Coughing is often accompanied with flu and common cold, and results in soreness in throat and sometimes even acute pain. It is important to seek suitable medical help and get it treated appropriately.

The body’s defence mechanism instigates coughs to clear the passage of air in the throat which prevents appropriate flow of air to the lungs. They are not only an outcome of physiological problems but can also be triggered by psychological reasons. Cough caused due to physical problems are normally either allergic in nature, caused by external pollutants or other agents, or a symptom of some ailment the person is suffering from. The latter is a habit of coughing or sneezing in an individual without any concrete physical reason, and it is called ‘habitual coughing’ or Streruphilia in medical parlance.

Cough can often be a chronic problem with identifiable characteristics and can also be serious based on how painful and persistent the symptoms are. Acute coughs which last less than 3 weeks can be an offshoot of either infectious or non-infectious ailments. While conditions like sinusitis or pneumonia result in acute cough, chronic coughs are generally a result of complications such as asthma and bronchitis.

In order to make sure that you get proper treatment for your coughing problem, you need to visit a doctor to identify the nature and root cause of the problem. Based on the identified root cause, doctors can prescribe several kinds of medicines such as antihistamines, antibiotics or other cough suppressants. In a few cases, especially chronic ailments, the cough treatment can last for prolonged periods, even months, to fully alleviate or suppress the problem.

As with any other ailment, prevention of cough is always more sensible than having to cure it later when you become badly affected by it. Abstaining from smoking, exercising daily and eating a balanced diet that builds immunity and improves overall health can help keep cough at bay.

Find out more about the most effective treatment for your Allergy and Cough problems from qualified and experienced ENT specialist.