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Besides recent upper airways infections, such as the common cold and flu, other common causes of coughs include:
- Allergies and asthma
- Lung infections such as pneumonia or acute bronchitis
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (emphysema or chronic bronchitis)
- Sinusitis leading to postnasal drip
- Lung disease such as bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease, or tumors
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Cigarette smoking
- Exposure to secondhand smoke
- Exposure to air pollutants
- ACE inhibitors (medications used to control blood pressure)
If a child has a barking cough, see croup.
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