Postinfectious cough is one variety of sub-acute cough and is the lingering cough that many people have after they get over their respiratory infection. Chronic cough is most commonly caused by asthma, postnasal drip and, perhaps surprisingly to some, reflux. And a chronic cough is one that persists longer than 12 weeks. A sub-acute cough lingers for three or more weeks following an upper respiratory illness. An acute cough is what most people experience when they’re sick with an active viral infection. There are three main types of coughs: acute, sub-acute and chronic. Unfortunately, in some people, this process takes longer than in others.ĭoctors find it useful to break respiratory symptoms like cough into specific categories. And the molecular processes that were making you cough and sneeze more frequently settle down and return to a normal state – at least in most cases. Through this process, the cough reflex also abates. ![]() And it’s known that the virus itself can activate genetic changes that increase the sensitivity of these nerve pathways, which leads to more coughing.īut when the acute stage of infection is over and you start to feel better, the body repairs the damages caused by inflammation in your airways and lungs. When you have a viral infection, the resulting inflammatory process produces a molecule called bradykinin that drives the urge to cough. Studies show that a viral infection alters how sensitive these same nerves are. This buildup of pressure leads to a burst of air and mucous out of the lungs at around 500 mph – a speed nearly twice as fast as the world’s fastest cars. When these nerves are activated, the throat closes and pressure in the chest increases. ![]() WATCH: The connection between cold weather and catching a cold Mechanoreceptors respond to sensations from irritants such as dust. Chemical receptors respond to smells and fumes they’re the reason people sometimes cough after breathing in spicy peppers sizzling on a hot skillet. There are two types of nerves that can trigger a cough in response to external stimuli: chemical receptors and mechanical ones called mechanoreceptors. I see this same variability in my office: Some patients develop a long-term cough, while others seem to kick the cough much sooner, with no clear explanation.Ĭoughing occurs due to a complex process that begins with an electrical impulse between the nerves within the airways, including the nose and throat. The answer likely lies in differences in people, such as the presence of a condition like asthma or chronic bronchitis. But a cough following an upper respiratory infection does usually go away, in time.ĭoctors have long wondered why the duration of cough varies so much following an upper respiratory viral or bacterial infection. ![]() That, unfortunately, depends on why you are coughing. Given how ubiquitous persistent coughing is, you might presume that the medical profession has a long list of treatments that we know work. Some 40% of those end up in a pulmonologist’s office like mine. And unfortunately, with the rise in seasonal flu, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RVS cases in the fall of 2022 and winter of 2023, there’s been a lot of coughing lately.Ī cough is a common symptom of these sorts of respiratory infections, and coughing is a complaint that leads to an estimated 30 million office visits every year. A long-lasting cough following illness from an upper respiratory infection is surprisingly common. ![]() When was the last time you walked into a public space and didn’t hear someone coughing? After three years of flinching at the sound, it can be disarming to hear so many people coughing – and embarrassing if it’s you.īut take heart in knowing that you’re not alone.
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