7 common misconceptions about coughing

Coughing is one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor. Although its causes can often be anticipated, there are important common misconceptions.

A cough is the rapid expulsion of air from the lungs to clear foreign particles, liquids, germs and other irritants from the airways.

People generally view a cough lasting 10 days as serious, but a study in 2013 found, for example, that a cough beginning with an infection lasted an average of 18 days. At 8 weeks it may become chronic (persistent), and identifying underlying causes and providing medical treatment are recommended.

7 cough myths

1. All coughs are caused by infection

The truth: Someone coughing does not necessarily have a health problem. An increasingly frequent cough may indicate a more serious condition, which may or may not be caused by infection.

Infectious coughs arise from the common cold, flu (influenza), laryngitis, sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and whooping cough.

Causes of cough not due to infectious agents and therefore not contagious include nasal drop use, emphysema, asthma, gastric reflux and allergies.

2- Antibiotics cure a cough

The truth: Antibiotics kill bacteria but have no effect on viruses. Colds and flu are major causes of cough, and viruses cause these illnesses. Do antibiotics treat every cough? The answer is no for most coughs. Antibiotics treat cough only in bacterial pneumonia.

3- Hot soup cures a cough

The truth: Colds and flu markedly increase mucus production, the natural secretion of the upper airways (such as runny nose and postnasal discharge). This increased head-and-neck mucus reaches the lungs through gravity and causes coughing. Soup and other hot drinks may relieve infection-related irritation and dryness in the head and neck, but do not treat respiratory infections.

4- All coughs are contagious

The truth: Cough may or may not be contagious. Viral or bacterial infection can make it contagious. Coughs caused by allergies, asthma or air pollution are not contagious. Cancer, of course, is not transmitted through coughing either.

5- Cough syrups are an effective remedy

The truth: Cough syrups work by blocking the cough reflex temporarily or reducing mucus secretion, and may offer temporary relief. However, studies have not yet provided satisfactory evidence that cough syrup is more effective than placebo (medicine without an active ingredient).

6- There are many different types of cough

The truth: There are 2 basic cough types: productive and dry (without phlegm). Dry cough is generally caused by infection, cigarette smoke, dust and inflammation . A productive cough generally involves a condition causing excessive mucus production in the lungs (such as pneumonia or bronchiectasis).

7- Vaccination prevents coughing

The truth: Annual flu vaccination may protect only against flu-related cough. Although effective and recommended by us, it should be understood that it will not protect against new influenza strains produced by mutation. The pneumonia vaccine we recommend for people over 65 with chronic disease protects against pneumococcal bacteria, which can cause serious infections in different parts of the body.

- You may be interested in: Can a cancer patient receive flu or pneumonia vaccination?

However, vaccines do not work for noncontagious coughs, such as those related to nasal drops, emphysema, asthma, gastric reflux and allergies.