Lately, I don’t know what’s wrong. I have a constant cough that just won’t go away no matter what I do!!
Many times, coughing becomes a habit, causing many people to be complacent and not seek treatment from specialists, which can worsen the condition or lead to other diseases. Dr. Winai Boveja, Pulmonologist, Internal Medicine Clinic, Phyathai 3 Hospital will provide us with the answers…
Q: Doctor, I have been coughing for 2 months and have taken many medicines, why doesn’t it get better?
Dr. Winai Boveja: For the problem of coughing, the most important thing in the initial diagnosis by the doctor is to know the history of various symptoms that have occurred, such as
- The nature of the cough: dry cough or cough with phlegm
- When the cough occurs: more during the day or night, whether you wake up coughing after sleeping, or cough in the early morning
- Whether the cough is accompanied by wheezing
- Whether you have ever coughed up blood
- Whether you have nasal congestion symptoms
- The duration of the cough and whether you had a cold before the cough started
The questions asked by the doctor are necessary. Patients must answer clearly because it helps in the preliminary analysis of the disease. So if the doctor asks in detail, please don’t get annoyed yet.
Q: I understand that if the cough lasts a long time, it is called chronic cough, right?
Dr. Winai Boveja: Yes, chronic cough means coughing continuously for at least 8 weeks. Chronic cough can have various causes, which may be due to infections or non-infectious conditions such as allergies, bronchitis, asthma, etc. In some cases, chronic cough may be caused by other diseases unrelated to the respiratory tract, such as acid reflux or heart failure. Therefore, finding the cause of chronic cough may not be answered in the first visit to the doctor. Planning diagnosis and follow-up treatment requires a lot of understanding and cooperation from the patient.
Q: Are there many causes of chronic cough?
Dr. Winai Boveja: Yes, it can be caused by many factors. Common causes include sinusitis, bronchitis, bronchial infections, tuberculosis, emphysema, asthma, acid reflux, and many others.
Q: Treatment depends on the cause, right?
Dr. Winai Boveja: Treatment not only targets the cause of the disease but also the symptoms that occur simultaneously. Besides taking history and performing a basic physical examination to diagnose the disease, some cases may require further tests as appropriate, such as examining the nasal cavity and throat, sinus X-rays to check for sinus syndrome, chest X-rays to look for lung abnormalities, sputum tests, lung function tests to assess the possibility of asthma, chest CT scans if abnormalities are found on chest X-rays, and bronchoscopy (Fiber Optic bronchoscopy) to confirm the diagnosis.
Q: What kind of cough symptoms should prompt a visit to the doctor?
Dr. Winai Boveja: Simple guidelines for when you have a cough and should see a doctor include
- Cough lasting a long time and feels like it won’t go away (more than 2 weeks)
- Cough with blood in the phlegm
- Have been in contact with tuberculosis patients
- Have underlying diseases such as diabetes, kidney disease, or heart disease; if coughing, you should see a doctor promptly
- Taking immunosuppressive drugs
Q: Basic self-care tips when you have a cough
Dr. Winai Boveja: The first thing is to drink plenty of water, get enough rest, try to avoid using computers and mobile phones so your body can truly rest, take medications as prescribed by the doctor, and avoid factors that trigger coughing.
