Articles Directory | Free Articles | New Articles Daily | Persistent Coughing and Esophageal Cancer

In esophageal cancer, the patient is affected due to many reasons and one of the main reasons is persistent cough. Chronic cough or persistent cough is a cough that does not resolve or go away. Chronic cough is a symptom of other disorders and is not a disease.

Cough plays a major role in maintaining the integrity of the airways and can be voluntary or involuntary. Persistent cough can be a vexing problem for the patient as well as the physician.

Some of the common causes for the persistent and chronic cough may be asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus problems etc. one of the main reason may be smoking of cigarettes. Cough is commonly triggered by chemical stimulation or mechanical stimulation of receptors in the regions of pharynx, larynx, trachea and bronchi. Cough receptors also exist in external auditory ear canals, nose, Para nasal sinuses, tympanic membranes, esophagus, parietal pleura, stomach, diaphragm and pericardium.

Due to the persistent cough, some of the following conditions may occur. The symptoms may be whooping cough, smoker’s cough, chronic cough, asthma, lung cancer, emphysema; chronic bronchitis etc. cigarette smoking is the most common cause of persistent cough. The non smokers are also affected due to the smoke released by the smokers and hence are subjected to disease.

Another cause for chronic cough may be GERD (gastro esophageal reflux disease) which refers to the reflux or backward flow of stomach acid and other contents into the esophagus. As the acid from the stomach moves backwards into the esophagus the reflexes will result in the spasm of the airways which can cause coughing and shortness of breath. In some cases, if the reflux is so severe the substances can be aspirated into the lungs and also cause damage to lung tissue.

The infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis may also cause persistent cough. The virus, bacteria and fungi are responsible for causing these infections. The antibiotics cannot be used for treating viral infections. The viral infections are more severe in patients with asthma even if the infection has cleared.

Asthma is also one of the main causes for the persistent cough in esophageal cancer. It is a disease of airway which may result in breathing difficulty or wheezing. Many patients with asthma have chronic cough as one of the symptom. This can be aggravated due to smoke, pollen grains, exposure to cold air or air pollutants, perfumes etc.

Certain medicines which are used in treating high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction etc may also cause persistent cough. Post nasal drip and sinus problems may also cause cough. This condition is difficult to detect and CT scan is needed to identify this problem. The other causes can be due to sarcoidosis, lung infection or presence of tumors. The chronic or persistent cough can be identified only by taking a chest X-ray.