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Cough
By Mayo Clinic staffMayo Clinic Health Manager
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Definition
A cough is your body's way of responding to irritants in your throat and airways. An irritant stimulates nerves in your respiratory tract, sending the cough impulse to your brain, which signals the muscles of your abdomen and diaphragm to give a strong push of air to your lungs to try to expel the irritant.
Everyone coughs sometimes, but a cough that persists for several weeks or one that is unusually productive (brings up mucus) or bloody, may indicate an underlying condition that requires medical attention. Cough rarely requires emergency care.
Causes
An occasional cough is normal — it helps clear foreign substances and secretions from your lungs and prevents infection. But a cough that persists for long periods of time may signal an underlying problem. Some causes of coughs include:
- Acute sinusitis
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Bronchiolitis (especially in young children)
- Bronchitis
- Childhood asthma
- Chronic sinusitis
- Common cold
- COPD
- Croup (especially in young children)
- Cystic fibrosis
- Emphysema
- GERD
- 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
When to see a doctor
Consult your doctor if your cough lasts longer than a week or 10 days or is accompanied by:
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty swallowing
- Thick, greenish-yellow sputum
- Bloody phlegm or sputum
- Wheezing
- Stiff neck
- Fever
Seek emergency care if you:
- Can't catch your breath
- Have hives and swelling of your face or throat
Seek emergency care if your child's cough is accompanied by:
- Drooling or swallowing difficulty
- Stiff neck
- Blue or dusky lips
- Breathing trouble
- High-pitched noises when inhaling
- Fever of 100.4 F (38 C) or higher for newborns and 103 F (39.4 C) or higher for older children
Self-care measures
To ease your cough, try these tips:
- Suck cough drops or hard candies. They may ease a dry cough and soothe an irritated throat. Don't give them to a child under age 3, however, because they can cause choking.
- Increase the moisture in the air of your home. Use a vaporizer or take a hot, steamy shower.
- Drink fluids. Liquid helps thin the mucus in your throat. Warm liquids, such as broth or tea, can soothe your throat.
