Runny or stuffy nose,
Hoarseness,
Heartburn,
A bad taste in the mouth,
Phlegm,
Wheezing or difficulty breathing,
Fever,
Chest pain,
Coughing up blood or yellow or green phlegm,
Coughing so hard it makes you vomit,
Cough with unexplained weight loss.

Five different types of chronic coughs (dry, wet)

There are 5 different types of chronic (or persistent) cough. Examples include:

Dry cough: is a persistent dry cough is a cough that does not produce any mucus, is irritating to the lungs and throat, and maybe a sign of a viral infection or sinus problems.
Chronic wet cough: is a cough that produces mucus (sputum), and depending on the color, may indicate a bacterial infection or fluid in the lungs (congestive heart failure).
Stress cough: a reflexive spasm of the airways caused when you are under stress. It usually produces no mucus and is not generally related to infections.
‘Barking’ cough’: is usually found in children and may be associated with croup or other viral illnesses. The harsh, barking sound of a croup cough is caused by a swollen windpipe (trachea).
Whooping cough: a cough that causes a ‘whooping’ sound after the cough may be indicative of a serious infection. Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can be deadly for patients under 1 year of age.

Allopathic treatment for chronic cough

The allopathic treatment of chronic cough is directed at the cause. Symptoms may be relieved with over the counter (OTC) cough medicines.

The following are allopathic treatments for chronic cough caused by diseases:

Asthma:

Inhaled bronchodilators and inhaled steroids are given to decrease inflammation of the airways and reduce wheezing. In some cases, short-term oral steroids are prescribed to relieve chronic cough.

Gastroesophagea l reflux disease (GERD):

Treatment for chronic cough of GERD includes avoiding foods that increase reflux, avoiding meals before lying down, elevating the head while sleeping, and taking medication to decrease stomach acidity.

Sinus problems and postnasal drip:

Use of decongestants such as pseudoephedrine or antihistamines may improve symptoms of postnasal drip or runny nose, which can lead to a persistent, nagging, cough. Inhaled nasal steroids are very effective in treating allergic rhinitis (hay fever), a common cause of cough. Antibiotics may be prescribed if the cause is determined to be sinusitis.

In severe cases of chronic cough, a doctor may prescribe codeine or other similar narcotic drugs, which are effective as cough suppressants.

Bacterial pneumonia and bronchitis are typically treated with antibiotics. If the pneumonia is close to the chest wall inflammation of the surface of the lung can cause pain, known as pleurisy, and pain relievers (analgesics) can be helpful. Cough suppressants are used with caution in these situations because clearing the lung of the infected mucus by coughing helps clear the infection. Most bronchitis in adults is caused by viral infections. Therefore, treatment is much the same as that of the common cold including rest, fluids, pain relievers, and humidification. Some people find expectorant cough medicines containing guaifenesin helpful in alleviating their discomfort. Sometimes it is hard to differentiate viral bronchitis from bacterial bronchitis, and antibiotics are prescribed. In some cases, asthmatics can produce green mucus that looks infected. Your doctor can have the mucus examined to determine if an infection is present.

Medications:

Patients with chronic cough who are taking blood pressure medicines called ACE inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme). A newer generation of ACE inhibitors like medicines called ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers).

Homeopathic treatment for chronic cough

Drosera Rotundfolia

Affects markedly the respiratory organs and is the principal remedy for whooping-cough. Drosera can break down resistance to tubercle. Phthisis pulmonal; vomiting of food from coughing with gastric irritation and profuse expectoration. Spasmodic, dry irritative cough, whooping cough. yellow expectoration, with bleeding from nose and mouth, laryngitis. Rough, scraping sensation deep in the faucet and soft palate.

Antimuonium Tartaricum

Rattling of mucus with little expectoration with drowsiness, debility and sweat, trembling of whole body, great prostration and faintness. Hoarseness. Rattling of mucus, but hard to expectorate. Burning sensation in chest. Cough excited by eating, with pain in chest and larynx. Edema and impending paralysis of lungs.

Coldness, trembling, and chilliness. Intense heat. Copious perspiration. Cold, clammy sweat, with great faintness. Intermittent fever with lethargic condition.

All symptoms worse, in evening; from lying down at night; from warmth; in damp cold weather; from all sour things and milk. Better, from sitting erect; from eructation and expectoration.

Ammonium Carbonica

Hoarseness. Cough every morning. Emphysema. Burning in chest. Asthenic Pneumonia. Rattling pulmonal sounds. Slimy sputum and specks of blood. Pulmonary edema.

All symptoms worse in warm, especially in morning (warm room/bed).

Conium Maculate

Dry hacking cough, almost continuous; worse, evening and at night, when lying down, talking or laughing, and during pregnancy. Expectoration only after long coughing.

The patient has a cough at night on lying down. They are restless at night and tend to sit up many times due to coughing spells. A tickling sensation in the throat pit may be prominently present. A few individuals may complain of an unusually dry spot in the larynx. In some cases, a headache on coughing may arise.

Ipecacuanha

The chief action is on the ramifications of the pneumogastric nerve, producing spasmodic irritation in chest and stomach. Dyspnea; constant constriction in chest. Asthma. Yearly attacks of difficult shortness of breathing. Continued sneezing; coryza; wheezing cough. Cough incessant and violent, with every breath. Chest seems full of phlegm but does not yield to coughing. Bubbling rales. Suffocative cough: child becomes stiff, and blue in the face. Whooping-cough, with nosebleed, and from mouth. Bleeding from lungs, with nausea; feeling of constriction; rattling cough. Croup. Hemoptysis from slightest exertion. Hoarseness, especially at end of a cold. Complete aphonia.

Spongia Tosta

A remedy especially marked in the symptoms of the respiratory organs, cough, croup, thyroid gland swollen. stitches and dryness in throat, burning stinging and sore throat etc. Tickling causes cough. Clears throat constantly. Laryngeal phthisis. Goiter.

Great dryness of all air-passages. Hoarseness: larynx dry, burns, constricted. Cough, dry, barking, croupy; larynx sensitive to touch. Croup; worse, during inspiration and before midnight. Respiration short, panting, difficult; feeling of a plug-in larynx. Cough abates after eating or drinking, especially warm drinks. Wheezing asthmatic cough, worse cold air and lying, head low and in warm, with profuse expectoration and suffocation. Oppression and heat of chest.

Swelling and induration of glands; also, exophthalmic; cervical glands swollen with tensive pain on turning head, painful on pressure; Goiter. Itching; measles

Corallium Rubrum

Whooping and spasmodic coughs, especially when the attack comes on with a very rapid cough, and the attacks follow so closely as to almost run into each other. Often preceded by sensation of smothering, followed by exhaustion. Profuse, nasal catarrh. Cough that results from PND (postnasal dripping). Hawking of profuse mucus. Throat very sensitive, especially to air.

The cough appears in quick, short attacks that follow each other in quick succession, hysterical cough. Dry, spasmodic, suffocative cough; very rapid cough, short, barking, whooping-cough. Extreme exhaustion is felt along with the cough. A vital symptom that attends the above symptoms are extremely sensitive air passages to air (inhaled air feels cold).

Millifolium

Millifolium is and antiviral medicine. Cough with bloody sputa or in any lung disease with accompanying cough. Shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, oppression of chest. Hemoptysis after injury or following violent exertion.

Natrum Muriaticum

Cough from a tickling in the pit of stomach, accompanied by stitches in liver and spurting of urine. Stitches all over chest. Cough, with bursting pain in head. Shortness of breath. Whooping-cough with flow of tears with cough and with salty sputum.

Kali Sulph

Rattling of mucus in chest. Post-grippe cough, especially in children. Bronchial asthma, with yellow expectoration. Cough; worse in evening and in hot atmosphere. Croupy hoarseness.

Pulsatilla Nigricans

Capricious hoarseness. Dry cough in evening and at night; must sit up in bed to get relief; and loose cough in the morning, with copious mucous expectoration. Expectoration bland, thick, bitter, greenish. Short breath, anxiety, and palpitation when lying on left side.

Heper Sulph

Cough troublesome when walking. Dry, hoarse cough. Cough excited whenever any part of the body gets cold or uncovered, or from eating anything cold. Croup with loose, rattling cough; worse in morning. Choking cough. Rattling, croaking cough; suffocative attacks; has to rise up and bend head backwards. Anxious, wheezing, moist breathing, asthma worse in dry cold air.

Phosphorus

Cough from tickling in throat; worse, cold air, reading, laughing, talking, from going from warm room into cold air. Sweetish taste while coughing. Hard, dry, tight, racking cough. Congestion of lungs. Burning pains, frothy or blood-stained sputum. The phlegm may be salty or sweet to taste. Strong odors may trigger a cough. Pneumonia, with oppression.

Arsenic Album

Asthma worse midnight. Burning in chest. Suffocative catarrh. Cough worse after midnight; worse lying on back. Expectoration scanty, frothy. Darting pain through upper third of right lung. Wheezing respiration. Hemoptysis with pain between shoulders; burning heat all over. Cough dry.

Throat: Swollen, edematous, constricted, burning, unable to swallow. Diphtheritic membrane looks dry and wrinkled.

