The causes start from the nose or nasal area and extend to the lower respiratory tract.
3 main causes have been identified in 92% of non-smoking patients with a normal chest X-ray.
1) Upper airway syndrome (previously called postnasal drip-related cough syndrome) The secretion that washes the sinuses and
nose flows from the nasal cavity to the throat. This is perceived by some patients
as severe and causes cough. This condition can cause allergic rhinitis, vasomotor rhinitis, post-infectious
rhinitis, bacterial sinusitis, fungal sinusitis accompanied by allergies, chemical vapors and dusts, occupational
environment, pregnancy, frequent and long-term use of nasal drops, severe postnasal drip. and causes persistent
cough.
2) Asthma is characterized by airway stenosis, shortness of breath, cough and wheezing.
3) Reflux (food from the stomach). acid leakage into the tube and throat) This acid leakage triggers the cough reflex. For another
reason, acid content from the stomach leaking into the trachea triggers cough.
Other important reasons are smoking and blood pressure medications called ACE inhibitors. Cough
complaints improve 4 weeks after quitting smoking and 2 weeks after stopping the blood pressure medication.
These three conditions are the most important causes of long-term persistent coughs. “If the patient's chest x-ray is normal and
he/she does not smoke”
Other causes of persistent coughs are
Bronchiectasis
Bronchitis
Bronchial cancer
Aspiration< br /> Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Heart failure
Foreign body
Interstitial lung disease
Neuromuscular diseases
Pertussis
Psychological cough
Sarcoidosis
Leakage between the esophagus and trachea
Tuberculosis
Zenker's diverticulum (a pocket forms in the esophagus and food accumulates in this pocket, which then causes reflux and
bad breath)
Result If the patient has a persistent cough, he/she is referred to an ENT and chest diseases specialist. The patient is evaluated with
detailed endoscopic examination followed by advanced examination methods if necessary.
Chronic (Persistent) Cough
Cough in a healthy person. It is a normal reflex. If it is persistent, it may be a sign of a serious disease. The cause of an acute cough is usually found and its treatment is easy. Coughs that last more than 3 weeks are called chronic cough and should be investigated further. A significant portion of coughs may have more than one cause. The causes start from the nose or nasal area and extend to the lower respiratory tract. The 3 most common causes in adults are postnasal drip, asthma and reflux disease.
A. Causes concerning the respiratory tract
1. Infection (sinusitis, adenoiditis, tonsillitis, tuberculosis, viral upper respiratory tract
infection).
2. Asthma
3. Mechanical causes (foreign body in the nose and bronchus, earwax)
br /> 4. Environmental factors (cigarette smoke, dust, air pollution, etc.)
B. Inflammatory lung diseases
C. Lung tumors and cysts, diseases of the larynx and foreign bodies.
D. Psychological cough
E. Some heart and blood pressure medications
The cause of cough in children varies with age. Reflux, large vessel anomalies and asthma are the most common
causes in the first 1.5 years of age. Until the age of 6, adenoids, tonsillitis, asthma and sinusitis constitute the first 4 cases. Between the ages of 6 and 16, the three most important causes are asthma, psychological and sinusitis.
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