Some of the other conditions that can cause a persistent cough are very common conditions and some of them are rare. Usually, other symptoms that you may have can direct your doctor toward a diagnosis. If your cough is not explained, you should consider these problems together with your doctor:
- Angina (coronary artery disease)
- Congestive heart failure
- Aspiration of food or saliva due to abnormal swallowing
- Ear problems, such as debris in the ear canal
- Eosinophilic bronchitis, an asthma-like problem that does not quickly improve with bronchodilator inhaler treatments
- Lung cancer
- Bronchiectasis (airway scarring) from a serious prior lung infection
- An abscess in the lung
- Interstitial lung disease
- A vocal cord nodule
- Irritation of the diaphragm
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