Persistent Cough after COVID-19

COVID-19 has impacted the world greatly. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on global health since its discovery in Wuhan, China. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is at the heart of the pandemic that started in 2020. The virus affects the lungs causing inflammation and a dry persistent cough. Many other symptoms affect the body ranging from mild to life-threatening.

The persistent cough from COVID-19 is similar to other viral infections that affect the lungs. The injured parts of your lungs try to clear out the infection and heal.

Doctors have observed persistent cough as most common symptom after COVID recovery. Cough is the reflex action to clear the accumulation of phlegm and coronavirus from your lungs and windpipe. While recovering from COVID the dry cough continues to trouble for a long time.

What is COVID Cough?

One of the most common symptoms of COVID-19 infection is a persistent cough. Other common symptoms of COVID-19 include fever and loss of smell. Almost four in ten people infected with coronavirus experience a persistent cough.

The persistent cough means coughing many times a day, sometimes even for half a day or more. Sometimes, it might be hard to notice if you’re coughing more than usual, so it is important to keep an eye on yourself and others around you.

The cough on coronavirus infection is usually dry or unproductive. You might have phlegm or mucus formation if you have an underlying lung condition. But, if you have COVID-19 and you start to cough up yellow or green phlegm known as gunk, then this may be a sign of an additional bacterial infection in the lungs that needs immediate medical attention.

It is important to get tested and self-isolate yourself if you have persistent cough as it is a major way that coronavirus spreads. You should cover your nose and mouth with tissue or elbow, if you cough-irrespective of being infected with COVID or not. Always wearing a face covering or mask is important to protect yourself and others.

The cough might become problematic and makes it difficult for you to breathe through your mouth. This would result in lots of dry, fast-flowing air entering the lungs, affecting the delicate airway membranes and causing further coughing.

Persistent Cough in the Post COVID Syndrome

A persistent cough is not only the symptom of diagnosing COVID-19 but also the common in post-COVID syndrome. The fluctuating or persistent symptoms experienced by patients for months after recovery from COVID-19 include cough, fatigue, dyspnoea, pain, and brain fog (cognitive impairment, including confusion and memory loss).

Common post-COVID symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Cough
• Shortness of breath (hypoxia)
• Tiredness or exhaustion
• Trouble concentrating (brain fog)
• Trouble sleeping

Less common post-COVID symptoms:

• Anxiety or depression
• Dizziness
• Feeling lightheaded
• Hair loss
• Headaches
• Heart palpitations (racing heart)
• Joint or muscle pain
• Loss of taste or smell
• Numbness or tingling in the fingers and toes
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Upset stomach

If you have a dry cough along with fever it is important to follow the guidelines from WHO, such as:

• Self-isolation to protect the people around you and the wider community.
• Book a COVID test as soon as possible.
• Monitor your health at home and stay hydrated.
• Keep your nose and mouth covered with a face mask always.

If the test result is positive, then contact your healthcare provider or call 911. A persistent cough can be uncomfortable. It’s best to avoid lying on your back, thus sit up or lie on your side instead to avoid any complication. Always stay hydrated, and drink warm water, possibly with a spoonful of honey to ease your cough.

Covid-19 leads to a dangerous drop in oxygen level due to damage to the lungs. A persistent cough might further lead to damage of the parts of the lungs and aggravate the condition. The condition becomes more serious if you have an underlying lung condition along with COVID-19 infection.

Why do COVID patients have a productive cough?

Our body has a robust defense mechanism. It produces sputum to eliminate any foreign particle as well as living organisms such as viruses, bacter,ia or fungi. This is how the lungs and airways keep themselves clear and clean.

People with COVID or other viral infections often find their chest productive with phlegm. The phlegm may be accompanied by nosier breathing than normal. The patient may also be short of breath following a chest infection.

To keep the lungs healthy and avoid any damage, it is important to clear the secretions from your lungs. This will greatly reduce the chance of recurrent chest infections, allows breathing freely during exercise and everyday activities, and help reduce any uncontrolled coughing.

Some of the breathing exercises also help you to effectively and efficiently clear your phlegm. The breathing exercise should not put force while clearance and it is important to give yourself plenty of time to rest during and after.

How can the Persistent Cough be controlled?

Controlling the persistent cough will reduce complications during COVID-19 infection. Doctors suggest the COVID-19 patient practice a ‘normal’ breathing pattern. To begin with, this would include gentle, quiet, diaphragmatic (breathing through the tummy) and nose breathing at rest. The diaphragmatic breathing would feel like the tummy would rise and fall as you breathe in and out. Aim to practice this little, to begin with, and increase this gradually as you feel better.

Other techniques that help in reducing your cough:

• Close your mouth and swallow.
• Gently breathe in and out through your nose, until the urge to cough goes away.
• Sip hot or cold drinks regularly.
• Suck on boiled sweets or lozenges.

The above techniques might work in combination and be more effective at reducing your cough. Follow the technique that suits you best!

Outlook

COVID-19 has impacted millions of people around the world. The impact not only stays during the COVID infection but weeks and months after recovery from COVID infection. A persistent cough is a common symptom to diagnose coronavirus infection as well as a post-COVID syndrome. The cough can develop into a vicious cycle. Excessive coughing causes irritation and inflammation that in turn worsens the cough. The dry cough during COVID infection may have no obvious cause and practicing the breathing exercise will help to prevent this cough.

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If you or anyone you know is suffering from the effects of Covid-19, our expert providers at Post Covid Centers will take care of your health and help you recover.

Call us on (469) 545-9983 to book a telehealth appointment for a home check-up.