When your body is attacked by vicious external agents, it can fight back only for a while. What these “agents of destruction” need is a small lapse in your body’s protective shield and then you experience interruptions in your normal bodily functions. One such annoying scenario is when you wake up coughing incessantly. Cough is a very normal occurrence given the kind of lives we lead, and the air we breathe in.

Cough, if it persists for more than eight weeks, is termed as chronic cough. The word “chronic” attached to any ailment is enough to set our pulse racing. Cough, in itself is very annoying and painful, chronic cough would be nothing less than a nightmare in comparison to the former. If your coughing fits are not cured in spite the physician’s best efforts, you can diagnose yourself with chronic cough.

Chronic cough doesn’t infect you overnight and it does “come out of thin air” at times. Here are some common causes of chronic cough.

• Air pollution- The impure air, plagued with emissions from different sources, is what we breathe in. If you are constantly exposed to such polluted air, it can cause irreversible damage to your body. Polluted air is known to cause irritation in the lungs, persistent cough, and phlegm which are the chief conspirators in inflicting you with chronic cough.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)- COPD is one of the major factors causing chronic cough. COPD is a lung condition where the air sacs and airways become inflamed or are damaged. COPD is a common occurrence among those individuals who are chronic smokers. COPD can also cause the individual to feel breathless and this is the initiation of some serious problems in future.
• Asthma- Asthma is a grave lung condition where the airways are vulnerable to inflammation and swelling. When you suffer from asthma, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheezing are common symptoms. However, chronic cough is also known to cause heightened suffering to the asthmatic individual.
• Allergies- People are allergic to different kinds of things present in the environment. Dust, pollen grains, your pet’s shedding, etc. are some of the common reasons causing chronic cough.
• Respiratory tract infection- When your incessant cough doesn’t subside in spite of weeks of treatment, then there are chances that you are suffering from a respiratory tract infection. The coughing worsens since the airways to your lungs become inflamed, and it has to apply more pressure to continue the breathing process.

These are the most common causes of chronic cough. If your cough persists for more than two weeks, visit a physician because you wouldn’t want to suffer from strong bouts of coughing that would drain you completely.