Chronic Cough Definition in Children Differential Diagnosis
It is normal to cough occasionally. Coughing with a cold, flu or allergies is normal. Coughing has a purpose. It is your body’s way of keeping unwanted stuff from getting into your lungs. Coughing helps clear extra mucus from your airways (small tubes in your lungs). This extra mucus could be caused by smoking, a cold , nasal or sinus problems, a lung infection or a lung disease, like asthma or COPD. Chronic Cough Definition A cough may be caused by a condition not related to your lungs, such as heartburn, some medications, or throat irritants (for example, dust, pollution, chemicals in your workplace or home). Coughing is not normal if you are coughing up blood or thick mucus. If your cough makes you very tired, or light-headed, or causing chest or stomach pain, or causing you to “wet” yourself, you should talk to your doctor to find out the cause. What are the different types of cough? Doctors divide coughing into three groups, based on how long the cough has la...