Don't Let That Cough Linger

10 Cough Myths

By Gabrielle Linzer

As the seasons change, we must buckle down for the coughs and sniffles that arrive alongside the cold air. But if your cough lingers for longer than the course of your cold, you may be dealing with something else. Don't be fooled by the common cough myths that cause people to downplay the importance of treating a chronic cough. We'll help you identify the Top 10 Cough Myths that might be keeping you from seeking help and losing that pesky cough for good.

1. Over-the-counter medications will cure your cough.

Although over-the-counter meds may help suppress your cough, allowing you to sleep or get through your day more comfortably, they're usually not an effective cough cure. "A lot of times, coughs will be self-limiting and will go away by themselves," said pulmonary specialist Dr. Asker Asmi, Chairman of Medicine and Chief of ICU of the Oakwood Healthcare System. "People usually waste money on over-the-counter remedies that are not proven in the medical community. Many times the cough would've gone away by itself even if you didn't take these medications." The bottom line? If your cough isn't fading, it's time to seek the help of a professional. Over-the-counter remedies won't serve as a miracle cure.

2. A chronic cough is nothing to worry about

A cough is generally not something that should be plaguing you for an extended period of time. "There has to be something that's making the person's throat and lungs irritated," said Asmi. "A cough is a sign that something is going on somewhere in the body." It's not normal to be hacking away on a daily basis. Take your chronic cough as a sign that you have some other internal problem that needs to be explored.

3. Coughs always come from the lungs.

Although there are many conditions that can lead to lung-produced coughs, surprisingly, "Coughs can happen from the nasal passages anywhere down to the lungs," said Asmi. Nasal drainage can be a major contributor to a chronic cough. Internal medicine specialist Dr. Michele Bachhuber of the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, Wisc., cites sinus trouble, post-nasal drip and allergies as major cough instigators. She also mentions other regions of the body that can provoke coughing, "Sometimes the stomach can cause coughing. For example, with someone who has acid reflux, the acid comes up and hits the receptors in the back of the throat and can cause a cough."

4. Chronic coughs mean you have a lung condition.

Don't panic. Having a chronic cough does not always mean that you've got a lung condition. "People need to understand that there are a lot of different things that can cause a cough," said Bachhuber. Sinus problems and medications are two possible agitators that may be far less serious culprits responsible for your coughing dilemma.

5. It doesn't matter if you smoke while you have a cough.

Smoking is never healthy for your lungs, but if you assume that continuing this habit won't impact a cough that you have developed, you're greatly mistaken. "Smoking is the most common cause of a cough," said Asmi. "If you continue to smoke [while you have a cough] it will continue, and likely get worse." Bachhuber mentions that even if smoking is not at the root of your cough, it can "worsen medical conditions that lead to cough, like acid reflux."

6. Getting an X-ray of the sinuses will be sufficient for determining the cause of your cough.

The tests that you undergo to get to the root of your chronic cough will differ depending on what your doctor finds in your examination. "If a patient has a family history of asthma, I may do a pulmonary function test," said Bachhuber. "A CT scan of the sinuses may or may not be a test that's done. It depends on what symptoms the patient has and the exam findings." Don't be nervous if your doctor doesn't issue an X-ray of the sinuses -- your cough may be completely unrelated!

7. Nothing bad is going to happen if you don't find out the cause of your chronic cough.

It may be easier to pretend it doesn't exist, but ignoring your cough could lead to unnecessary health complications. "If someone smokes and develops a cough, their cough could be a sign of something like lung cancer," said Asmi. He stresses that ignoring a cough in this situation is a huge mistake because doctors could have "picked up [the lung cancer] earlier and given the person a better chance of surviving." Even if you're a non-smoker, a chronic cough shouldn't be taken lightly. The sooner any medical condition is confronted, the faster it can be remedied.

8. Suppressing your cough can cause pneumonia.

If you abstain from taking over-the-counter cough suppressants in fear of developing pneumonia, you may be suffering needlessly. Asmi attests that if a cough were severe enough to be associated with pneumonia, "It is unlikely that over-the-counter remedies would be able to suppress it." Similarly, Bachhuber is generally comfortable with suggesting over-the-counter remedies, for short term use, to patients who have trouble sleeping. "In general practice, if someone has a cough that keeps them up at night, a lot of time I'm okay with people using an over-the-counter cough suppressant if it can help them sleep."


9. Going outside in chilly weather can lead to cough and cold symptoms.

This is one myth that your mother may have used to convince you to bundle up before you went outside to play. Unfortunately, your mother had you fooled. "There is no evidence that shows if you go outside and it's cold that you will develop a cough or pneumonia," said Bachhuber. Alternately, if you have asthma, your mother may not have been fibbing. "I would point out that if someone has asthma, asthma can sometimes be triggered by cold air," said Bachhuber. Because of this, people with asthma should be prepared to tame a sudden asthma attack when they venture out into chilly weather.