What Causes Coughing Fits & How to Find Relief

Smoking-induced cough

The airways are lined with tiny cells called cilia, whose function is to catch toxins in air that is inhaled and push them up towards the mouth. When smoke is inhaled, the cilia are paralyzed for a short while, so toxins are allowed to enter the lungs and create inflammation. During the night, the cilia repair themselves and begin to push up all the accumulated mucus and toxins, causing an increase in cough in the morning.

You can treat this condition by quitting smoking.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: cough

Symptoms that always occur with smoking-induced cough: cough

Symptoms that never occur with smoking-induced cough: fever

Urgency: Self-treatment

Post-infectious cough

Post-infectious cough is a cough that begins with a cold or other upper respiratory infection, but does not clear up when the infection does. Instead, it lingers for three weeks or more and becomes chronic.

Most susceptible are smokers, because the irritation from the smoke provokes the cough. Other common causes are post-nasal drip, asthma, and some high blood pressure medications.

Symptoms include an irritating sensation in the throat that may provoke severe bouts of coughing. Some coughing is normal and is part of the body's mechanism to clear the air passages and expel any foreign material, but such a cough should only be brief and intermittent.

A post-infectious cough can interfere with quality of life. A medical provider should be seen for help with the condition, both to ease the symptoms and to rule out a more serious cause for the coughing.

Diagnosis is made through patient history, physical examination, and chest x-ray, with the goal of ruling out different conditions one by one until the actual cause is found and can be treated.

Rarity: Uncommon

Top Symptoms: cough, congestion, clear runny nose, mucous dripping in the back of the throat, hoarse voice

Symptoms that always occur with post-infectious cough: cough

Symptoms that never occur with post-infectious cough: fever

Urgency: Phone call or in-person visit

Common cold

The common cold is a contagious viral infection that can cause cough, congestion, runny nose, and sore throat. Most adults catch two to three colds per year, and kids can get more than eight colds each year.

Rest and drink plenty of fluids. Colds are contagious and can easily spread to other people, so if possible, avoid close contact with others, such as hugging, kissing, or shaking hands. Colds typically resolve within 7 to 10 days.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive inflammation of the lungs that makes breathing difficult. It is caused by long-term exposure to irritating gases and/or dust particles, most often cigarette smoke.

Symptoms may take years to develop. They include a chronic cough with mucus (sputum), wheezing, chest tightness, fatigue, constant colds, swollen ankles, and cyanosis (blue tinge to the lips and/or fingernails.) Depression is often a factor due to reduced quality of life.

Treatment is important because there is a greater risk of heart disease and lung cancer in COPD patients. Though the condition cannot be cured, it can be managed to reduce risks and allow good quality of life.

COPD is commonly misdiagnosed and so careful testing is done. Diagnosis is made through patient history; physical examination; lung function tests; blood tests; and chest x-ray or CT scan.

Treatment involves quitting smoking and avoiding exposure to other lung irritants; use of inhalers to ease symptoms; steroids; lung therapies; and getting influenza and pneumonia vaccines as recommended.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: fatigue, cough and dyspnea related to smoking, cough, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping

Symptoms that always occur with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd): cough and dyspnea related to smoking

Symptoms that never occur with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (copd): rectal bleeding

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Bronchitis

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the tiny airways in the lungs.

Acute bronchitis, or "chest cold," comes on suddenly and is caused by the same virus that causes the flu or the common cold. Chronic lasts at least three months and recurs over two years. It is caused by cigarette smoking and/or exposure to other pollutants.

Other risk factors are weakened immune system and gastric reflux (heartburn.)

Symptoms include cough with clear, greenish, or yellowish mucus; fatigue; mild headache; body aches; shortness of breath; low-grade fever; chest discomfort.

Acute bronchitis can lead to pneumonia. Chronic bronchitis is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and requires medical treatment.

Diagnosis is made with chest x-ray and sputum test.

Acute bronchitis lasts 7 to 10 days and needs good supportive care – rest, fluids, and over-the-counter pain relievers. Antibiotics do not work against viral illness.

Chronic bronchitis is treated with lifestyle changes – especially smoking cessation – and an inhaler or other lung medication.

Flu shots, frequent handwashing, and not smoking are the best prevention.

Benign cough

Benign cough means a cough that is not caused by any harmful condition or serious illness.

Postnasal drip, where mucous from the nose drains into the throat, can trigger a benign cough. So can asthma, exposure to dust or other irritants, acid reflux (heartburn or GERD,) some medications, and breathing very cold air. Postnasal drip itself can be caused by allergy, some medications, and deviated septum.

