Chronic cough is a common and distressing symptom which is defined as a cough lasting more than 8 weeks.  It is surprisingly common.

Cough is a defensive reflex with elements of voluntary control which, if persistent, may signal a problem in the respiratory system.

At the initial assessment for cough we need to elicit any alarm symptoms that may indicate a serious underlying cause and identify  whether there is a specific disease present that is associated with chronic cough.  Non specific cough suppressant therapy offers little benefit in managing persistent cough.

Alarm symptoms include:

• Coughing blood
• Smoking history
• Hoarseness
• Recurrent infection
• Abnormal CXR

 A comprehensive history, examination and appropriate investigations will identify the cause in 95% of people.