There was a violent coughing sound all around. We asked the doctor what it was.

During this cold and flu season, internet Agreed on one thing – many of us have a nagging cough.

british writer Essie Fox Posted on X (previously Twitter), “Has anyone else had this constant cough that makes you miserable and exhausted?” It seems like “at least fifty percent of the people you know have this dry cough, and it has It went on for weeks,” he said. TikTok Bethany Veach in a viral video.

When you cough in this severe cold, Coronavirus, there may be nothing to worry about during flu season, and a persistent cough could also be a sign of a more serious illness. Here’s what you need to know about a cough you can’t kick.

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What’s the reason for my cough?

Unfortunately, it’s hard to know for sure.

“I think the biggest thing is we’re seeing multiple respiratory viruses,” Danielle Sebensa pediatric nurse practitioner at Arizona State University told Mashable. A year after the “triple outbreak” of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) made headlines, all three viruses are circulating again. Of course, the various viruses that cause the common cold are also circulating.All of these can cause coughs – and some of them are different Coronavirus (Has been infecting humans for many years).

said that of three well-known circulating viruses, RSV may be the culprit in causing severe coughs. Dr. Janet O’Mahonyis an internist at Mercy Personal Physicians in Baltimore. In an email to Mashable, she wrote that she saw many patients with “junk coughs” around Thanksgiving, when there were many RSV cases in her area. She said virus cases have since declined in her neighborhood.

Regardless of the specific cause, a persistent cough with no other remaining symptoms is likely caused by some type of virus, Sebens said. If the infection is bacterial, you will usually have other ongoing symptoms, such as fever and fatigue.

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Why doesn’t my cough go away?

Coughing when you’re sick (and generally) is a reflex that expels mucus, bacteria, and other irritants from your lungs. The most common cause of a persistent cough may be lingering inflammation in the lungs and airways, even after the infection itself has resolved. Dr. Maureen Tierneychair and associate dean for clinical research and public health at Creighton University School of Medicine in Nebraska told Mashable.

It’s also possible that you’re infected with multiple viruses. Tierney explained that in addition to lowering overall immunity, fighting respiratory illness can also damage the tiny hair-like structures in the lungs called cilia. These cilia help prevent infections from entering your body, so a respiratory infection may make you susceptible to other viral and bacterial infections.

“It’s not normal for a cough to last longer than three to four weeks.”

Tierney said a more serious cause of persistent coughing is complications from a respiratory illness, such as pneumonia. For this reason and others, she recommends that anyone with a cough for more than a few weeks seek medical attention.

“It’s not normal for a cough to last longer than three to four weeks,” she said.

Why is this non-COVID illness happening now?

Our immune systems may still be recovering from years of extra protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.when some people leave masking And behind social distancing, their immune systems may have difficulty adapting to the change.

“During the pandemic, our immune systems are developing differently than in previous years,” Sebens said. “Our immune systems are not ready for the influx of viruses.”

Tierney believes our immunity is speeding up, but we are currently battling a slew of viruses.

“I think we’ve almost caught up on immunity in the last two years,” she said. Tierney attributes the ubiquitous coughs and other symptoms to widespread circulation of many different viruses, and the addition of COVID-19 has only exacerbated the situation.

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How can I stop a cough?

You should seek medical care if it has been more than three weeks or if you have symptoms such as coughing up blood, coughing so hard that you vomit, or if you have persistent symptoms such as fever and fatigue. If you are found to have a bacterial infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

You can also test yourself for COVID-19, and a medical professional can test you for the flu. There are effective antiviral treatments for both viruses— Parks Loved Medicines for COVID-19 and Tamiflu for influenza (both treatments must be started relatively soon after symptoms appear). If your cough is caused by lingering inflammation, your doctor may prescribe an inhaler, which sometimes helps, Tierney says.

“It’s not too late to get vaccinated.”

Unfortunately, some viruses, like COVID-19, just make you cough. O’Mahony recommends people use over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, Claritin and Mucinex to treat symptoms.There are even some studies showing Honey Might be helpful.

While this won’t help you if you already have a cough, you can also Vaccinated. Many people have not yet had the latest COVID-19 and flu shots, and if you are 60 or older or have other risk factors for serious illness, you can also get the new RSV vaccine.

“It’s not too late to get vaccinated,” Tierney said.