WE all cough; some more than others. However, when you (or the loved one in your care) have coughs that can’t be resolved by simple remedies, it’s time to see the doctor. This is something you should do for various reasons. First of all, there are different types of coughs depending on what’s causing it. Whatever the reason, sometimes you may need to wear extra protection when you go out because some coughs can cause incontinence.
It’s also not very nice when you’re in public areas, especially in restaurants, to have bad bouts of cough. If you’re suffering from a cold or flu, be considerate and stay at home until you’re better to prevent spreading germs.
Not all coughs are contagious. Nonetheless, you should still cover your mouth with your hand when you cough because it sprays tiny droplets of saliva into the air. It would be better if you coughed into a tissue paper in your hand. Remember to promptly wash your hand or use the hand sanitiser.
There are many different things that can cause coughing. Sometimes, it’s not as straightforward as you might think. My late mother used to have bouts of the most awful, gut-wrenching cough. It was the kind that would leave her heaving with exhaustion. By this time, she was undergoing haemodialysis and tired out easily. She was also taking handfuls of medication a few times a day, so she wasn’t keen to add on anymore.
Mum had a few specialists taking care of her and we asked every one of them to check why she was having this awful nagging cough. They checked to see if her lungs, heart, ear, nose and throat were okay. Everything seemed okay, under the circumstances. She was also checked for allergies where a blood sample was taken and tested – and came out fine.
We were all puzzled by this. Everything seemed fine but she was still having this persistent cough. Then one day, one of the doctors reviewed all her medicines. He was concerned if the medications might be interacting with each other and was causing this problem. Mum also suffered from hypertension.
The doctor suspected that the medication that controlled her blood pressure might be the culprit. He changed her medication and asked her to try it for a week or so. If the cough was no longer there, then she should stick to the new medication. Sure enough he solved the problem. Mum’s health and general disposition improved. She wasn’t so tired from coughing anymore and that made her happier. She was finally able to enjoy life’s simple pleasures.
MORE POSSIBLE CAUSES
There are quite a few other causes for nagging coughs. Postnasal drip where the mucus drips from your nose to the back of your throat is one of them. This will irritate your throat and cause you to cough, especially at night as you lie down to sleep. It’s very irritating and can disturb your sleep.
Postnasal drip is common when you have a cold or when you suffer from allergic rhinitis or sinusitis. But other things like asthma could also cause it. The common causes for coughs would be respiratory issues like chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, asthma, and lung cancer.
Chronic bronchitis is caused by tobacco smoke, heavy air pollutants at factories and even haze or smog that tips the air pollutant index to hazardous levels. One of the solutions is to stop smoking if you’re a smoker. However, if it were due to environmental hazards, you’d just have to find precautionary solutions and get medications from your doctor to get you through the bad season.
Asthma can be triggered as an allergic reaction to dust, smoke, pollen, freezing weather and exercise. The one thing that we never really think of as being the cause for nagging cough is gastric problems like acid reflux or GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease), which causes food and stomach acid to go up to your throat. This isn’t only painful, coming complete with a burning pain in your chest that’s commonly referred to as heartburn, but you also taste that sourness in your mouth.
Up until recently, GERD has never been given that much attention as being the cause of persistent coughs. For the longest time, it seemed as though most causes for coughs were caused by respiratory problems or ENT (ear, nose and throat) issues.
Stomach acids that travel back up towards your throat can cause coughing. Coughing sometimes worsens GERD, which sends you into one unfortunate cycle. If that were the cause, you’ll find that when the acid reflux is controlled, the coughing would subside too. You’d be surprised how an antacid instead of a cough mixture may get rid of the cough.
When in doubt, check with your doctor.
Putri Juneita Johari volunteers for the Special Children Society of Ampang. She could be reached at juneitajohari@yahoo.com.