Coughs are a defence mechanism adopted by the body to get rid of irritation in the air passage inhibiting the free flow of air to the lungs. They are not only a result of physiological complications but can also be triggered by psychological reasons. Cough due to physical problems happens usually when external agents and environmental pollutants like dust, pollen, smoke etc attack the body or if you are down with some serious disease. The other types of coughs are the ones driven psychologically and are generally habitual. This kind of coughing is called Streruphilia and is not caused by any physical ailment or disorder.
Cough can often be acute or chronic, based on its typical characteristics and on the basis of the period for which it lasts and its intensity. Painful and persistent coughs which remain for not more than three weeks can be due to either infectious or non-infectious diseases. Conditions such as pneumonia and infections in sinuses cause acute coughs while chronic diseases like asthma trigger chronic coughs.
It is important that you consult a doctor and get a proper diagnosis of the root cause and severity of your cough diagnosed so that appropriate treatment can be prescribed. Depending on the underlying root cause, doctors can prescribe various types of medications such as antibiotics, antihistamines, or other cough suppressants. In many chronic cases where patient suffers from persistent cough, the medical treatment can even stretch for months to be able to alleviate the problem.
Like any other serious medical complication, taking necessary precautions to prevent cough attacks is more sensible than having to seek treatment for it when the situation gets bad. A healthy lifestyle can protect you from cough related problems and for that you should give up smoking and take a proper, balanced diet.
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