Coughing is an important and necessary reflex that helps our body clear the airways. It prevents unwanted substances such as dust, pollen, germs and foreign objects from harming our respiratory tract.
While it is normal for a person to cough from time to time, a cough can sometimes be a sign of a serious illness or medical condition. Some coughs do not bring up phlegm; this is called a dry cough. In the type known as a wet cough or productive cough, the cough is accompanied by phlegm.
What are the most common causes of cough in adults?
- Viral Infections: The common cold, flu, COVID-19 infection
- Smoking: Including e-cigarette use
- Postnasal Drip: It can occur with colds, allergies and sinusitis.
- Lung Diseases Such as Asthma and COPD
- Acid Reflux: Stomach acid that escapes from the stomach into the esophagus and higher up can cause irritation in these areas and trigger a cough.
- Medication Side Effects
Which accompanying signs should be a cause for alarm?
Which accompanying signs should be a cause for alarm?
- Difficulty breathing and noisy breathing
- Fever and chest pain
- Coughing up bloody, yellow or green phlegm
- Coughing so hard that it causes vomiting
- A cough that gets progressively worse and lasts longer
- Weight loss
Which tests are used to investigate a cough?
- Nasal Swab
- Throat Culture
- Chest X-ray
- Pulmonary Function Tests: You are asked to blow into a straight tube, and how actively your lungs are working is assessed over certain time intervals.
- Allergy Skin Tests: These investigate whether your cough has an allergic origin.
- Lung and Sinus CT: Infections (e.g., pneumonia, pulmonary edema, sinusitis), tumors and structural abnormalities of the lungs and sinuses are investigated.
- Bronchoscopy, Laryngoscopy: A method that allows direct imaging with fiber-optic cameras.
- Tests for Acid Reflux
Which departments should follow up patients with a cough?
Once the origin of the cough has been determined, it needs to be assessed from multiple perspectives. In this respect, the Pulmonology, Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine and Cardiology departments all play an active role, both in terms of the causes of the cough and the conditions it leads to.
The information on our website is not intended to direct individuals to any treatment. Do not take any diagnostic or treatment steps without consulting your doctor. The content does not contain information about İzmir Can Hastanesi's therapeutic healthcare services.
