Table 3.
Reasons That Patients With Chronic Cough Seek Medical Attention
| Reason | Frequency, % | Most Troublesome, % |
|---|---|---|
| Something’s wrong | 98 | 12 |
| Exhaustion | 57 | 17 |
| Self-conscious | 55 | 10 |
| Insomnia | 45 | 4 |
| Lifestyle change | 45 | 12 |
| Musculoskeletal paina | 44 | 3 |
| Hoarseness | 43 | 2 |
| Excessive perspiration | 42 | 1 |
| Urinary incontinenceb | 39 | 9 |
| Dizziness | 38 | 0 |
| Fear of cancer | 33 | 11 |
| Headache | 32 | 3 |
| Fear of AIDS or TB | 28 | 11 |
| Retching | 21 | 4 |
| Vomiting | 18 | 1 |
| Nausea | 16 | 0 |
| Anorexia | 15 | 0 |
| Syncope or near syncope | 5 | 0 |
a
Musculoskeletal pain was documented by chest radiography to be due to rib fracture in only one patient.
b
Urinary incontinence complicated by cough only in women and two men who had undergone prior transurethral prostatectomy.
Reprinted from Irwin RS, Curley FJ. The treatment of cough: a comprehensive review. Chest. 1991;99(6):1477-1484.230 With permission from Elsevier.