Coughing Continuously and Not Going Cured, Beware of the Cause

Continuous coughing is an abnormal condition that needs to be watched. A long cough and does not heal even after taking medication , can be a sign of the possibility of asthma, chronic bronchitis, gastric acid disease, tuberculosis, COPD, and lung cancer .

In medical rules, a persistent long time, which is about two months or more in adults, and one month or more in children, is called a chronic cough. Chronic itself is not a disease, but a symptom of underlying health disorder or disease.

There are many factors that can cause symptoms of coughing continuously. Smoking or exposure to cigarette smoke is one of the main causes of chronic cough. In addition to smoking, the lack of drinking can also cause persistent and never heal, it can even worsen coughs and flu.

Causes of Continuous Cough

Besides smoking, here are some possible causes of persistent coughing, starting with the most common:

• Asthma
  People with asthma generally experience a persistent cough accompanied by shortness of breath after exposure to the trigger factor for asthma attack. Asthma can also recur in certain seasons (especially the rainy season), after inhaling chemicals or fragrances, or after experiencing an upper respiratory tract infection.

• Infection
  Continuous coughing can also be caused by infections such as tuberculosis (TB), pneumonia, bronchitis, and whooping cough (pertussis).

• Air pollution
  Exposure to air pollution around the home and work environment, generally in the form of chemicals or particles such as dust, mold, sulfur dioxide, and nitrate dioxide. In fact, clean water that is too dry or too cold can also trigger a cough.
• Postnasal drip
  A continuous cough can occur due to excessive phlegm in the nose or sinus cavity, which collects in the back of the throat. This condition is called postnasal drip . Excessive phlegm is often caused by a sinus infection.

• Gastric acid disease (GERD)
  GERD occurs because stomach acid rises to the esophagus and irritates, causes coughing. On the other hand, persistent cough that doesn't improve can aggravate gastric acid disease.

• Blood pressure medication
  Continuous coughing in some people can also be caused by common angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE), which are commonly prescribed for patients sufferers. of high blood pressure or heart failure.

In addition to the above conditions, there are several causes of persistent cough that lead to heavier conditions, including:

• Lung cancer
  Generally a persistent cause by lung cancer is also accompanied by other symptoms, such as bleeding cough, chest pain, and unclear causes of weight loss.
• Heart failure
  Heart failure can also be diagnosed as lung disease with symptoms of persistent cough accompanied by shortness of breath. Typical symptoms of heart failure are tightness and coughing that gets heavier when lying on your back, and there is swelling in certain body parts.
• Chronic bronchitis Inflammatory conditions in the lower respiratory tract that occur for persistent cough accompanied by phlegm discharge. This condition, called chronic bronchitis, is common in active smokers who are often exposed to cigarette smoke. Chronic bronchitis is part of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a common disease of heavy smokers.

Other Accompanying Symptoms

Depending on the underlying cause, persistent coughing can also be accompanied by other symptoms and signs, such as:

• Nasal congestion and wateriness
• Afternoon throat
• Shortness of breath and wheezing
• Hoarseness
• Headache, dizziness, and fainting
• Persistent chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• High fever and cold sweats at night
• Weight loss drastically

The symptoms of persistent and not healing within a few weeks really need to be watched. Generally, persistent coughing can improve after the underlying cause is treated. And to ascertain the cause, further examination is required by the doctor, either through a physical examination or supporting tests if needed, such as X-rays, CT scans , blood tests, sputum examinations, and pulmonary functions tests.

How to Relieve Prolonged Coughs at Home

In addition to treating it in the right way according to the cause, you can do the following steps to help relieve persistent cough symptoms:

• Increase fluid intake, especially warm drinks, such as water or tea. This is intended for thin mucus that collects in the throat. Even warm soup can be an option.
• Suction of cough candy to relieve throat irritation.
• If you have stomach acid, it is advisable to avoid foods and beverages that trigger stomach acids, such as spicy food, acid, mint, chocolate and caffeine.
• Avoid smoking and smoker's environment, so that the smoke does not settle in the lungs.
• Keep the air moist to help expedite the respiratory tract. If not possible, take a bath with warm water or breathe in hot steam. You can also use a humidifier.
• Use a nasal spray, or do nasal irrigation therapy with a salt solution (neti pot) to remove mucus and clean the nose. Make sure you read the usage rules and use them carefully, so as not to aggravate

Do not ignore persistent coughs that have last long time, especially when accompanied by other symptoms. Immediately consulted a doctor so that the cause can be traced and handled appropriately.