Medical Report: 12 million Americans have a chronic cough

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A chronic cough is defined as a cough that lasts eight weeks or more in adults or more than four weeks in children. With more than 5% of the U.S. population affected, it is a major cause for concern.

Unfortunately, many people with chronic coughs do not go to the doctor to have it checked out. They hope it will go away on its own.

In some cases it does, but a chronic cough can be a sign of an easily treated problem or a warning sign of something more serious. Some of the most common causes of a chronic cough are respiratory infections, asthma and reflux.

If you have a cough that is not going away, take time to have it checked out.

Get more medical reports from Dr. Brian McDonough .

​​KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.