Why Do I Cough?
When Something Irritates Your Throat or Airway, Your Nervous System Sends an Alert to Your Brain. Your Brain Responds by Telling the Muscles in Your Chest and...
When something irritates your throat or airway, your nervous system sends an alert to your brain. Your brain responds by telling the muscles in your chest and abdomen to contract and expel a burst of air. A cough is an important defensive reflex that helps protect your body from irritants like: mucus.
How do you stop a coughing cough?
10 Ways to Stop Coughing Day and Night
- Try an expectorant. Over-the-counter (OTC) cough medications with an expectorant such as guaifenesin work by clearing the mucus and other secretions of a productive cough so that you can breathe easier.
- Take a cough suppressant. ...
- Sip green tea. ...
- Stay hydrated. ...
- Suck on lozenges.
How do I know if my cough is serious?
See a doctor immediately if you experience the following symptoms accompanying a cough because it may be serious:
- Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath.
- Shallow, rapid breathing.
- Wheezing.
- Chest pain.
- Fever.
- Coughing up blood or yellow or green phlegm.
- Coughing so hard you vomit.
- Unexplained weight loss.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
