Causes and ways to treat a cough that doesn't heal (chronic)

A persistent cough that lasts more than 8 weeks can be categorized as a chronic cough. The cough that you experience usually won't subside even after taking cough medicine. A cough that doesn't heal can indicate a health problem, either from the respiratory system or other organs.

This condition requires medical attention. However, because the causes can be different, handling is also different. Find out more clearly about the condition of a prolonged cough in the following review!

Causes of a persistent cough (chronic)

Coughing is the body's natural defense mechanism to keep the respiratory tract clear of harmful foreign particles. However, if the cough doesn't heal for months or even years, it could be a sign of a certain disease.

The American College of Chest Physicians determines the types of coughs based on their duration or duration, namely:

• Acute cough, occurring for 3 weeks
• Sub-acute cough, lasting 3 to 8 weeks
• Chronic cough, which can last up to 8 weeks or more.

A cough that doesn't heal is an alarm and a serious health problem. A prolonged cough can also be affected by many factors. That is, it is very likely if the causes of chronic cough include several diseases at one time.

Some of the common conditions and diseases that cause a cough that doesn't heal (chronic) are:

1. Viral and bacterial infections in the lungs

Bacterial or viral infections in the lungs can cause inflammation and swelling of the airways, leading to excess mucus or phlegm production. A large volume of sputum can lead to coughing more frequently.

Several lung infections that can cause chronic coughs include pneumonia, bronchiectasis, and tuberculosis (TB).

2. Asthma

Asthma is a condition of narrowing of the respiratory tract due to inflammation which is influenced by irritants, cold temperatures, and strenuous activity.

Shortness of breath accompanied by a wheezing sound is indeed the main symptom of asthma. However, coughs that don't go away are also often experienced by people with asthma, especially for typescough variant asthma which has the typical symptoms of a dry cough.

3.

Conditions which are also known as post-nasal dripcaused by the production of excess mucus in the upper airways, such as the nose. The excess mucus then flows down the back of the throat irritating the airways, triggering the cough reflex.

This persistent cough condition can occur when you experience an allergic reaction, sinusitis, or after being infected with a virus that causes colds and flu.

4.

GERD makes stomach acid back up into the esophagus (the tube that connects the stomach and mouth). This persistent irritation can cause a chronic cough.

5.Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is a chronic (chronic) inflammation that takes place in the lungs which blocks the movement of air in them. This condition is caused by a number of diseases including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Both of these conditions will eventually cause symptoms such as a prolonged cough.

6. Side effects of high blood pressure drugs

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a drug commonly given to lower high blood pressure or treat heart failure. Some types of ACE drugs that can cause chronic cough are benazepril, captopril, and ramipril.

7. Other causes

In some cases, not all causes of cough can be identified with certainty. A study published in New England Journal of Medicine find other conditions that can trigger a prolonged cough.

Other diseases and conditions that cause a persistent cough, namely:

• Aspirations: a condition in which saliva (saliva) does not enter the digestive tract, but into the respiratory tract, cexcess water causes irritation and stimulates coughing.
• Sarcoidosis: an inflammatory disorder that causes cell growth in the tissues of the lungs, eyes, and skin.
• Cystic fibrosis: respiratory disorders caused by the production of excess, thick mucus in the lungs and airways.
• Heart disease: a persistent cough can be a symptom of heart disease or heart failure.
• Lung cancer: Chronic cough can be a symptom of lung cancer, usually accompanied by chest pain and bloody phlegm.

Apart from some of the causes above, there are also several risk factors for chronic cough, including:

1. Smoke
2. Have weak immunity
3. Allergy
4. Environmental pollution

Other symptoms that accompany chronic cough

Anyone can catch this persistent cough, but based on research in journals Thorax, it is known that women experience a dry cough at night more often than men. This is because women are more sensitive to the cough reflex.

Chronic cough symptoms don't actually last all the time, but they can stop just like when the body is resting. During coughing, the cough may be accompanied by phlegm or just a dry cough. However, when the cough is caused by a serious infection in the lungs, it usually causes a cough with phlegm.

