A cough is your body’s natural response to an irritant in your lungs or air passages. It is normal to get a cough occasionally, but a cough that persists for longer than three or four weeks, is accompanied by pain or a fever, or brings up bloody or discolored mucus could be a sign of an underlying health problem that needs medical attention.
Causes of a Cough
Coughs are usually accompanied by other symptoms, such as a runny nose, fever, or watery eyes. Coughs have many causes, including:
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Common cold
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
- Flu
- Gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD)
- Hay fever
- Inhaling an irritant
- Laryngitis
- Pneumonia
- Post-nasal drip
- Respiratory infection
- Sinusitus
- Smoking
We can help determine the cause of your’s or a loved one’s cough at Urgent Family Care in Knoxville, TN.
Cough Relief
To relieve a cough, take a warm steamy shower or drink water or a hot drink. Sucking a cough drop or hard candy may help. (Do not give hard candies to small children because they could accidentally inhale them.) Use a vaporizer or humidifier to moisturize the air.
If the cough is caused by a cold or virus, antihistamines and cough syrups might help. Read the labels and directions carefully. Never give cough medicine to a child without consulting a physician.
If you are concerned about your symptoms, treatment for cough is available at Urgent Family Care in Knoxville Tennessee, without a previous appointment.
To learn more about cough symptoms, see: