Prolonged and chronic cough

Chronic cough is defined as a cough lasting longer than 8 weeks and in more than 95% of cases, diagnosis and treatment is successful. However, in clinical practice, some consider a cough lasting for more than 8 weeks to be too long (not actually true). Therefore, this chapter deals with the diagnosis and treatment of prolonged cough lasting 3 weeks or longer. It is important to remember that disorders causing chronic cough are also included (Fig. 4.1).