Chronic Cough
Cough is a normal healthy protective mechanism to keep things from entering our lungs and causing infections. Unfortunately, chronic cough represents a malfunction in this mechanism. Chronic cough can disrupt social functions, work environments, family dynamics, and personal mental health. People are constantly asking “what is wrong with you?” or avoiding interaction for fear of catching an illness. Fortunately, there are many identifiable causes to chronic cough. Upper respiratory inflammations such as sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, or post nasal drip can constantly irritate the vocal folds. Trouble swallowing or aspiration can lead to coughing with meals. Asthma, inhaler use, bronchitis, or other lung disease can lead to chronic airway inflammation. Reflux disease can also lead to constant esophagus or throat irritation and perpetual cough. Problems at the level of the vocal folds themselves such as benign lesions, infections, or vocal fold motion disorders can lead to chronic cough. A review of medications is needed as some have well known cough side effects. Finally, there is “neurogenic cough”, “idiopathic cough”, or “laryngeal neuropathy” which are thought to represent a sensory problem of the throat.
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