An occasional cough that brings up a slight amount of clear mucus is normal and helps clear the throat and lungs. The presence of blood or thick mucus is not normal and the person should see a medical provider.

If an unexplained cough persists for more than one month, it is important to identify the cause so that serious illness can be ruled out.

Diagnosis is made through patient history and physical examination, and sometimes through mucus testing, imaging, lung function tests, and bronchoscopy.

Treatment involves addressing any underlying causes, such as allergies. In some cases a cough suppressant may be prescribed.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: cough, cough with dry or watery sputum, severe cough

Symptoms that always occur with benign cough: cough

Symptoms that never occur with benign cough: fever, severe cough, being severely ill, coughing up blood

Urgency: Self-treatment

Acid reflux disease (GERD)

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is also called GERD, acid reflux disease, and heartburn. It is caused by a weakening in the muscle at the end of esophagus. This allows stomach acid to flow backward, or reflux, up into the esophagus.

Risks factors for GERD include obesity, smoking, diabetes, hiatal hernia, and pregnancy.

Symptoms include a painful burning sensation in the chest and throat, and sometimes difficulty swallowing.

If heartburn occurs more than twice a week, a doctor should be consulted. If symptoms are accompanied by jaw or arm pain, and/or shortness of breath, these may be signs of a heart attack and constitute a medical emergency.

Repeated exposure to stomach acid damages the lining of the esophagus, causing bleeding, pain, and scar tissue.

Diagnosis is made by patient history and sometimes by x-ray, upper endoscopy, or other tests to measure refluxed acid.

Treatment begins with over-the-counter antacids and lifestyle changes. Medication may be used to reduce stomach acid, and surgery may be done to strengthen the sphincter muscle at the lower end of the esophagus.

Ace inhibitor induced cough

ACE Inhibitors are drugs used to prevent, treat or improve symptoms in conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart failure and diabetes. They can induce chronic cough. In rare cases, these drugs can cause serious side effects that can be life-threatening. In other cases, it can cause a cough that can affect your quality-of-life.

You should visit your primary care physician about your ACE induced cough. There, your doctor can consider the cause of your cough and whether a medication change is waranted

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: cough with dry or watery sputum

Symptoms that always occur with ace inhibitor induced cough: cough with dry or watery sputum

Symptoms that never occur with ace inhibitor induced cough: fever

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Whooping cough

Whooping cough is caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis, which affects the respiratory systems of children, adolescents, and adults. Whooping cough has also been called the "100-day cough" because of its extended time course. The symptoms classically associated with whooping cough are a sudden, uncontrollable coughing spell ("paroxysmal cough"), a "whooping" sound on ..

Why do I have uncontrollable coughing at night?

Uncontrollable coughing fits at night are often caused by a backup of fluid from the heart into the lungs, called paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. When a heart cannot pump sufficient blood, the fluid accumulates in the lungs and causes difficulty breathing and increased coughing .

Do hot showers help coughs?

Yes, hot showers can help coughs if a cough is due to asthma or cough-variant asthma. The hot steam can help the throat relax and ease breathing. Coughs can also be due to inflammation of the throat and pharynx, and hot steam can help reduce inflammation and moisten mucous membranes and loosen phlegm from within the throat.

Can anxiety cause coughing fits?

Anxiety does not cause coughing fits unless they are psychological in origin. Anxiety can, at times, cause hyperventilation and shortness of breath, but neither of those symptoms can cause coughing fits. Coughing fits are more often due to cough-variant asthma, post-nasal drip, or even gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Why do my coughing fits lead to vomiting?

Coughing fits, especially if they are extreme or if an individual has a full stomach, can lead to vomiting. Common causes of these types of extreme coughing fits include cough-variant asthma, lung disease such as COPD, acid reflux (GERD), and post-nasal drip.

Why can't I catch my breath after a coughing fit?

A coughing fit may make it more difficult to catch your breath if it occurs along with a narrowing of the airways that allow you to inhale. Asthma and emphysema (COPD) may cause an inability to catch one's breath following a series of coughing fits. Steam or an inhaler may be treatments for a coughing fit.

Questions your doctor may ask about coughing fits

• Any fever today or during the last week?
• Have you been feeling more tired than usual, lethargic or fatigued despite sleeping a normal amount?
• Does your cough produce phlegm?
• Do you currently smoke?

Self-diagnose with our free Buoy Assistant if you answer yes on any of these questions.