How do you know when an ongoing cough warrants a visit to the doctor?
The November issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers these reasons to check out a nagging cough:
* You have a known risk of lung disease, such as previous lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or are a past or current smoker.
* The cough lasts four to six weeks. Possible causes could be undiagnosed asthma, backup of stomach acid into the esophagus or even side effects of certain medications.
* The cough is accompanied by a fever or shortness of breath. (See a doctor promptly.)
* A change in sputum color. Blood-tinged sputum warrants urgent medical care, especially if you have chest pain. Yellowish or greenish sputum suggests a bacterial infection and requires a doctor's care.
Mayo Clinic Health Letter is an eight-page, monthly newsletter of reliable, accurate and practical information on today's health and medical news. To subscribe, please call toll-free 800-333-9037, extension 9PR1.
RSS