A cough that just won't leave can certainly put a damper on your day. And you also experience some discomforts due to persistent cough, including sleepless problems, soreness of chest muscles, and even incontinence.Even though the effects are annoying, most of the causes are not that serious. If your coughing bouts have gone on for longer than a few weeks you may want to investigate what exactly is causing them.
What May Cause Cough That Won't Go Away?
If you are experiencing persistent cough, check out these symptoms to see if they could be the cause:
1. Common Cold
Common cold can cause cough for about 3 weeks or less. It is pretty common to cough up phlegm that is pale yellow. If you are dealing with green or dark yellow mucus you should check with your doctor to rule out anything more serious issues.
2. Infections
If you have been ill in the past month, you may have not fully gotten rid of the infection your body was trying to fight. Make sure if you get a prescription from your doctor and take the full dose until it is gone. If you stop taking it when you feel better you may not have fully fought off the infection.
3. Annoying Allergies
Being not allergic in the past doesn't mean you might not have allergies now. Seasonal allergies could make you have a tingle feeling in the back of the throat due to some liquid. Also, if your cough is accompanied by itchy eyes,the allergy can most likely to be the culprit.
4. Whooping Cough
If you have cough that won't go away for about 3 weeks or less, you need to check with your doctor to rule out the whooping cough. Symptoms of whooping cough can include persistent and heavy cough and vomiting.
5. Stomach Acid (Reflux)
If you find yourself coughing right after you try to go to sleep, it could be because your stomach acid is backing up into your esophagus. The stomach and throat are connected and you may experience heartburn and reflux, causing you to cough.
6. Seasonal Asthma
If you have cough to the season changes and worse conditions can be noticed when it is cold outside, more chances are that you may have seasonal asthma that causes persistent cough.
7. Chronic Bronchitis
People who have smoked or smoke currently are at higher risks of getting chronic bronchitis. Symptoms of this condition include coughing with phlegm, wheezing, congestion, and breathlessness.
8. Nasal Drip Down into Throat
If you experience cough that won't go away after you first wake up, you may have postnasal drip. This occurs when your nasal passages drip down your throat from the back of your nose. As it irritates your throat, you will end up with a serious cough that may even produce phlegm. Get your doctor to prescribe a nasal spray and see if that alleviates your cough.
9. More Causes
- Smoking: It is a known fact that smoking irritates the throat with harmful chemicals of the cigarettes.
- Prescription medications: There are many prescription medications that list chronic coughing as one of their side effects, especially ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure.
How to Get Rid of Cough That Won't Go Away
If you have got a cough for a while and you have ruled out all of the conditions listed above, you should think back to when you first noticed having a persistent cough. Make a list of all the times that you seem to cough more, and if anything seems to relieve the cough. Below are some remedies that can help you to ease your conditions.
1. Take a Test
If you would like to narrow down some of the possibilities you should ask your doctor for a CT scan or a chest X-ray. You might also want a lung function test ordered or a test to see if you have acid reflux.
2. Get to the Root
If you really want to get rid of your cough, you need to get to the root of the problem and cure the core issue, especially when you have chronic cough. For postnasal drip problem, you can turn to antihistamines or decongestants. For respiratory infections, you need to take a steroid. If you have asthma, get some effective medications in the form of a steroid or a bronchodilator.
3. Stay Away from Triggers
If you have seasonal allergies or have asthma and COPD, you should avoid triggers that can cause you to cough. Besides, if you smoke, try to get rid of the habit of smoking. Also, get vaccinated in childhood can help to prevent certain diseases that can cause chronic coughs.
4. Invest a Humidifier
A humidifier will go far in keeping your breathing passageways from getting dry and inflamed. Invest a humidifier to soothe the inflammatory tissues around the throat or nasal passages. To your budget conditions, select the most suitable humidifier among those numerous choices.
5. Stay Away from Dairy
Whenever you get a cold, you are told to stay away from dairy as it will generate phlegm and mucus.
6. Keep Well Hydrated
Drinking lots of water helps with easing the cough that won't go away and strengthens the immune system. You might think that warm or hot water would be more soothing but it is actually cool water that will bring down any swelling.
7. Drink Honey and Lemon Mixture
Preparing several bottles of honey in your kitchen is always a good idea as for its various medical usages. Due to its antibacterial and antiviral properties, it helps to soothecolds and coughs. You can apply the honey by adding some to a cup of tea with a squeeze of lemon juice, and then you can expect a surprising result.
8. Other Natural Remedies
In addition to honey, you can try chewing on ginger or making atea from it. Garlic and onion are also two natural items that have been known to help tame a cough.Raw honey with garlic can be a little more tolerable.