When to see a doctor for your cough?

Cough can occur in different conditions. However, some cough does require medical attention such as asthma and pneumonia. The best time to see a cough treatment doctor in Homer Glen, Illinois is when the cough lasts for more than 3 weeks since it may indicate something more serious.

The cough usually occurs when there is an irritation in the lungs or airways. The common cause for a cough is the common cold which usually does not require any medical attention. A trip to the doctor becomes necessary when the cough is accompanied by other symptoms like dizziness or when you cough up blood. In this article, you shall find out the time when you should visit a doctor for a cough.

When should you get your cough checked?

The type of cough determines the duration for which they shall last. For example, acute coughs will last for less than 3 weeks while subacute coughs can last for something in between 3 to 8 weeks. Chronic coughs can last for more than 8 weeks. Most of the acute coughs do not require consultation from a doctor while medical attention is necessary for subacute and chronic coughs.

What are the causes?

Here we shall discuss all the possible causes of cough along with the symptoms that they will result in.

Common cold: The most common cause of acute cough is a common cold. The respiratory virus named as Rhinovirus is the common cause of the common cold. Some other symptoms of the common cold include body aches, runny nose, sneezing along with sore throat. It is not necessary to see a doctor when such symptoms appear since they tend to go away on their own. However, you must note that you will have to consult a doctor if the pain lasts for 10 days or more.

Pneumonia: This is an infection of the lungs wherein the lung or alveoli is filled with fluid and it becomes inflamed. There will also be a problem for the lungs in transferring oxygen into the bloodstream. It may lead to shortness of breath, pain in the chest, fever, vomiting and nausea. If you are affected by pneumonia then you must consult with a doctor since it requires treatment. This condition may also lead to hospitalisation for older people when it becomes severe.

Bronchitis: When the airways in the lungs become inflamed it results in bronchitis. Acute bronchitis can last for a few days up to a week. Chronic bronchitis usually takes a month to heal. Along with some mucus, both these types of bronchitis can be accompanied by body ache, headache, sore throat and fatigue. A. trip to the doctor will be necessary only when chronic bronchitis lasts for more than a couple of weeks.

Allergy: When your immune system overreacts to harmless substances such as dust or pollen it is known as allergy. Contact with any of such substances will eventually lead into sneezing, coughing, runny nose, sore eyes, itching and stuffy or runny nose. Severe allergies may lead to anaphylaxis that will be accompanied by several other symptoms. It is not always possible to treat an allergy so the easiest way of dealing with an allergy is by avoiding the triggers.

Solving a cough depends on the cause associated with it. On one hand, a cough can get solved within a few days while on the other hand, some coughs do require proper management such as GERD. As per specialty physicians of Homer Glen, it is important to consult a doctor if the symptoms persist for more than 3 weeks and are accompanied by more serious symptoms. Such treatments are done at Suburban Wellness where Dr. Sudarsana Chakrabarti shall treat you properly after knowing the cause behind your condition. You can consult her online or schedule a virtual visit depending on your convenience and her availability. The doctor shall also provide you with some tips that will help you in dealing with a severe cough.