SYMPTOMS

SYMPTOMS >> COUGH

A cough is a sudden, explosive exhalation of air; the function of a cough is to clear material from the airways.

Coughing sometimes brings up sputum (also called phlegm) expelled by the lungs.

Causes
Coughing occurs whenever the airways are irritated. When you cough it might be due to:

1. Respiratory infections
2. Allergies
3. Smoking
4. Using of drugs like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.
5. Narrowing of the airways below the windpipe (bronchoconstriction), foreign bodies or tumors in the airway can cause cough, wheezing or both. Bronchoconstriction occurs in asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure.

Coughs vary considerably. A cough may be distressing, especially if coughing episodes are accompanied by chest pain, shortness of breath, blood, or unusually large amounts of or very sticky sputum. However, if coughing increases slowly over decades, as it may in a smoker, the person may hardly be aware of it.