cough & chest congestion

The information provided on this site is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for medical advice, diagnosis and treatment.

The information provided on this site is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.
Please consult a healthcare professional for medical advice, diagnosis and treatment.

From time to time, we all experience a cough, whether it’s caused by a perfume, cleaning solution, cold or the flu. When it’s due to a flu or cold virus, it can also lead to chest congestion. 

Let’s dive into the causes of both coughs and chest congestion and get a few tips on how to relieve them both. 

what causes a cough?

Coughing occasionally is perfectly normal. It is an important reflex that helps protect your airway and lungs against irritants. When things such as mucus, germs or dust irritate your throat and airways, your body automatically responds by coughing.

The throat and airways are equipped with nerves that can sense irritants and quickly seek to expel them with a cough. That helps prevent germs and foreign materials from getting into your lungs. In fact, coughing can eject air and germs out of your lungs and throat at close to 50 miles per hour!

There are two types of coughs. A wet or productive cough produces mucus that you can cough up. If a cough brings up phlegm or mucus, this could suggest pneumonia, bronchitis or the flu. The color of the mucus can signal a more serious problem. You should see a doctor if your cough produces yellowish-green phlegm or blood. A cough that doesn’t produce mucus is called a dry or non-productive cough.

Coughs can be acute, lasting on average no more than three weeks or they can be chronic, lasting more than eight weeks. In this instance we’re talking about an acute cough that comes with a cold or the flu. An acute cough will most likely clear up on its own and will not need medical attention. However, if the cough is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, headache, drowsiness or shortness of breath it should be brought to a doctor's attention.

common causes of cough

Coughing happens for all sorts of reasons, but the most common causes of acute cough (lasting less than two months) related to illness are:

• Upper respiratory tract infections from a cold or flu virus 

• Hay fever due to allergens 

• Post-nasal drip from allergies, cold or flu

• Lower respiratory tract infections from viral or bacterial infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

what causes chest congestion?

Chest congestion occurs when a virus (such as cold or flu) or an irritant (in the case of allergies) reaches the airways that lead to your lungs, called the bronchial tubes. The tubes respond by swelling and creating a thick mucus that make it harder to breathe. This can lead to a heavy or painful feeling in your chest that accompanies a cough, along with other symptoms characteristic of conditions such as acute bronchitis, often referred to as a chest cold.

common causes of chest congestion

Some of the same things that cause you to cough, such as the common cold, may also lead to congestion in your chest or acute bronchitis.

how to relieve a cough and chest congestion