There can be many causes of coughing, and not all of them are obvious.
Coughing is not a disease, but a protective reflex of the body. If it lasts more than three to four weeks, it is a warning signal that should not be ignored, says therapist Yulia Volkova.
The doctor explained that a persistent cough always indicates a specific cause that needs to be identified. According to her, uncontrolled use of lozenges and syrups only masks the symptom but does not eliminate the problem, thereby complicating diagnosis and wasting precious time.
The expert noted that there can be many causes of coughing, and not all of them are obvious. Among the possible causes are untreated bronchitis that has progressed to a chronic form, or post-viral syndrome, where the receptors in the respiratory tract maintain hypersensitivity.
In addition, the cough may have a non-pulmonary nature. It can be triggered by gastroesophageal reflux (irritation of the larynx by stomach acid), certain blood pressure medications, or heart pathologies. Volkova emphasized that in such cases, it is necessary to conduct diagnostics, namely auscultation, taking a medical history, and possibly an X-ray or spirometry, to determine the cause and begin appropriate treatment.
