Cough After Quitting Smoking

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Cough After Quitting Smoking

Question:

I recently stopped smoking — a month ago to be exact — and now I find that I'm coughing a lot. Is this normal?

Answer:

Coughing more after quitting smoking is not unusual. In addition to coughing, people who quit also are more likely to get a sore throat, sneeze frequently and develop sores inside the mouth. Knowing that these are normal helps people get through what is often a tough time.

The cough actually means that your airways are already beginning to heal. Everyone is aware that many smokers cough much more than non-smokers. But what is interesting is that younger smokers who haven't developed chronic bronchitis actually cough less while they smoke.

This decreased sensitivity to cough at appropriate times is not a good thing. Coughing helps keep particles out of our lungs.

When you were smoking, the tobacco smoke inhibited the cough reflex and damaged the little hairs called cilia. Cilia move upward to help clear out mucous and small particles from the lower airways.

Now that you no longer smoke, your cough reflex is getting back to normal and your cilia are starting to function like they should.

The cough should subside soon, by six weeks from your quit date. If it continues, contact your doctor to be sure that something else is not causing the cough.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is chief editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications. He is recognized as an outstanding clinician and teacher and is a recipient of the Internal Medicine Teacher of the Year award at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. LeWine continues to practice Internal Medicine; most recently he became a hospitalist after practicing primary care for over 20 years.

Last updated:	July 20, 2009