what causes us to cough?

Answer 1

Coughing is a reflex action started by stimulation of sensory nerves in the lining of the respiratory passages - the tubes we use to breathe.

When a person coughs, there is a short intake of breath and the larynx (the voice box) closes momentarily. The abdominal and chest muscles used for breathing contract, which in turn increases the pressure needed to drive air out the lungs when the larynx re-opens.

The resulting blast of air comes out at high speed, scrubbing and clearing the airway of dust, dirt or excessive secretions. Coughing is a common symptom when the airways are 'tight', as in asthma.

The cough reflex is a vital part of the body's defence mechanisms. Normally, the lungs and the lower respiratory passages are sterile. If dust or dirt get into the lungs, they could become a breeding ground for bacteria and cause pneumonia or infection in the breathing tubes.

What causes coughing?

Coughing usually means there is something in the respiratory passages that should not be there. This can be caused by breathing in dust particles in the air or when a piece of food goes down the wrong way.

It could also be a sign that an infection in the lungs is making the respiratory passages produce phlegm.

Coughing can be provoked by:


the common cold, which is a frequent cause of acute cough that usually settles in less than three weeks.


sucking material into the breathing tubes from your mouth.


more severe illnesses, such as pneumonia, acute heart failure or pulmonary embolism (a clot in the blood vessels of the lung).


smoking, which often causes chronic cough (smoker's lung).


asthma - particularly in children who may only cough and show no wheezing.


stomach acid coming back up the gullet and spilling over into the windpipe (gastro-oesophageal reflux).


medicines used in heart disease called angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors.


bacterial or viral infections in the lungs, eg acute bronchitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, croup in children


Coughing is more efficient when preceded by a full intake of air.

For this reason, patients with weak muscles, poor coordination of airway closure and re-opening, or who have airflow obstruction (as in COPD) will have a poor cough and be susceptible to complications including infection in the lower respiratory tract and pneumonia.

How can coughing be treated?

Coughing is a symptom, not a disease. It is the underlying cause of the cough that needs to be treated.

You should consult your doctor if any of the following symptoms accompany a cough, so that possible underlying causes can be investigated and treated where necessary:


coughing up phlegm that is green, rusty brown, yellow, blood-stained or foul smelling.


chest pain.


shortness of breath or wheezing.


pain and swelling in the calf.


recurrent night-time cough.


whooping cough or croup.


worsening smoker’s cough.


sudden weight loss.


fever and sweating.


If you can't cough but need to, problems soon arise. Equally, when coughing is painful (for example, because of a broken rib), patients try not to cough and this can be dangerous.

Ineffective clearance of the airway can lead to a chest infection and possible pneumonia. In these circumstances, pain-relieving medicine can be useful to permit an efficient cough.

This answer is for patient information only. For intelligent diagnosis and treatment, consult your professional healthcare provider.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The most common causes for chronic cough in a nonsmoker with a normal CXR are postnasal drip syndrome, asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Medications called ACE inhibitors are another major cause of chronic cough. Common causes for chronic cough in smokers are bronchitis and lung cancer. Even though a chronic cough in a nonsmoker usually does not indicate problems as serious as these, it should be evaluated by a physician to exclude rare but serious causes.

Less common causes include: congestive heart failure, disorders of the upper airways, disorders of the pericardium, bronchogenic carcinoma, interstitial lung disease, chronic pulmonary infection (e.g., tuberculosis), cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease, and psychogenic disorders.

Answer 4

there many reason why you cough, but the most common cause it a cold, phelm or mucus in the throat, dust, food going the wrong way, Asthma, the throat is normally a sterile area so when something foreign enters , the larynx goe's into reflux and we start coughing.

Answer 5

It's just the body's reaction to germs. Coughing to get rid of an infection in the lung or throat.

Answer 6

its usually the body trying to expel something from the throat or lungs, such as mucus if you have a runny nose that's draining in the back of your throat. or so i was told. im not a doctor *shrugs*. try asking this in a medical section, im sure you'll get a better response, with more trust worthy answers

Answer 7

a couple of reason.. if the throat becomes irriated it creates mucous, bacteria and such get stuck in the mucous and you cough it out to get rid of the 'nasties'; some may have a chronic cough related to smoking (a TRUE irritant to the throat and lungs); you could also have something stuck that needs to be cleared... see webmd - cough home remedies.

Answer 8

It's a reflex action, often to disloge an object stuck in your throat

Answer 9

u breathe in dust which gets caught in your throat which causes you to cough. x

Answer 10

A tickle in the throat