Having a cough is something that we’ve all experienced a time or two, but it’s never a fun experience. Coughing is often connected to other medical issues and may even come along with other unpleasant symptoms. If you’ve been using cough drops and over the counter medicine with no improvement of your symptoms, it’s time to figure out what the real cause is! 

Acute Causes

Acute causes of cough refer to causes that are temporary and may appear unexpectedly. Common acute causes include: 

• The flu
• Common cold
• Pneumonia 
• Temporary irritation 

Avoid the common cold by practicing good health hygiene, especially during the winter months. That means washing your hands regularly and thoroughly multiple times each day! Handwashing can also help lower your risk of the flu, but the flu shot should be used too. Getting a flu shot greatly lowers your risk of contracting the flu and comes with little to no side effects.

Chronic Causes

Chronic causes are causes that occur regularly and may never go away completely. Just because the cause might not go away, that doesn’t mean there aren’t things that can be done to manage the severity of the symptoms. Common chronic causes of a cough include: 

• Seasonal allergies
• Asthma
• Acid reflux
• Sinusitis 

Seasonal allergies, asthma, and acid reflux can be managed with preventative medication and an additional medication may be available to handle acute flares of the condition.  Sinusitis has the ability to clear on its own sometimes, while other times you’ll need an antibiotic to fully recover. 

Home Remedies

Try to manage your cough by avoiding irritants and resting your voice. You can also use over the counter medications. Some people find that drinking warm tea or hot water with lemon and honey helps to soothe the throat and avoid coughing as much. You can also use a humidifier or run a hot shower to add extra moisture to the air that you breathe. 

How Urgent Care Can Help

Urgent care centers are the best place to seek treatment if you’re suffering from a cough. An experienced medical professional will assess your cough and other symptoms, run any necessary tests, and provide you with a diagnosis. Once you’re diagnosed, you’ll be able to receive the treatment you need and work towards feeling better overall! Urgent care centers are designed with the patient in mind and offer flexible hours, short wait times, low costs, and convenient location. Don’t spend another day suffering from an annoying cough, visit your local urgent care!