Coughing is a natural reaction that your body uses to quickly expel unwanted particles out of your lungs. However, coughing for days or weeks on end isn't normal, and warrants a trip to Dr. Brian Bezack, a pediatric pulmonologist in Commack, NY. If your child has had an unrelenting cough lately, you've come to the right place to learn more about how Bezack Pediatric Pulmonology can help.
Below, frequently asked questions about chronic coughs are addressed.
What makes a cough chronic?
A cough is considered chronic when it persists over a period of eight weeks or more without relief or four weeks in children. Often chronic coughs keep a person from functioning properly because sleep is interrupted, talking is difficult, and eating and drinking may be hindered.
What symptoms accompany chronic cough?
A nagging need to clear your throat or lungs is the most prevalent sign of a chronic cough. However, many people have problems that accompany their cough, including a sore throat, runny nose, a hoarse voice, shortness of breath, or even heartburn. Rarely, people with a chronic cough will produce sputum with blood in it. In this case, you need to make an appointment with your Commack pulmonologist right away.
What causes a chronic cough?
For most children with a chronic cough, it's fairly easy for your Commack pulmonologist to pinpoint the problem. Postnasal drip (mucus traveling backward from the nose into the throat), asthma, or acid reflux are often to blame. Once these problems are diagnosed and treated, the cough usually disappears. Dr. Bezack is committed to finding the root of your child's chronic cough.
If your child's cough isn't improving, it's time to seek help from an expert. To schedule an appointment for your child at Bezack Pediatric Pulmonology, contact our office in Commack, New York at (631) 499-1298 today.