When you cough, you probably don’t think about why. A cough is how your body expels dust or another irritant from your airway. It’s your body’s natural protective response, helping to rid it of harmful pathogens such as bacteria or viruses.
If you have asthma or allergies, your cough is how your body responds to what it perceives as a harmful pathogen, even though it may only be a substance found in nature.
In this blog, our board-certified providers at Irving Coppell Primary Care and Pediatrics in Irving, Texas, explain when to seek medical attention for a persistent cough.
Sometimes a cough helps. When you have a cold, one way your body rids itself of pathogens is by expelling them through your airway.
If you’re still coughing after two weeks, though, it’s time to seek medical attention. If your cold has disappeared, something else could be responsible for your continued cough. You could have a lower respiratory infection, COVID-19, or even lung disease.
Untreated bronchitis, inflammation in your airways, could lead to pneumonia. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
Are your coughs deep and forceful? Continued coughing can stress your lungs and respiratory muscles to the point of cracking a rib.
Having difficulty breathing normally, with or without chest pain, could be a health emergency. Don’t take any chances — go to the nearest emergency room. It could be a life-threatening condition such as an embolism or collapsed lung.
If you’re coughing up blood or phlegm, which is mucus from your lungs or throat, call our office immediately so we can see you the same day. That could signal lung disease or another serious health condition. Possibilities include:
Recreational drugs can also cause bloody coughs.
Chronic coughing causes fatigue and can lead to other symptoms that place you at risk of falling and other accidents:
If you’re constantly tired and have a persistent cough, call our office for an appointment. We examine you for conditions from congestive heart failure to sleep apnea, both of which feature fatigue, mental confusion, and a constant cough.
If your cough doesn’t go away after two weeks, or you have a cough with any of the symptoms described above, call us at 469-713-3838 so we can see you without delay. For non-urgent matters, including expert primary and pediatric care, call or request an appointment online.
