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Allergy and Asthma pp 1–10Cite as

Cough and Allergic Diseases

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Abstract

Cough, including acute and chronic cough syndromes, is among the most common of human symptoms, heralding disease processes that range from the transient and insignificant to chronic and life-threatening. In this chapter, we consider cough that occurs in the context of allergic airway diseases including asthma, chronic rhinosinusitis, allergic rhinitis (AR) (CRS), and related allergic diseases. Acute cough lasting less than 3 weeks is usually due to respiratory tract viral or bacterial infections of the upper or lower airways. These infections usually require no specific therapy and are self-limited. In contrast, chronic cough persisting beyond 3 weeks has a broader differential diagnosis that is often related to irritating liquids arising from the upper or lower airway due to AR, CRS, or asthma. Stomach liquids refluxing into the pharynx can also produce cough and induce bronchoconstriction. Additionally, local anatomical structural and functional abnormalities, certain medications that interfere with bradykinin metabolism, and neurological issues such as vocal cord dysfunction can produce chronic cough. Central to distinguishing these conditions is evaluation for allergen sensitization and bronchial hyperresponsiveness testing in addition to obtaining a careful history and physical examination supplemented with direct laryngoscopy in selected patients. Treatment of the underlying disorder, discontinuation of offending medications, or behavioral therapy in the case of vocal cord dysfunction is usually successful in resolving the cough.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Author contributed equally with all other contributors.Helen Wang and Zachary Marshall

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Helen Wang, Zachary Marshall & David B. Corry

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Nicholas Rider

  3. Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    David B. Corry

  4. Biology of Inflammation Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    David B. Corry

  5. Michael E. DeBakey VA Center for Translational Research on Inflammatory Diseases, Houston, TX, USA

    David B. Corry

Authors
  1. Helen Wang
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  2. Zachary Marshall
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  3. Nicholas Rider
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  4. David B. Corry
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Nicholas Rider or David B. Corry .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Milton S Hershey Med Ctr, Penn State University Milton S Hershey Med Ctr, Hershey, PA, USA

    Timothy Craig

  2. Suite 502, Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Suite 502, Tampa, FL, USA

    Dennis K. Ledford

Section Editor information

  1. Division of Allergy & Immunology, Dept. of Internal Medicine, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, James A Haley Veterans' Hospital, Asthma and Immunology Associates of Tampa Bay, Tampa, Florida, USA

    Dennis K. Ledford

  2. Department of Medicine and Pediatrics, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA

    Timothy Craig DO

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Wang, H., Marshall, Z., Rider, N., Corry, D.B. (2018). Cough and Allergic Diseases. In: Craig, T., Ledford, D. (eds) Allergy and Asthma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58726-4_20-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58726-4_20-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-58726-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-58726-4

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