Cough is a sudden and often repetitively occurring defence reflex which
helps to clear the large breathing passages from excess secretions,
irritants, foreign particles and microbes. The cough reflex consists of
three phases: an inhalation, a forced exhalation against a closed
glottis, and a violent release of air from the lungs following opening
of the glottis, usually accompanied by a distinctive sound.
Classification of Cough
Coughing is classified as acute (of sudden onset) if it is present less than three weeks, subacute if it is present between three and eight weeks, and chronic when lasting longer than eight weeks.
A cough can be dry ox productive, depending on whether sputum is coughed up. Most of the time, coughing is acute and caused by a respiratory tract infection.
Coughing can be triggered by food entering the windpipe rather than the oesophagus due to a failure of the epiglottis in patients who have difficulties swallowing.
Cough can be a sign of respiratory tract infections such as tracheobronchitis, pneumonia, pertussis and tuberculosis. In patients with a normal chest X-ray, tuberculosis is a rare finding.
Pertussis is increasingly being recognised as a cause of troublesome coughing in adults. Cough can also worsen in an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The common causes of chronic dry coughing include:
- post-nasal drip.
- gastroesophageal reflux disease.
- asthma.
- post viral cough, and
- ACE inhibitors.
Smoking and air pollution are common causes of coughing.
Cough may also be caused by conditions affecting the lung tissue such as bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung diseases and sarcoidosis. Coughing can also be triggered by benign or mahgnan lung tumours or mediastinal masses. Through irritation o the nerve, diseases of the external auditory canal (wax, for example) can also cause cough. Cardiovascular diseases associated with cough are heart failure, pulmonary infarction and aortic aneurysm. Coughing may also be used for social reasons, such as the coughing before giving a speech. Cough may also be psychogenic, which is different from habit coughing and tic-coughing.
The complications of coughing can be classified as either acute or chronic.
Acute complications include cough syncope, insomnia, cough-induced vomiting, rupture of blebs causing spontaneous pneumothorax, subconjunctival haemorrhage or red eye, coughing defecation and in women with a prolapsed uterus, cough urination. Chronic complications are common and include abdominal or pelvic hernias, fatigue fractures of lower ribs and costochondritis.
Classification of Cough
Coughing is classified as acute (of sudden onset) if it is present less than three weeks, subacute if it is present between three and eight weeks, and chronic when lasting longer than eight weeks.
A cough can be dry ox productive, depending on whether sputum is coughed up. Most of the time, coughing is acute and caused by a respiratory tract infection.
Coughing can be triggered by food entering the windpipe rather than the oesophagus due to a failure of the epiglottis in patients who have difficulties swallowing.
CAUSES OF COUGH
Cough can be a sign of respiratory tract infections such as tracheobronchitis, pneumonia, pertussis and tuberculosis. In patients with a normal chest X-ray, tuberculosis is a rare finding.
Pertussis is increasingly being recognised as a cause of troublesome coughing in adults. Cough can also worsen in an acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The common causes of chronic dry coughing include:
- post-nasal drip.
- gastroesophageal reflux disease.
- asthma.
- post viral cough, and
- ACE inhibitors.
Smoking and air pollution are common causes of coughing.
Cough may also be caused by conditions affecting the lung tissue such as bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung diseases and sarcoidosis. Coughing can also be triggered by benign or mahgnan lung tumours or mediastinal masses. Through irritation o the nerve, diseases of the external auditory canal (wax, for example) can also cause cough. Cardiovascular diseases associated with cough are heart failure, pulmonary infarction and aortic aneurysm. Coughing may also be used for social reasons, such as the coughing before giving a speech. Cough may also be psychogenic, which is different from habit coughing and tic-coughing.
COMPLICATIONS OF COUGHING
The complications of coughing can be classified as either acute or chronic.
Acute complications include cough syncope, insomnia, cough-induced vomiting, rupture of blebs causing spontaneous pneumothorax, subconjunctival haemorrhage or red eye, coughing defecation and in women with a prolapsed uterus, cough urination. Chronic complications are common and include abdominal or pelvic hernias, fatigue fractures of lower ribs and costochondritis.
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