A cough is your body’s natural way of clearing your throat and airways, protecting itself and helping your body heal. Coughs can be caused by many different things, so discovering the source of a problematic or persistent cough will help you with treatment.
Acute coughs are most often associated with the common cold, flu, pneumonia or acute bronchitis. This type of cough often lasts less than three weeks.
Chronic coughs are most often associated with allergies, asthma, smoking, croup, chronic bronchitis, GERD, or COPD and can last eight weeks or longer. A chronic cough may leave you feeling exhausted because your sleep may be interrupted. You may also experience vomiting or lightheadedness.
The medical staff at Physicians Urgent Care will evaluate your medical history. To help relieve your cough, it is best to quit smoking or avoid being around those who smoke. A cough can indicate a wide array of issues such as sinusitis, allergies or a more serious infection such as pneumonia or even whooping cough.
You should seek treatment for your cough if it is interrupting daily activities and if:
The above symptoms do not usually require an emergency room visit, but it’s important to seek treatment if you have one or more of the above symptoms. Physicians Urgent Care is the perfect solution when you need fast and effective care for non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries.Walk in today or reserve a spot online.