Chapter 1: Clinical Overview
The main cause of a short-term (lasts less than 3 weeks) cough is an upper respiratory tract viral infection, like a common cold.
The virus inflames the throat, windpipe and/or lungs and there may be mucous present that the body wants to expel by coughing out.
Other causes of a short-term cough are:
COVID-19
Laryngitis – inflamed larynx (voice box) from overuse or an infection
Sinusitis – often with a post-nasal drip
Lower respiratory tract infections like bronchitis and pneumonia
Whooping cough – a contagious respiratory disease caused by a bacteria.
Asthma.
There are several causes of a long-term or persistent (lasts more than 8 weeks) cough, for example:
Post viral cough
Asthma
Reflux – where the stomach acid irritates the oesophagus
Chronic sinusitis
Obstructive sleep apnoea
Other medical conditions like cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, COPD
Some medicines.
