A nagging cough can be a suggestion of underlying conditions or different causes. When a cough lasts a minute or two, it may be due to food going down the wrong pipe. In cases of flu or cold, the cough may last for a day or two. Bronchitis or allergies can cause coughs that last a week while a cough lasting three to four weeks or more may indicate cancer. Coughing protects the lungs from inflammation and infections since it expels foreign particles, microbes, and mucus from the respiratory tract. Persistent coughing can result from asthma, postnasal drip, side effects of ACE inhibitors, chronic bronchitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease, among others.
Therefore, the first step towards handling a daily nagging cough is to determine the underlying cause. If a cough lasts eight weeks or longer, it is considered chronic. The process of identifying an underlying cause involves a physical examination and oral history (Altman et al., 2019). This can be done by asking the patient questions enquiring when the cough started and whether it is dry or wet. The nurse can also inquire whether the cough is worse in the morning and if he or she has ever coughed blood, whether he or she is taking any medications and whether it is accompanied by heartburn, hoarseness, vomiting, or postnasal drip.
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The physician should focus on the major causes of a nagging cause, such as postnasal drip and asthma. If there are more severe underlying conditions, further testing should be done, including a CT scan or X-ray. More invasive tests, such as fiberoptic bronchoscopy, may also be necessary (Chung & Lalloo, 1996). After identifying the leading cause of the treatment is administered, appropriate treatment is administered. For example, for allergy-related coughs, saline nasal sprays, decongestants, and antihistamines may help. In the case of asthma-related cough, rescue inhalers can be used to offer relief. Diet modifications and GERD medications can help in the case of GERD-related coughs.
References
Chung, K. F., & Lalloo, U. G. (1996). Diagnosis and management of chronic persistent dry cough. The postgraduate medical journal , 72 (852), 594-598.
Altman, K. W., Lane, A. P., & Irwin, R. S. (2019). Otolaryngology aspects of chronic cough. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice , 7 (6), 1750-1755.
