Table of Contents
What exactly is a cough?
A cough, also known as tussis, is a voluntary or involuntary act that clears the throat and breathing passage of foreign particles, microbes, irritants, fluids, and mucus; it is a rapid expulsion of air from the lungs. Coughing can be done deliberately or as part of a reflex.
Why does cough happen?
When something irritates your throat or airway, your nervous system sends an alert to your brain. Your brain responds by telling the muscles in your chest and abdomen to contract and expel a burst of air. A cough is an important defensive reflex that helps protect your body from irritants like: mucus.
What are the symptoms of cough?
Signs and Symptoms of a Cough
- A runny or stuffy nose.
- A feeling of liquid running down the back of your throat (postnasal drip)
- Frequent throat clearing and sore throat.
- Hoarseness.
- Wheezing and shortness of breath.
- Heartburn or a sour taste in your mouth.
- Rarely, coughing up blood.
Why is it called a dry cough?
A productive cough produces phlegm or mucus, clearing it from the lungs. A nonproductive cough, also known as a dry cough, doesn’t produce phlegm or mucus. Many things — from allergies to acid reflux — can cause a dry cough.
Is it normal to cough?
How cough affects your body. Occasional cough is a normal, healthy response. Our throats and lungs produce a small amount of mucus to keep the airways moist and to have a thin covering layer that helps protect against irritants we may breathe in. Cough also helps us remove any toxins we accidentally breathe in.
What really happens during a cough?
A dry cough helps to clear the large breathing passages from the irritants, foreign particles, and microbes. Therefore, a persisting dry cough indicates the presence of unwanted irritants and microorganisms in the air passage.
What are the signs of a bad cough?
Sore throat
When to worry about a cough that won’t go away?
“A majority of coughs are not dangerous,” says Jason C. Rho, MD, a pulmonologist at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital. But if your cough lingers for more than 3 or 4 weeks-sooner if you have a fever-it’s time to see your doctor. When a cough persists for 8 weeks or longer or goes away only to come back, that’s a chronic cough.