Cough Overview
A cough is your body’s way of responding when something irritates your throat or airways. An irritant stimulates nerves that send a message to your brain. The brain then tells muscles in your chest and abdomen to push air out of your lungs to force out the irritant. An occasional cough is normal and healthy.
Symptoms
Coughing can have causes that aren’t due to underlying disease. Examples include normal clearing of airways, irritants such as smoke and gas, tobacco use or improperly swallowing food and liquids.
- A runny or stuffy nose.
- A feeling of liquid running down the back of your throat (postnasal drip)
- Frequent throat clearing and sore throat.
- Hoarseness
- Wheezing and shortness of breath.
- Heartburn or a sour taste in your mouth.
- Rarely, coughing up blood