Cough
A cough can be fleeting or chronic. But often it’s the first sign that your lungs are ailing—whether from a common cold, allergies, or something more serious like pneumonia or COVID-19.
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Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs, causing the air sacs in one or both of your lungs to become inflamed. This causes a cough, chest pain, and a fever. It can be bacterial or viral.
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can both make it hard to breathe. They both block the flow of air, but not for the same reason. Understanding the differences between these two lung diseases can improve your treatment and outcome.
Acid reflux disease, also known as GERD, causes a burning pain or heartburn in the chest area. Acid reflux occurs because stomach acid flows up the esophagus. Changing what you eat is the easiest way to stop symptoms. Some people with GERD also take medication to lower the amount of stomach acid.
Traces of blood in your saliva may be due to minor infection or trauma, like a nosebleed. But if you regularly cough up blood—called hemoptysis—or you’re coughing up large amounts of blood, you may need medical attention.
Croup is caused by several common viral infections that cause the upper airways to swell. Its hallmark symptom is a barky cough. Croup is generally not serious and can be treated at home, but severe cases need immediate medical attention.
Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory illness caused by a virus. It causes muscle aches, headache, fever, sore throat and makes you feel tired. Most people recover on their own.
This article will discuss the respiratory illness whooping cough that can occur in children, adolescents, and adults. Symptoms include fatigue and malaise, a low-grade fever, excessive tearing, red eyes, severe coughing, a “whooping” sound on inspiration, and vomiting after coughing.
During cold and flu season, you may find yourself coughing up phlegm, and it may look yellow or green. That’s your body’s way of dealing with an infection. But you may have a virus that will go away on its own or you may have a bacterial infection that needs medication.
Your cough can be caused by viruses, bacterial infections, COVID-19, allergies, and a number of other conditions. Learn what your cough symptoms mean, how to get the right diagnosis, and what treatments actually help.
Types of coughs
Chest Pain and Cough
A cough and chest pain may be caused by pleurisy—when the tissue lining your lungs and chest is irritated. But pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, and other more serious conditions may cause chest pain and cough.
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What Causes Brown, Black, or Colored Mucus With Your Cough
Coughing up black or brown mucus can occur when from environmental conditions like pollution or smoking. Other causes of brown phlegm include small amounts of blood located in the throat or further down in the airway.
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