Are You Sick?

Is this your symptom?

• The sound made when you clear the airway of irritants
• Most coughs are part of a cold
• A coughing fit or spell means more than 5 minutes of nonstop coughing
• Coughs can be dry (no mucus) or wet (with white, yellow or green mucus)

Causes of Cough

• Common Cold. Most coughs are part of a cold that includes the lower airway. The medical name is viral bronchitis. The bronchi are the lower part of the airway that go to the lungs. Bronchitis can be caused by viruses. Repeated bouts of bronchitis may be due to inflammation and narrowing in the airways. Adults with chronic bronchitis may get a chest infection more easily if they get a cold.
• Pneumonia (serious). This is a more serious infection of the lower parts of the airway (in the lung). It can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Symptoms include cough with brown or bloody mucus, short of breath, chest pain and fever. The person will usually feel and appear sick. Antibiotics may be needed to clear a bacterial lung infection.
• Sinus Infection. The exact trigger of the cough is unknown. It may be that post-nasal drip (mucus dripping into the throat from the sinuses) irritates the lower throat. Or pressure within the sinus may trigger the cough reflex.
• Allergic Cough. Some people get a cough from breathing in an allergic substance. Examples are pollens or cat dander. Allergic coughs can be controlled with allergy medicines, such as Benadryl (short term) or Zyrtec (long term).
• Asthma. Asthma with wheezing is the most common cause of chronic coughs in children. In adults, the main cause is smoking.
• Cough Variant Asthma. Some people with asthma only cough and never wheeze. The coughing spells have the same triggers as asthma attacks.
• Air Pollution Cough. Any kind of fumes can irritate the airway and cause a cough. Tobacco smoke is the most common example. Others are car exhaust, smog and paint fumes.
• Acid Reflux. Ongoing damage to the airways due to acid reflux can cause a cough. This occurs when acid from the stomach flows back up the esophagus (food pipe that connects the mouth with the stomach). Most people get reflux at times. But reflux that occurs regularly can cause a chronic cough.
• Exercise Induced Cough. Running will make most coughs worse. If the air is cold or polluted, coughing is even more likely.
• Heart Failure (serious). This occurs when the heart is not pumping as well as it should. Fluid can build up on the lungs and other places in the body. The main symptoms are shortness of breath, swelling and tiredness (fatigue). Sudden shortness of breath and a cough with frothy pink mucus can also occur, especially at night.
• Pulmonary Embolus (serious). This occurs when a clot from somewhere in the body (often the legs) travels through the blood stream and is trapped in the lungs. A large clot can be life threatening. Symptoms include breathlessness, chest pain and coughing up blood.
• Lung Cancer (serious). Lung cancer is one of the main causes of cancer deaths worldwide. People who smoke are most at risk for lung cancer. People exposed to smoke (work in smoke filled places or live with smokers) can also get lung cancer. There are several different types of lung cancer and cough is a common symptom. If you have a new cough that does not go away within 3 weeks or if you are coughing up blood, you should see your doctor.
• Serious Causes are pneumonia, bronchiolitis, whooping cough, heart failure, pulmonary embolus, lung cancer and airway foreign object.

Trouble Breathing: How to Tell

Trouble breathing is a reason to see a doctor right away. The medical name for it is respiratory distress. Here are symptoms to worry about:

• Struggling for each breath or shortness of breath
• Tight breathing - you can barely speak or are unable to speak in sentences
• Ribs are pulling in with each breath (called retractions)
• Breathing has become noisy (such as wheezes)
• Breathing is much faster than normal
• Long pauses between breaths (apnea attacks)
• Appearing exhausted
• Lips or face turn a blue color
• Shortness of breath that is not getting better with usual treatment or is quickly getting worse

Phlegm or Sputum: What's Normal?

• Yellow or green phlegm is a normal part of the healing of viral bronchitis.
• This means the lining of the trachea (windpipe) was damaged by the virus. It's part of the phlegm you cough up.
• Antibiotics are not helpful for the yellow or green phlegm seen with colds. Colds are caused by a virus.
• The main treatment of a cough with phlegm is to drink lots of fluids. Also, if the air is dry, using a humidifier will help. Sipping warm clear fluids will also help coughing fits.

Vaping Risks

• Vaping can cause severe lung injury. The lung damage can be permanent.
• Vaping can even cause death.
• Vaping tobacco also causes nicotine addiction.
• If you have started, consider quitting.
• Warning: never use home-made or street-purchased vaping solutions. Reason: they have caused most lung damage.