# Constant urge to cough... Possible causes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 26, 2003, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253 "2003-03-26T07:52:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/1 "2003-03-26T07:52:24Z")
This is something that’s been around for me for a while, and I thought I’d get some opinions on it. Can’t hurt. I have the urge to cough very often, mostly after I eat, especially if I drink soda. More often than not, my coughing seems to be connected with my gag reflex, because I seem to do it a lot when I need to burp. But it can get quite violent at times, and as I said, often triggers gagging, so it’s quite annoying. Plus I’ve read that all this coughing could detach my retina (I’m pretty nearsighted) if it goes on too long or gets too hard. This happens, obviously, even when I don’t have a cold or anything like that. Anyone else experience anything like this, and/or could tell me what may be causing it? I apologize in advance if this is the wrong forum; I was debating whether to put it here, IMHO, or MPSIMS. Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/2 "2003-03-26T08:13:18Z")
Try to see a doctor. A friend had this and it was pneumonia. ---
**Author:** ![Sqube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aca169/32.png) [@Sqube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sqube)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/3 "2003-03-26T08:52:20Z")
Maybe the solution that was applied to an individual with uncontrollable hiccups would help here. Digital rectal massage. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/4 "2003-03-26T10:28:28Z")
Uncontrollable coughing is the most frequent symptom of asthma. Asthma often goes undiagnosed until something like this calls it to your doctor’s attention. I’m not an MD. I got that info from my respiratory therapist. My own asthma was not diagnosed until after the age of 50. ---
**Author:** ![dauerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c2a13f/32.png) [@dauerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dauerbach)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/5 "2003-03-26T11:16:21Z")
Sounds to me like you most likely have gastro-esophageal reflux. If it’s really bothersome go see a doctor. There are some things to try short of surgery if that is the case. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/6 "2003-03-26T14:09:37Z")
Some drugs (I was thinking of prescription ones here) have coughing as a side effect. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/7 "2003-03-26T15:52:51Z")
Well, _all_ the above suggestions have some validity (except perhaps the prostate massage). That’s why you should see a doctor to help you navigate all the possibilities. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![Tal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/54ee81/32.png) [@Tal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tal)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/8 "2003-03-26T16:05:10Z")
Is your gag reflex normally really sensitive, or just when you’re coughing? Do you actually have problems swallowing? Do you have any other symptoms? headaches? balance problems? etc etc etc? ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/9 "2003-03-26T22:12:56Z")
Bronchitis, I had it and coughed hard enough to vomit. I was also coughing hard enough it felt like my lungs were torn loose. ---
**Author:** ![mipiace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@mipiace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mipiace)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/10 "2003-03-26T22:18:32Z")
Allergies? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2003, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/11 "2003-03-26T23:37:59Z")
Well, so far we have as suggestions: Bronchitis Pneumonia Asthma GERD Allergies Medication side-effects And guess what? Within the past 3 months, I’ve seen patients who had coughs for _all_ of those reasons, separately _and_ combined. Your best bet for sorting this out is still to go see a doc. Good luck QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![Turbo-Sloth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/41988e/32.png) [@Turbo-Sloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turbo-Sloth)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/12 "2003-03-27T00:23:30Z")
Sounds like you are not smoking enough cigarettes. Buy a carton and smoke it all in one day, that should take care of your problem. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/13 "2003-03-27T02:47:08Z")
ooo, **Qadgop** can I add diaphragmatic irritation to the list? What about the recent Pneumonia of Doom[sup]TM[/sup]? ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/14 "2003-03-27T04:34:35Z")
“…it can get quite violent at times, and as I said, often triggers gagging,” have to add whooping cough to the list ---
**Author:** ![Apex\_Rogers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@Apex\_Rogers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apex_Rogers)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/15 "2003-03-27T04:39:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dauerbach \* > \*\*Sounds to me like you most likely have gastro-esophageal reflux. If it’s really bothersome go see a doctor. There are some things to try short of surgery if that is the case. \*\* It sounded like that to me too, however GER is usually symptomized by constant throat clearing, not what sounds like he’s describing as more coughing than throat clearing. IANAD, but I have GER too, and I don’t suffer from coughing as much as he is describing (more throat clearing as I just said). ---
**Author:** ![Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Myron\_Van\_Horowitzski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myron_Van_Horowitzski)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constant-urge-to-cough-possible-causes/164253/16 "2003-04-02T16:41:14Z")
Get your ears checked. A particle of something lodged in your Eustachian tube can trigger coughing completely unrelated to respiratory functions.