What can a nagging cough be a sign of? (more infor follows)?

Question

My grandmother is 75 years old and for the past few months she has had a nagging cough. She first began coughing frequently when she had a cold in mid- December but the cough went away when she got better. Then she had a relapse in January and since then she has had this cough that occurs every single day and night. SHe claims that it is like a tickle in her throat from her nasal drip. I have to be honest my mother is a smoker and has been living with my grandmother her whole life. How concerned should I be. Please give me all possibilities not just the worst cases. No uneducated responses please!

Answer 1

Cough is caused by a number of ailments.
It can be treated by over the counter medicines
or home remedies. More information available
at http://ailments.in/cough.html

Answer 2

I'm not trying to be flippant, but this is a sign that she should see a doctor. Even if someone told you what it could be, you couldn't treat or understand it, or decide which possibility it was, and she probably needs some lab tests. Her age makes not waiting critical. The elderly are more susceptible to small problems becoming big ones. A history of smoking also is not a good sign either.

Answer 3

It is possible that the cough is due to postnasal drip as your grandmother insists. However, I think it more likely that it's connected to the smoking. It could be a cancer, as you know, it could be emphysema, it could just be a chronic irritation. But please don't ask people to speculate. Take your grandmother to her doctor and find out what is really going on.

Answer 4

you probly go get her checked