Bryonia Alba

Soreness in larynx and trachea. Hoarseness; worse in open air. Dry, hacking cough from irritation in upper trachea. Cough, dry, at night; must sit up; worse after eating or drinking, with vomiting, with stitches in chest, and expectoration of rust-colored sputa. Frequent desire to take a long breath; must expand lungs. Difficult, quick respiration; worse every movement; caused by stitches in chest. Cough, with feeling as if chest would fly to pieces; presses his head on sternum; must support chest. Croupous and pleuro-pneumonia. Expectoration brick shade, tough, and falls like lumps of jelly. Tough mucus in trachea, loosened only with much hawking. Coming into warm room excites cough. Heaviness beneath the sternum extending towards the right shoulder. Cough worse by going into warm room.

Throat: Dryness, sticking on swallowing, scraped and constricted. Tough mucus in larynx and trachea, loosened only after much hawking, worse coming into warm room.

Sambucus Nigra

Hoarseness with tenacious mucus in larynx. Paroxysmal, suffocative cough, coming on about midnight, with crying and dyspnea. Spasmodic croup. Dry coryza. Sniffles of infants; nose dry and obstructed. Loose choking cough. When nursing child must let go of nipple, nose blocked up, cannot breathe. Child awakes suddenly, nearly suffocating, sits up, turns blue. Cannot expire. Millar’s asthma.

Mephitis Putorius

Sudden contraction of glottis, when drinking or talking. Food goes down wrong way. False croup; cannot exhale. Spasmodic and whooping-cough. Few paroxysms in daytime, but many at night; with vomiting after eating. Asthma, as if inhaling Sulphur; cough from talking; hollow, deep, with rawness, hoarseness, and pains through chest. Violent spasmodic cough; worse at night.

Senega

Hoarseness. Hurts to talk. Bursting pain in back on coughing. Catarrh of larynx. Loss of voice. Hacking cough. Thorax feels too narrow. Cough often ends in a sneeze. Rattling in chest. Chest oppressed on ascending. Bronchial catarrh, with sore chest walls; much mucus; sensation of oppression and weight of chest. Difficult raising of tough, profuse mucus, in the aged. Asthenic bronchitis of old people with chronic interstitial nephritis or chronic emphysema. Old asthmatics with congestive attacks. Exudations in Pleura. Hydrothorax. Pressure on chest as though lungs were forced back to spine. Voice unsteadies, vocal cords partially paralyzed.

Throat: Catarrhal inflammation of throat and faucets, with scraping hoarseness. Burning and rawness. Sensation as if membrane had been abraded.

Mercurius Sulphuricus

Throat. Heat and sensation of constriction in throat. Dryness of tongue and throat. Burning in mouth and throat. Respiratory Organs. Roughness in throat and hoarseness. Sensation of heat in larynx. Increased expectoration of mucus from larynx” and trachea. Dyspnea; in children; hydrothorax.

Cina

Gagging cough in the morning. Whooping-cough. Violent recurring paroxysms, as of down in throat. Cough ends in a spasm. Cough so violent as to bring tears and sternal pains; feels as if something had been torn off. Periodic; returning spring and fall. Swallows after coughing. Gurgling from throat to stomach after coughing. Child is afraid to speak or move for fear of bringing on paroxysm of coughing. After coughing, moaning, anxious, gasps for air and turns pale.

Coccus Cacti

Constant hawking from enlarged uvula; coryza, with inflamed faucets; accumulation of thick viscid mucus, which is expectorated with great difficulty. Tickling in larynx. Sensation of a crumb behind larynx, must swallow continually; brushing teeth causes cough. Faucets very sensitive. Suffocative cough: worse, first waking, with tough, white mucus, which strangles. Spasmodic morning cough. Whooping cough attacks end with vomiting of this tough mucus. Chronic bronchitis complicated with gravel; large quantities of aluminous, tenacious mucus, are expectorated. Walking against wind takes breath away.

Agaricus Muscarius

Violent attacks of coughing that can be suppressed by effort of will, worse eating, pain in head while cough lasts. Spasmodic cough at night after falling asleep, with expectoration of little balls of mucus. Labored, oppressed breathing. Cough ends in a sneeze. Whooping cough or pertussis.

Pain, with sensitiveness of spine to touch; worse in dorsal region. Lumbago; worse in open air. Crick in back. Twitching of cervical muscles. Very sensitive to cool air. Violent attacks of heat in evening. Copious sweat. Burning spots.

Moschus

Tightness of chest is obliged to take a deeper breath. Sudden constriction of larynx and trachea. Difficult respiration: chest oppressed; hysterical spasm of chest; asthma. Spasm of glottis. Impending paralysis of lungs. Asthma, with intense anxiety, fear, and smothering sensation. Cough ceases; mucus cannot be expectorated. Globus hystericus.

