Bad Cough Serious Illness

When is a bad cough serious illness?  If you happen to get a nagging bad cough, serious illness could be cloaked by what seems to be a common cold or a virus.

That nagging cough could be just a lingering cold or it could be a red flag signalling something much more serious and even potentially life threatening.

How do you know when the cough is normal and when it's something more serious?  The first red flag is when the cough lasts longer than three weeks.

Bad Cough Serious Illness Indicators

Another indicator of a nagging bad cough serious illness connection is when there are other symptoms including the following:

1.  A persistent cough where you cough up a yellow or green discharge could be an infection such as sinusitis.  If you also have a bad taste in your mouth after coughing or there's a strong odor, this could definitely indicate a serious infection.  In this case a bad cough is serious illness.

2.  When a persistent cough triggers yellowish or greenish discharges or is accompanied by a fever, wheezing, shortness of breath and pain when taking a deep breath, the bad cough serious illness may be bronchitis

3.  An out of control hacking style of cough can indicate asthma.  A hacking cough with problems breathing might even indicate croup.  Although croup is most common in children, it can sometimes impact adults.

4.  A cough that causes the throat to tickle and is accompanied by a frothy pink or white phlegm might indicate fluid in the lungs which might be linked to heart disease or possibly a life threatening pulmonary embolism or clot in the blood vessels of the lung.

5.  A severe cough with blood stained discharge could be indicative of pneumonia.  Other symptoms might include fever, chills, sweating a blue tone to the skin and shortness of breath.

6.  A hoarse cough or a persistent hoarse voice could indicate a tumor or growth on the larynx.  A persistent hoarseness should be immediately checked by a physician who may wish to do a biopsy.

7. Intense coughing in-between hours of no coughing combined with a sore throat, mild fever, runny nose and some milky phlegm could indicate whopping cough.  After a fit of intense coughing there may be difficulty breathing and a whopping sound.  In some cases vomiting will occur after the coughing fits.

The symptoms will get worse over time.  Whopping cough can be contagious but with proper treatment there can be a full recovery.

8.  Tuberculous, which is a very serious condition, can involve a chronic cough.  The classic symptoms of active tuberculous infection are a chronic cough with blood-tinged sputum, fever, night sweats, and weight loss.

Infection of other organs causes a wide range of symptoms tied to this condition.  If tuberculous is suspected see a physician immediately for appropriate testing and diagnosis.

9. Gastro-oesophageal reflux can lead to a chronic bad cough which is a serious illness.  In this scenario stomach acid backing up from the gullet and splashing onto the windpipe can cause burning to the throat and coughing.

10.  A side effect of some prescription medications can actually trigger a chronic cough.  While the cough may be troubling or annoying, it might be resolved as easily as changing the prescribed medication.  Heavy smokers may also develop a persistent cough.

11.  A serious condition tied to persistent airflow obstruction is known as COPD.  People who have been diagnosed with this condition may have a difficulty coughing due to weak muscles or weakened coordination of airway closure and opening.   People with COPD may be at risk of lower respiratory tract infections and pneumonia.

Summary

If you have any of the bad cough serious illness symptoms listed above, or suffer from a cough for more than three weeks, be sure to see your primary health care physician immediately.  When a bad cough serious illness connection is suspected it's important to have it immediately checked out.

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