Chronic Cough Clinic
Why Won't Your Cough Go Away?
A persistent cough is a messenger. It's telling you something is wrong. We don't just suppress the symptom with cough medicine. We ask "why" until we understand. Then we treat the real cause. Most chronic coughs have an identifiable, treatable cause.
Common Causes We Investigate
Post-Nasal Drip
Mucus from sinuses dripping down and irritating throat
Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD)
Acid reflux irritating the airways, often without heartburn
Asthma (Cough-Variant)
Asthma presenting as cough without typical wheezing
Medications
ACE inhibitors for blood pressure can cause chronic cough
Post-Infectious
Lingering cough after viral respiratory infection
Chronic Bronchitis
Airway inflammation from smoking or pollution exposure
Bronchiectasis
Damaged airways that trap mucus and cause repeated infections
TB or Other Infections
Tuberculosis and other chronic lung infections
Lung Cancer
Persistent cough can be an early warning sign of lung malignancy
Interstitial Lung Disease
Scarring of lung tissue causing chronic dry cough
Your Diagnostic Workup
Based on your history, we select the appropriate tests to find the cause:
Treatment Based on Cause
Once we identify the cause, treatment is targeted:
- Post-nasal drip: Treat the underlying sinusitis or allergies
- GERD: Acid-reducing medications and lifestyle changes
- Cough-variant asthma: Inhaler therapy
- Medication-induced: Switch to alternative blood pressure medication
- Infections: Appropriate antimicrobial treatment
Related Conditions & Services
Related reading
Asthma vs COPD: How to Tell the Difference
Both of these can make you short of breath and cause coughing. However, they are different illnesses and need different treatment plans. Here is how to know the difference and why it is important.
The Link Between Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma (United Airway Disease)
If you have a constantly blocked or runny nose along with asthma, they are usually interconnected. Treating both of these conditions together works much better than treating them separately.