The following are other signs and symptoms that are experienced when suffering from a chronic cough, including:

• Fatigue
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Headache
• Sore throat
• Hard to breathe
• Bad smell in the mouth
• The voice turned hoarse
• Sleep disturbance
• The mouth feels sour
• Night sweats
• Fever every night
• Breath stagnates and gradually shortens
• Loss of appetite
• Losing weight drastically
• Pain or tenderness in the chest

If the phlegm that is released when coughing is mixed with blood (coughing up blood), this could indicate a more dangerous health problem.

Immediately consult a doctor if you have a cough for more than 3 weeks and are accompanied by a number of symptoms as above to find out the cause and the right treatment.

Diagnosis of diseases that cause chronic cough

To diagnose the cause of a chronic cough, the doctor will perform a physical examination and identify other symptoms that accompany the cough. The doctor will also ask about the patient's medical history and daily habits that can be risk factors for a prolonged cough.

Other tests are usually also needed to more definitely diagnose the cause of the persistent cough. You may be asked to undergo a number of tests such as:

• Chest X-ray or CT-scan : determine the cause of chronic cough through an image that scans several parts of the lungs.
• Blood test: to detect whether there is an allergy or infection that the body is fighting.
• Sputum test: take sputum samples to analyze the presence of germs in the body.
• Spirometry: breathing test using a plastic bag to evaluate lung function.

Treatment for a cough that doesn't go away

Treatment for chronic cough depends on the condition or disease that causes it, so it can vary. If the doctor cannot determine the exact cause, the doctor will adjust the treatment to the common factors that cause chronic cough.

But in general, chronic cough medicines given by doctors aim to relieve coughs, thin phlegm, relieve inflammation, and cure the source of the disease.

Medicines used to treat chronic cough include:

1. Antihistamines

This drug is used to stop the syndrome post-nasal drip due to allergies. The type of antihistamine that doctors usually prescribe as a chronic cough medicine is diphenhydramine or chlorpheniramine.

For cough caused by allergic rhinitis, use nasal corticosteroids, nasal anticholinergic agents, and nasal antihistamines can also help relieve nasal congestion.

2. Decongestants

Postnasal drip syndrome can also be stopped by taking this type of decongestant phenylephrine and pseudoephedrine. Cough medicines that contain a combination of antihistamines and decongestants can also be an option for relieving a cough that doesn't go away.

3. Steroids and bronchodilators

If the chronic cough is caused by asthma, inhaled corticosteroid medications, such as fluticasone and triamcinolone, or a bronchodilator (albuterol), can help relieve inflammation in the airways. Effectively, these two types of drugs can open the narrowed airways due to inflammation so that breathing takes place more smoothly.

4. Antibiotics

Infections caused by bacteria in pneumonia and tuberculosis can lead to a long and severe cough. To stop the development of bacteria in the lungs, antibiotics are needed.

5. Acid blockers

Excess production of stomach acid or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the causes of a persistent cough. To fix this, choose drugs that contain antacids, H2 receptor blockers, and proton pump inhibitor. This drug works to neutralize acid levels in the stomach.

As has been explained, the consumption of blood pressure-lowering drugs can cause persistent coughing. To overcome this, the doctor will stop using the drug if the cough gets worse or even lasts for a long time.

Doctors can also replace it with ACE inhibitor drugs other types, or provide alternative treatments for drugs angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs), such as losartan and valsartan.

Overcoming chronic cough naturally

Treatment from a doctor can be more effective if it is followed by several steps for treating chronic cough with both natural cough medicines and lifestyle changes such as the following:

• Get plenty of rest
• Make sure you meet your fluid needs, such as water and vitamin-rich fruit juices.
• Gargle with a salt water solution regularly.
• Consuming a warm solution can help loosen phlegm.
• Consume honey regularly.
• Quit smoking.
• Keeping the air humidity, you can use a humidifier.
• Stay away from pollution / irritants.
• Reducing foods that are fatty, high in acid, and alcohol consumption.