Cough is one of the ways by which the body drives out excess mucus from the lungs and throat. The air passage of our body is lined with cells secreting the mucus that traps dust. When the cell membrane gets infected or inflamed, there is an increase in the secretion of mucus, which leads to the blockage of the passage. This blockage causes coughing, as a reflex action to remove the excess mucus. Cough can generally be classified into two types - productive cough, which produces mucus from the lungs, and non productive cough, also known as dry cough that does not produce any mucus from the lungs. Affecting people of all age groups, coughing can be acute or chronic, depending on its duration. In the following lines, we have listed the causes and symptoms of cough.
Causes Of Cough
Symptoms Of Cough
Causes Of Cough
- Inflammation of larynx or pharynx
- Smoking
- Exposure to allergens, like dust, smoke, pollen grains and chemical fumes
- Asthma
- Weather changes
- Acute/ Chronic sinusitis
- Bronchitis
- Common cold
- Hay fever
- Influenza (flu)
- Laryngitis
- Lung cancer
- Medications called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- Pleurisy
- Pneumonia
- Postnasal drip
- Respiratory syncytial virus (especially in young children)
- Respiratory tract infection
- Tuberculosis
- Whooping cough
Symptoms Of Cough
- Coughing up phlegm that is green, rusty brown or yellow in color, blood-stained or foul smelling
- Raised temperature
- Aching muscles
- Pain in the throat
- Wheezing
- Shortness of breath
- Lethargic feeling
- Chest pain
- Pain and swelling in the calf
- Recurrent night-time cough
- Whooping cough
- Worsening smoker's cough
- Sudden weight loss
- Fever and sweating
- Hoarse voice
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