More serious symptoms or conditions in people with a cough that warrant referral for medical attention include: 9 A cough that persists or is accompanied by other symptoms may signal a more serious illness that requires medical attention. Acute, lasting 8 weeks (4 weeks in children).Īcute cough associated with a cold or flu is usually self-limiting.Post-infectious cough, eg Mycoplasma pneumonia or Bordetella pertussis (whooping cough)Ĭigarette smoke, upper airway cough syndrome, asthma, eosinophilic bronchitis, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor Viral upper respiratory tract infection, eg cold or flu Adults may have 2–5 episodes of UTRI each year school children can suffer from 7 to 10 episodes a year so they may cough for up to 140 days a year. If a cough lasts more than eight days rhinosinusitis should be suspected. 1 Cough caused by thermal, chemical or mechanical stimulation is also known as cough hypersensitivity syndrome. Other things that can cause a cough include exposure to irritants (such as tobacco smoke, pollutants, smells, aerosols, and dust), cold and/or dry air, and allergens (typically pollens for people with hay fever). Postnasal drip, caused by excessive mucus production, may also induce coughing. 2 It can be caused by mucosal inflammation that results from infection, for example (see Table 1). 1Coughing helps remove mucus, noxious substances and irritants from the larynx, trachea and bronchi. A demulcent substance can form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, indirectly reducing pain and inflammation.”Ĭough provides a protective mechanism in response to airway irritation it also helps keep the airway open. “In this regard, up to 85 per cent of the benefit of cough syrups depends on the physical and chemical effects of the syrup itself that exert a demulcent action, namely smoothing. Mucosal dehydration and mechanical stimuli, caused by pharyngeal dripping of viscous nasal mucus, viruses, bacteria, inflammatory mediators and irritant substances, play a decisive role in triggering the urge to cough and sustaining URTI-associated acute cough. Children are almost four times more likely to experience URTI-associated acute cough than adults. “URTIs are very frequent in school children and they suffer from seven to 10 episodes per year. It is a defence mechanism of the body to clear the respiratory tract from foreign materials inhaled accidentally or produced internally by infections, with viruses being the main cause of acute cough in upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs),” said Edel Duffy, head of medical for VIVIO Junior Multivitamin. “Cough is the most common symptom of several respiratory diseases. That in turn generates nerve signals through the vagus nerve to the intercostal muscles, abdominal wall, diaphragm and pelvic floor to produce the cough. 2,3 When stimulated, nerve signals from the cough receptors travel to the cough centre in the medulla in the brainstem stimulating the central respiratory generator. 1Ĭough is a reflex action that involves a network of events that is not completely understood but starts with activation of airway sensory nerves via cough receptors in the airways. It can be caused by a variety of different diseases and environmental factors, as Steve Titmarsh explains…Īcute cough following an upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), usually caused by a virus (common cold), is the most common respiratory symptom worldwide.
A cough is a common respiratory symptom and has a protective function.
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