Chest Cough

A persistent cough (chronic cough) is a common symptom with many possible causes. Annoying effects of coughing, such as loss of sleep, sore chest muscles and leaking urine, can affect your quality of life and interfere with your daily activities. What does it mean if you have a cough that just won't go away? It's important to note that a persistent cough doesn’t necessarily mean you need to be worried about lung cancer. There are many possible causes of this symptom, only one of which is lung cancer. But since the less common causes are often missed for some time, it is important to make an appointment to see your doctor even if you believe there is a good explanation. What Is the Definition of a Persistent Cough? A persistent cough is defined as a cough that persists for a period of 8 weeks or longer. The cough may be dry, or you may cough up mucous. This is in contrast to an "acute" cough that lasts less than 8 weeks, such as those that occur with the common