Does asthma cause cough?

Asthma can make the airways sensitive and inflamed. A cough may be dry or bring up mucus, and it can be more noticeable at night, after exercise, during a cold, or around smoke and other triggers. Some people have cough as their main asthma symptom, while others also wheeze or feel short of breath. Cough has many other causes, including infections, reflux, allergies, and medicines, so its pattern matters when a clinician assesses it.

Use prescribed inhalers according to your asthma plan and check your technique with a clinician or pharmacist. Note when the cough appears, what seems to trigger it, whether it disturbs sleep, and whether you notice wheeze or breathlessness. Arrange a review for a cough that keeps returning, lasts beyond an expected infection, or interferes with sleep or activity. Do not borrow another person's inhaler.

Get emergency help if coughing occurs with severe breathing difficulty, inability to speak normally, blue or grey lips, fainting, confusion, or poor response to your reliever inhaler. Coughing blood, sudden chest pain, or rapidly worsening symptoms also require urgent assessment. Children who are struggling to breathe, becoming unusually sleepy, or unable to drink need prompt medical attention.

Ask whether the cough pattern fits asthma, whether you need breathing tests, and how to use your inhalers correctly. Discuss triggers, preventive treatment, an action plan, and the point at which a persistent cough should be investigated for another cause.