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" It may have started as a simple cold, but weeks later, you&amp;#039;re still coughing. Find out if it&amp;#039;s serious enough to get to the doctor by learning what that hacking is all about. Why do I cough? Coughing is actually a protective mechanism. It keeps mucus and foreign matter out of the airways, throat, and lungs, explains Henry Milgrom, M.D., a senior staff physician at National Jewish Medical and Research Center in Denver. After a cold, though, your airways remain overly sensitive. So a less potent stimulus \u2014 anything from cigarette smoke to automobile exhaust \u2014 can set off a coughing fit. What can I do about my cough? Unfortunately, there&amp;#039;s no cure for the kind of cough that follows a cold \u2014 it will eventually go away on its own. Meanwhile, drinking fluids (keep sipping throughout the day) and sucking on lozenges can bring relief. If hacking is interfering with your life (or sleep), try a cough suppressant. Just make sure you read the label: You want to see the ingredient dextromethorphan to make sure the formula is designed to inhibit the cough reflex. In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe a medication containing codeine. RELATED: 25 Ways to Sleep Better Tonight \u00BB Why does my chest feel congested? Your cold may have turned into bronchitis \u2014 the air passages to your lungs have become inflamed, causing a nasty cough that often produces phlegm. You may also be very tired and have chest discomfort and a fever. What can I do for bronchitis? See a doctor. You might need a prescription for antibiotics. In addition, a cough formula containing both a decongestant and an expectorant will help to thin the mucus and to relieve chest congestion. Drinking fluids also thins mucus and running a cool-mist humidifier may ease breathing. And get plenty of rest! Don&amp;#039;t be surprised, however, if even after you&amp;#039;ve recovered, the coughing persists for two or more weeks \u2014 for the same reason it lingers after a cold. What if my chest is congested and also painful? Occasionally, a cold can lead to pneumonia, especially in older people. You may have a high fever, muscle pain, and breathlessness. These symptoms call for medical care. I feel like my head is about to explode \u2014 is this a sinus infection? Very likely. When you have a cold, your sinuses \u2014 those hollow cavities above and below your eyes \u2014 become inflamed. Sometimes mucus accumulates in the hollows, encouraging the growth of bacteria. Your cough comes from a postnasal drip. You may also have a fever, a thick, green nasal discharge, and pressure or pain in your forehead and top teeth, as well as in the area underneath your eyes. (Incidentally, sinus infections can also follow a bout of the flu \u2014 and during a flu infection, you will probably also have a persistent dry cough.) RELATED: 8 Reasons Why You Still Get Headaches \u00BB When do I need to see a doctor? If you feel better in a day or so, you may have had acute sinusitis (the kind that comes with a cold) and don&amp;#039;t need any special medical care. But if symptoms don&amp;#039;t clear up, or if you begin to feel worse, you may need antibiotics. Your doctor might prescribe a 10-day course of one of the old standbys (such as amoxicillin) or give you one of the newer formulas (for example, Zithromax), which you can take for as few as three days. But she may suggest that you first try a decongestant for a few days, along with an over-the-counter saline rinse to clear your stuffed-up nose. As for your cough, it should subside when the infection is cured. I haven&amp;#039;t had a cold recently, but I do have a chronic cough.  It could be allergies. As with sinus infections, you have a postnasal drip, which triggers the coughing. Usually, you&amp;#039;ll have other symptoms \u2014 itchy, runny eyes, sneezing, sniffling \u2014 but for many allergy sufferers, persistent hacking is the only symptom. Relief can usually be found through a nonsedating antihistamine such as Allegra or Clarinex to dry up mucus. Your doctor may also prescribe a steroid spray like Flonase, which reduces nasal swelling. RELATED: 6 Ways to Alleviate Seasonal Allergies \u00BB Is it possibly asthma? We typically associate asthma with chest tightness, wheezing, and shortness of breath, along with coughing. But it&amp;#039;s possible to have a form called cough-variant asthma, in which coughing is the only symptom. Also, if you tend to develop a lingering cough every time you come down with a cold, you may have a transient form of asthma, explains William H. Anderson, M.D., director of the Asthma &amp;amp;amp; Allergy Center of Whatcom County, in Bellingham, Washington. If that turns out to be your problem, your doctor will probably prescribe standard asthma therapy: a medication such as inhaled steroids to reduce airway inflammation and a bronchodilator, which offers quick relief from an attack. Why do I have heartburn with my cough? You may have gastroesophageal disease, which occurs when the muscle connecting the esophagus to the stomach relaxes, allowing acidic digestive juices to flow back into the esophagus and mouth. Coughing is actually beneficial \u2014 it prevents you from inhaling stomach acid, explains Joel Richter, M.D., chief of the department of gastroenterology and hepatology at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Heartburn is a dead giveaway for GERD, yet a cough may be the only symptom for a small number of those with the condition. Treatment usually involves changes in diet (cutting back on caffeine, chocolate, and alcohol) and a regimen of acid-suppressing drugs called proton pump inhibitors. Photo credit: Vetta/Getty Images NEXT: The Best Way to Avoid a Cold \u00BB "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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