When You Should Be Concerned About Your Cough

Everyone coughs at least once or twice a day, with most of those coughs being common defensive reflexes. Your respiratory system is trying to rid itself of ordinary mucus, allergens and irritants. Other types of coughs, however, are more frequent and specific to a particular condition. 

If you’re troubled by your cough, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with North Jersey Pulmonary Associates as soon as possible. Our full spectrum of state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and treatment tools identify pulmonary issues quickly and accurately.

Our esteemed medical staff includes pulmonary medicine expert Dr. Nader Mahmood; pulmonary disease specialist and critical care physician Manar Al Asad, MD, and pulmonary disease specialist Dr. Fareeha Hafeez. All of them are experts in their field who treat their patients with deep concern and meticulous attention to detail. 

Here’s a closer look at the various types of coughs that can be associated with worrisome ailments. 

Wet: They come with mucus from your respiratory system and can start rapidly or gradually. They’re associated with asthma, acute bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia, a cold or the flu and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). 

Dry: Mucous isn’t involved, they’re hacking and may happen in prolonged outbursts. They’re caused by irritation or inflammation in the respiratory tract, often due to an upper respiratory infection. It’s not uncommon for dry coughs to hang around for a few weeks after a cold or the flu has ended. 

**It’s important to note that dry coughs are common symptoms of Covid-19.** 

Anyone who has a dry cough that’s accompanied by a fever, shortness of breath, chest tightness or bluish lips should immediately seek medical help. 

Paroxysmal: It involves sporadic outbreaks of violent, unmanageable coughing. The person struggles to breathe and may throw up. Paroxysmal coughs can be signs of asthma, pneumonia, COPD, tuberculosis and whooping cough.

An adult with a cough should seek medical help if he (or she) is:

• coughing up blood.

• coughing for more than eight weeks.

• too feeble to walk or talk.

• intensely dehydrated.

• running a temperature of more than 100.4 degrees.

• making a “whooping” sound while having an extreme coughing attack.

• wheezing while coughing

• experiencing stomach-acid reflux or heartburn everyday.

If you have concerns about your own cough or the cough of a loved one, contact North Jersey Pulmonary Associates by calling 973-987-6771 or fill in your information on the Get In Touch form here on this site.