Cough
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Try one of these related symptoms.
Cough
Tickly cough
Cough with phlegm
Frequent and violent coughing
Nighttime cough
Barking cough
Wake up because of cough
Started with a cough
Hacking cough with whistling noise when drawing breath
Cough worsens in a specific place at work or home
Exercise-induced asthma
Productive cough
About the Symptom
A cough is the body's way of responding when something irritates your throat or airways.
When to See a Doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
- Sickly/pale appearance
- Respiratory wheeze
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing / breathlessness
- Repeated fever above 38 ℃
- Peripheral cyanosis
Possible Causes
Generally, Cough can be related to:
- Cough Variant Asthma
A kind of asthma with the main symptom being a constant dry cough. This occurs because the airways are very sensitive and overreact to foreign substances. The root cause is unclear but involves genetics. Many triggers for asthma flare-ups exist, including smoke, pollen, dust mite droppings, cold weather, exercise, and viral infections.
- Viral Bronchiolitis
It causes swelling and a buildup of mucus in the small airways of the lung called bronchioles. Bronchiolitis is almost always caused by a virus. It starts out with symptoms like a common cold but then it gets worse, causing coughing and a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing out called wheezing. Sometimes children have trouble breathing. Symptoms of bronchiolitis can last for 1 to 2 weeks but occasionally can last longer. It usually occurs in children less than 2 years and most common in babies less than 3 months. Most children get better with care at home. A small number of children need a stay in the hospital.
- Bronchiectasis
A condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally wide. There are various causes, including infections, but sometimes the cause is unknown.
- Acute / Chronic Tracheitis / Bronchitis
- Post-Infectious Airway Hypersensitivity
- Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
Related Serious Diseases
Sometimes, Cough may be related to these serious diseases:
- Mycoplasma Infection
Infection with mycoplasma bacteria typically affects the lungs, but some patients may develop skin rashes.
- Pertussis
- Foreign Body in Bronchus
- Pneumocystis Pneumonia
Doctor's Diagnostic Questions
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:
- Do you have a cough?
- When did you first notice the cough?
- How often do you have a cough?
- How often do you have a cough?
- How is your cough now?
Reviewed By:
Phillip Aguila, MD, MBA (Pulmonology, Critical Care)
Dr. Aguila graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine. He has trained in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and Internal Medicine at Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He has served as Assistant Professor since 2010.
Eisaku Kamakura, MD (Pulmonology)
Dr. Kamakura graduated from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry, and the Niigata University School of Medicine. He trained at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital and held positions in the Respiratory Medicine departments at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ome City General Hospital, and Musashino Red Cross Hospital. In 2021, he became the specially appointed assistant professor at the Department of General Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine.
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Jan 29, 2025
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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