What to do with a subacute cough

Cough is usually divided into 3 categories by time: acute, subacute, and chronic. Acute cough for 8 weeks. The most common cause of subacute cough is post-infectious cough, followed by upper airway cough syndrome. Post-infection cough is the most common cough after a cold.

When managing subacute cough, the first step is to determine whether the cough is secondary to a prior respiratory infection and to initiate empiric treatment. If treatment does not respond, other causes should be considered and the diagnosis and treatment should be made according to the diagnostic procedures for chronic cough.

When the acute phase of respiratory infection disappears, the cough persists.In addition to respiratory viruses, other pathogens such as bacteria, mycoplasma and chlamydia can cause post-infection cough, among which the cough caused by a cold is the most common, also known as "cough after a cold". Post-infection cough is mostly manifested as irritating dry cough or coughing up less white mucus sputum, which usually lasts for 3~8 weeks, and there is no abnormality in chest X-ray examination. Postinfectious cough is often self-limited and usually resolves spontaneously. Antibiotics are usually not necessary, but postinfectious cough due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and B. pertussis is effective with macrolide or quinolone antibiotics. For some patients with obvious cough symptoms, short-term antitussive drugs, antihistamines, and decongestants can be used. Ipratropium bromide may be effective in some patients.