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Guidelines for sites linking to mayoclinic.orgG01 - January 2006 - Chronic Cough
Intro: Have you ever caught a cold that went away but left behind a nasty cough? Or maybe instead of a cold you developed a scratchy throat with a cough that lingered on and on. Doctors at Mayo Clinic say, no matter what the cause, if you have a cough that sticks around for more than three weeks. you have what's called chronic cough. And it often takes some real sleuthing to fgure out the right treatment.
| Video | Audio |
Total running time 1:30 |
(COUGH, COUGH, SOUND OF SAW) PETE ALLEN HAS TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT HIS COUGH WHEN HE'S IN HIS WORKSHOP. |
| Pete Allen | "I THINK DUST CAN AGGRAVATE IT." |
| SO DOES COLD AIR, WHICH MAKES IT TOUGH FOR PETE TO ENJOY HIS TRUE PASSION -- REFINISHING WOODEN BOATS DURING LONG NORTHERN WINTERS. | |
Pete Allen |
"EVEN LIKE RIGHT NOW I'VE GOT THIS TINGLING, ITCHING, KIND OF. THAT MEANS I'M GOING TO BE COUGHING UP SOME SPUTUM OR SOMETHING." |
| PETE'S HAD A COUGH FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS. AND LIKE MOST PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC COUGH, THERE'S MORE THAN ONE THING CAUSING IT. | |
Kaiser Lim, M.D. |
"UP TO 50 TO 53 PERCENT OF PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC COUGH HAVE MORE THAN ONE CAUSE." |
Standup |
DR. KAISER LIM SAYS THAT MAKES IT CHALLENGING TO DIAGNOSE. THE KEY IS TO RULE OUT CAUSES ONE BY ONE. THE MOST COMMON CAUSES ARE SMOKING, SINUS INFECTIONS, POSTNASAL DRIP, ASTHMA AND ACID REFLUX. DR. LIM TOLD PETE ... |
| Pete Allen | "YOU TEST POSITIVE FOR ALL FIVE OF THEM." |
| LUNG DISEASES LIKE CANCER CAN CAUSE COUGHING TOO. WHAT HAPPENS IS THESE CONDITIONS IRRITATE YOUR THROAT OR YOUR LUNGS CAUSING A COUGH RESPONSE: YOU TAKE A DEEP BREATH, HOLD IT AND CONTRACT THE MUSCLES IN YOUR ABDOMEN AND CHEST. PRESSURE BUILDS AROUND YOUR LUNGS UNTIL IT'S RELEASED AT 200 MILES PER HOUR. A COUGH. AND CHRONIC COUGH CAN MAKE YOU JUST MISERABLE. | |
Kaiser Lim, M.D. |
"WE'VE HAD PEOPLE COUGH AND FAINT, WE'VE HAD PEOPLE COUGH AND BREAK RIBS." |
| AND SOME WOMEN LEAK URINE WHEN THEY COUGH. SO TAKE IT FROM PETE. IF YOU HAVE A COUGH THAT'S LASTED MORE THAN THREE WEEKS, TELL YOUR DOCTOR. HE OR SHE CAN RULE OUT CAUSES AND ZERO IN ON THE RIGHT TREATMENT. | |
| FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS. | |
Tag: Dr. Lim says since there are many causes of chronic cough, it can be tricky to treat. If you're on a specific treatment, say antibiotics or steroid nasal spray, and it's not helping, be sure to tell you doctor. You may need more testing to find the real problem. For more information, log on to our Web site at ...
STATIONS: Per the licensing agreement, please provide a link from your station's Web site to www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge or voice tag "mayoclinic.org/medical-edge" for more information.
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