Health
Other Reasons You Are Coughing
Why Your Cough Might Not Be Coronavirus
First things first,
Determine how long you have been coughing.
A cough for more than 8 weeks is considered a chronic cough.
A cough for less than 3 weeks is considered an acute cough.
Acute coughs start suddenly over hours to days
8 Reasons you may have an acute cough:
- Viral Upper Respiratory Infection (URI) or after recovering from one
2. Bacterial Upper Respiratory Infection
3. Pneumonia
4. Allergies
5. Pulmonary edema from heart failure
6. Asthma (flare)
7. Pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in your lungs)
8. Coronavirus (COVID-19)
7 Reasons you may have a chronic cough:
- Postnasal drip from allergies
2. Asthma
3. GERD (heartburn)
4. Lung infections (ex. Tuberculosis)
5. COPD (from smoking)
6. Medicine (ex. Lisinopril) for blood pressure
7. Lung cancer
Winter Hot Topics
The Flu
The most common cause of a viral URI is the flu (get your flu shot) and myth-buster – the flu shot will not “give” you the flu. Symptoms of the flu are a fever over 100 degrees, extreme tiredness, headache, body aches, sore throat, and cough.
Get a flu swab done to confirm.
Remember, the flu is a virus, and your doctor may only treat your symptoms. The flu will go away in healthy people if not treated. You do not need an antibiotic for the flu.
If you think you have the flu, it is best to get treated within the first three days; after that, the medicine is less effective, and your doctor may have you “ride it out.” Why? Because the antiviral drug used to treat the flu will likely make your symptoms go away faster, but most people get better on their own in one to two weeks.
Know the difference between the common cold and the flu.
How to treat the flu over the counter:
Tylenol is great for fever and body aches. If you have a cough, Robitussin is an over-the-counter cough suppressant.
Drink plenty of water, get some rest, and stay at home!
If you need to go out, wear a mask.
Shortness of breath is a reason to call your doctor or nurse practitioner.
Coronavirus
COVID-19 is a SARS-Cov-2 Respiratory virus. It is spread by coughing, sneezing, or talking closely with another person. It is spread easily between people at gathering. Stay 6 feet apart, and you should be okay. You’ll be even better at avoiding large gatherings. It is essential to be physically distanced. I avoid using the phrase “social distancing” because now more than ever, we need to draw closer to friends and family.
Symptoms occur 4-5 days after a person is infected. Still, some people take longer to show signs (up to two weeks), while others never show symptoms at all. Symptoms include fever, loss of smell or taste, cough, and shortness of breath. Less common symptoms are stomach problems and a rash.
If you think you have symptoms, call your doctor first. They can schedule for you to get tested. If available, you can schedule a Telemedicine visit. Wear a mask if you leave must your house, but ideally, you should quarantine at home.
The most severe problem COVID-19 causes life-threatening pneumonia that causes fluid build-up in the lungs and severe shortness of breath.
It would be best if you went to the hospital for this immediately.
Asthma
You can develop asthma as an adult, but if you are born with it, it will never go away entirely. It can be well controlled without the need for medications. Again, if you have asthma, a cough could be due to a “trigger” such as environmental allergies (cold air, dust, pests, scents, etc.).
If you have asthma and cough, without exposure to COVID-19, call your doctor for treatment; you can be tested in the office with a pulmonary function test (PFT) to see how your lungs are doing.
As always, wash your hands.
Schedule your flu shot at your local pharmacy today!
Jheneale R. Grandison, B.S, RN
