It’s not always easy to know when you should seek treatment for a cough. Doctor visits aren’t always convenient, so it’s not uncommon for people to put off seeking attention until a situation worsens to an untenable point. Avoiding potential complications is key to maintaining good health, so find out when you should see a doctor for a lingering and troublesome cough.
Treatment for a Cough: Doctor Supervised Care
Because it’s a normal symptom of the uncomfortable but typically not serious common cold, many patients wait until a situation worsens before seeking care for a lingering cough. Doctors do need to know when a cough lasts longer than a cold, especially if you’re wheezing, running a fever or coughing up phlegm. Night sweats, coughing up blood and worsening coughs can also be symptoms of serious health complications, so you should seek out a cough doctor as soon as possible.
Bronchitis and the Cough Doctor
While a primary care physician is a wealth of general knowledge when it comes to medical care, some do specialize in specific areas while still providing general wellness care. A cough doctor doesn’t have to be a respiratory specialist, though, especially when you’re dealing with relatively common conditions like bronchitis.
Also known as a “chest cold,” bronchitis occurs when your airways begin to produce an excessive amount of mucus due to inflammation. Bronchitis can be acute, which is more common and can be attributed to a temporary viral infection. Less serious than pneumonia but more serious than a common cold, acute bronchitis is aggravated by smoking and some environmental exposures.
Chronic bronchitis, which is most commonly attributable to smoking, is a cough accompanied by excessive phlegm production which spans over two to three months of the year for two years or more. If you’re a smoker, you should make a strong effort to avoid smoking while you’re battling a persistent cough. Doctor guidance should be followed carefully, particularly when it comes to fluid intake and potential environmental irritants.
Don’t let a serious situation spring from a common cough. Doctor care can help you avoid more worrisome complications while encouraging faster recovery. If your lingering cough is becoming a cause for concern, call the experts at PCP For Life. With multiple locations staffed with caring intake, nursing and cough doctor staff, we’re on hand to provide the very best in general care for the entire family. Make an appointment to have your persistent cough evaluated and treated today.