Dulcamara

Cough worse cold, wet weather, with free expectoration, tickling in larynx. Cough, hoarse, spasmodic. Whooping-cough, with excessive secretion of mucus. Winter coughs, dry, teasing. Asthma with dyspnea. Loose, rattling cough; worse wet weather. Must cough a long time to expel phlegm. Cough after physical exertion.

Dry coryza. Complete stoppage of nose. Stuffs up when there is a cold rain. Thick, yellow mucus, bloody crusts. Profuse coryza. Wants nose kept warm, least cold air stops the nose. Coryza of the new born.

Belladonna

Drying in nose, faucet, larynx, and trachea. Tickling, short, dry cough; worse at night. Larynx feels sore. Respiration oppressed, quick, unequal. Cheyne-Stokes respiration. Hoarse; loss of voice. Painless hoarseness. Cough with pain in left hip. Barking cough, whooping cough, with pain in stomach before attack, with expectoration of blood. Stitches in chest when coughing. Larynx very painful; feels as if a foreign body were in it, with cough. High, piping voice. Moaning at every breath.

Throat dry, as if glazed; angry-looking congestion; red, worse on right side. Tonsils enlarged; throat feels constricted; difficult deglutition; worse, liquids. Sensation of a lump. Esophagus dry; feels contracted. Spasms in throat. Continual inclination to swallow. Scraping sensation. Muscles of deglutition very sensitive. Hypertrophy of mucous membrane.

Calcarea Carbonicum

Whooping cough or pertussis. Tickling cough troublesome at night, dry and free expectoration in morning; cough when playing piano, or by eating. Persistent, irritating cough from chemical fumes. Extreme dyspnea. Painless hoarseness; worse in the morning. Expectoration only during the day; thick, yellow, sour mucus. Bloody expectoration; with sour sensation in chest. Suffocating spells; tightness, burning and soreness in chest; worse going upstairs or slightest ascent, must sit down. Sharp pains in chest from before backwards. Chest very sensitive to touch, percussion, or pressure. Longing for fresh air. Scanty, salty expectoration

Megnisia Phosphoricum

Asthmatic oppression of chest. Dry, tickling cough. Spasmodic cough, with difficulty in lying down. Whooping cough or pertussis. Voice hoarse, larynx sore and raw. Intercostal neuralgia.

Corallium Rubrum

Hawking of profuse mucus. Throat very sensitive, especially to air. Profuse, nasal catarrh. Inspired air feels cold. Profuse secretion of mucus dropping through posterior nares. Whooping cough or pertussis. Dry, spasmodic, suffocative cough; very rapid cough, short, barking. Cough with great sensitiveness of air-passages; feel cold on deep inspiration. Continuous hysterical cough. Feels suffocated and greatly exhausted after whooping-cough.

Ipecacuanha

Dyspnea, constant constriction in chest. Asthma. Yearly attacks of difficult shortness of breathing. Continued sneezing; coryza; wheezing cough. Cough incessant and violent, with every breath. Chest seems full of phlegm but does not yield to coughing. Bubbling rales. Suffocative cough: child becomes stiff, and blue in the face. Whooping cough or pertussis, with nosebleed, and from mouth. Bleeding from lungs, with nausea; feeling of constriction; rattling cough. Croup. Hemoptysis from slightest exertion. Hoarseness, especially at end of a cold. Complete aphonia.

Mephitis Putorius

Naphtalinum

Sneezing: eyes inflamed; painful; head hot. Hay-fever. Spasmodic asthma; better in open air. Soreness in chest and stomach; must loosen clothing. Dyspnea and sighing inspiration. Emphysema in the aged with asthma. Whooping cough or pertussis, long and continued paroxysms of coughing, unable to get a respiration. Acute laryngo-tracheitis. Bronchitis when the spasmodic element is associated with tenacious expectoration and oppression.

Ambra Gresia

Asthmatic breathing with eructation of gas. Nervous, spasmodic cough, with hoarseness and eructation, on waking in morning; worse in presence of people. Whooping cough or pertussis. Tickling in throat, larynx and trachea, chest oppressed, gets out of breath when coughing. Hollow, spasmodic, barking cough, coming from deep in chest. Choking when hawking up phlegm. Palpitation, with pressure in chest as from a lump lodged there, Palpitation in open air with pale face.

Kalium Bichromicum

Voice hoarse; worse, evening. Metallic, hacking cough. Profuse, yellow expectoration, very glutinous and sticky, coming out in long, stringy, and very tenacious mass. Whooping cough or pertussis. Tickling in larynx. Catarrhal laryngitis cough has a brassy sound. True membranous croup, extending to larynx and nares. Cough, with pain in sternum, extending to shoulders; worse when undressing. Pain at bifurcation of trachea on coughing; from mid-sternum to back.