"Five Scary Reasons Why You Might Be Coughing So Much" - Hallie Levine

The chronic cough is the number one reason people visit a doctor’s office, and most of the time, the cause is benign or easily treated. Every now and then, however, a nagging cough instead indicates a potentially life-threatening condition, said Raja Flores, MD, system chair of the department of thoracic surgery for the Mount Sinai Health System. Sixty-five percent of people with lung cancer have a chronic cough at the time of diagnosis, according to a study published in the journal Chest. "Oftentimes, it's the only symptom," added Dr. Flores. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security if you’ve never smoked. Research suggests that up to 28 percent of lung cancer cases occur in people who’ve never touched a cigarette. The main symptom of walking pneumonia is a persistent dry cough that tends to worsen at night. "People often try to self-treat with over-the-counter cough suppressants, which can make you worse because they prevent your body from loosening and moving mucus and fluid from your lungs," said Dr. Flores.

- Raja Flores, MD, Steven and Ann Ames Professorship in Thoracic Surgery, Director, Thoracic Surgical Oncology Program, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, System Chair, Thoracic Surgery, Mount Sinai Health System

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