Cough

Long-lasting coughs can linger for weeks and disrupt your life. Skilled providers Robert McDermott, MD, Amy Johnson, PA-C, and the specialized team offer effective respiratory care at Allergy Asthma Immunology of the Rockies in Basalt and Glenwood Springs, Colorado. They help ease your constant coughing and clear up underlying health concerns for long-term relief. To learn more and schedule your appointment, call the office today or set up a visit via the online scheduler.

Why do we cough?

Coughing is your body’s natural way of protecting your airways and lungs. It helps clear out irritants like dust, mucus, or germs, which is actually a good thing most of the time. Everyone coughs occasionally, especially when sick or exposed to something irritating like smoke or cold air.

But when a cough lingers (particularly longer than eight weeks), it can be a sign of an underlying health issue. You might also notice other symptoms along with it, such as:

• A tickle in the back of your throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat or frequent throat-clearing
• Hoarseness
• Chest discomfort or pain
• Heartburn
• Shortness of breath
• Fever

Frequent or uncontrollable coughing can be frustrating, exhausting, and even embarrassing, so finding the right treatment is vital.

What’s causing my cough?

Common causes of why you might develop a chronic cough include:

Asthma

Asthma is one of the top causes of chronic coughing. It may worsen in certain seasons, or when you're exposed to cold air, allergens like pollen, mold, or irritants like smoke.

Postnasal drip

Postnasal drip happens when excess mucus drips down the back of your throat. It often results from allergies or sinus problems and can trigger a cough by irritating your throat and lungs.

GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)

Stomach acid flowing back into your esophagus can cause a dry, nagging cough. You might not even feel heartburn, just the cough, so this one can be tricky to identify without a Dr. McDermott’s help.

Other lung disease

Lung-related issues like COPD, lung masses, bronchitis, pneumonia, pleural effusions, and pulmonary fibrosis can also cause chronic cough.

In addition, allergies, smoking, and heart failure can cause coughing. At Allergy Asthma Immunology of the Rockies, Dr. McDermott provides effective treatment so you don’t have to live with a lingering cough.

How are coughs treated?

To treat a cough, Dr. McDermott must identify the underlying cause to develop a personalized treatment plan, which might include both medications and lifestyle changes.

He may prescribe medications, such as:

• Antacids, H2 blockers, or PPIs to manage GERD symptoms
• Antibiotics for bacterial infections
• Antihistamines and nasal sprays to relieve allergy symptoms
• Decongestants to relieve postnasal drip
• Expectorants (such as Mucinex® or Robitussin®)
• Mucolytics to break up mucus
• Steroids or inhaled bronchodilators

Contact Allergy Asthma Immunology of the Rockies today by phone or online to clear up a chronic cough.