Chronic Cough Causes

The Basics

A chronic cough is a cough that refuses to go away. If you continue to cough several times a day for an extended period of time, this is a chronic cough. While having a chronic cough is not classified as a disease, it is a symptom of many other types of disorders and diseases. Having a chronic cough is often cited as the reason many people make their first trip to the doctor's office. Chronic coughing is a common problem among smokers.

Nonsmokers

A chronic cough has different types of causes for a smoker versus a nonsmoker. For a nonsmoker, common causes include things such as asthma. Post-nasal drip and gastric reflux syndrome are also among the causes. Though a chronic cough being present in a nonsmoker doesn't indicate problems nearly as serious as it does for a smoker, it is still something that should be looked into by a licensed physician.

Smokers

While all the causes for a chronic cough in nonsmokers are certainly present in smokers, a person having a smoking habit certainly opens the door for new causes. For example, bronchitis is a cause for having a chronic cough in smokers. Lung cancer is also a serious cause for a chronic cough in smokers. While these two things are statistically rare, the presence of carcinogens in cigarette smoke increase their likelihood. Smokers who have a chronic cough should be examined by a physician.

References

• Chronic Cough Causes
• Chronic Cough