what does it mean when you cough for over a week?
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A chronic cough is when a cough lasts longer than 8 weeks in adults or 4 weeks in children. Common causes include asthma, allergies, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), or bronchitis. Less commonly, it can be a sign of a more severe condition, such as a heart cough or lung disease.
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The average duration of cough, according to a recent study, is 18 days. If you think that seems like a long time, you're not alone. A telephone survey by the same researchers found most people expected a cough to last seven to nine days.
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In most healthy people, phlegm or snot production with or without a cough will stop as your cold or flu-like illness clears up, although it may take up to 3 to 4 weeks.
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A wet, productive cough is almost always a sign of a viral or bacterial infection, especially in children. When you have an upper respiratory infection, like a cold or flu, your body produces more mucus than normal. In your nose, you may call this mucus “snot.” But in your chest, it's called phlegm.
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See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms: A cough that lasts more than 2 to 3 weeks. A fever. A cough that produces blood or thick or colored mucus.
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Sometimes enlarged adenoids or nasal allergy can cause a prolonged cough because nasal secretions build up and dribble down the back of his nose into his throat causing irritation and a cough. This is sometimes called a post-nasal drip and tends to be worse at night.
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Many people have a mysterious cough after eating. It might happen after every meal or only occasionally. There are several possible causes of this, including acid reflux, asthma, food allergies, and dysphagia, which refers to difficulty swallowing.
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These symptoms tend to ease up in 2 to 5 days, but you might have a mild cough or sore throat for 2 weeks.
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A productive ('wet' or chesty) cough is when you have a cough that produces mucus or phlegm (sputum). You may feel congested and have a 'rattly' or 'tight' chest. Symptoms are often worse when waking up from sleep and when talking. The wet cough may be the last symptom left after a common cold infection.
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In most cases, the cause of a cough is nothing more than the common cold or flu. However, that lingering cough could also be a sign of pneumonia. Because pneumonia has many symptoms in common with less serious illnesses, it can be difficult to diagnose and treat early.
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Small amounts of white mucus may be coughed up if the bronchitis is viral. If the color of the mucus changes to green or yellow, it may be a sign that a bacterial infection has also set in. The cough is usually the last symptom to clear up and may last for weeks.
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A chronic cough can irritate the upper respiratory tract and tear the blood vessels resulting in coughing up blood or bloody mucus.
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If your child has a cough that lasts more than two to three weeks, schedule a visit with your physician. Coughing that lasts more than two weeks is considered chronic. It may be caused by asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), reflux or other causes. An allergist is often the best specialist to determine the cause.
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In most instances, individuals with a cold will resolve their symptoms without medical intervention in about one week, although sometimes the cough may last longer. However, at this point in time, the cough is not spreading contagious virus.
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In most instances, individuals with a cold will resolve their symptoms without medical intervention in about one week, although sometimes the cough may last longer. However, at this point in time, the cough is not spreading contagious virus. When cold symptoms and signs resolve, a person is cured of a cold.
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Other reasons to see a doctor These include: your fever gets better, then suddenly worsens. your symptoms don't improve within two weeks. you can't get rid of your cough or your cough begins producing thick mucus.
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A sore throat that lasts longer than a week is often caused by irritants or an injuries, such as: Throat irritation from low humidity, smoking, air pollution, yelling, or nasal drainage down the back of the throat (postnasal drip). Breathing through the mouth when you have allergies or a stuffy nose.