Cough and COVID-19
Having a cough is one of the main symptoms of COVID-19. However, the confusion for most people arises when their cough lingers for too long, even after they are testing negative for COVID-19.
It is nothing to be worried about though, as many viral infections can leave people with a lingering cough. A COVID-19 cough can happen even on your first day of infection and can last as long as four weeks or more, as per research published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine in May 2021.
Cause behind lingering cough after COVID-19
COVID-19 infection can inflame the mucus membranes of the airways, staring from the throat and then all the way into the bronchial tubes. This inflammation can take some time – days or even weeks – to heal in some patients. The residual inflammation, even after recovery from the virus, is most likely to trigger this lingering cough.
Should you worry about it?
Though you may feel troubled by a lingering cough, it’s only a way for your body to recover from the effects of the infection. By coughing, the body is attempting to clean and clear your airway from unwanted substances such as dying cells or extra mucus. These can get accumulated when you have inflammation in your airways.
Read more: First confirmed case of monkeypox reported in India; here are the signs, symptoms, treatment and prevention
Are you still contagious with a lingering cough?
A COVID-19 cough can be infectious in spreading the virus to other people. However, if you're near the end of your isolation period and the symptoms are improving, even if they are present, you're likely to not be contagious. After about 10 days of infection, if you have generally improved and the virus and fever is gone, then your lingering cough should no longer be contagious to others. However if you had a severe or critical illness, you may remain contagious for around 20 days from onset of symptoms.
Does a lingering cough imply long COVID?
Long COVID, or post-COVID conditions include a wide range of new, returning, or ongoing health issues that people experience after COVID-19 infection. Studies have found that these health problems can last more than four weeks, upto months or even years after the initial infection.
It is difficult to categorize if a lingering cough can be a symptom of long COVID. One of the reasons is that long COVID is supposed to interfere with your day-to-day activities but chronic cough may not do that. Also, if you have only chronic cough and no other COVID-related symptom, then you may not be having long COVID.
Read more: Explainer: Who are more at risk of contracting monkeypox?
How to treat a lingering cough and when to see a doctor
Make sure you do not stifle a cough. It's better to allow yourself to cough to help your body restore itself. To keep the cough under control, taking over-the-counter cough medicine can help. Staying hydrated will also improve your cough and promote healing by clearing away unwanted stuff from the airways.
You should consider consulting your doctor if your lingering cough from COVID-19 is getting worse, interfering with your day-to-day activities, is not improving even after a month, or if you've developed a fever as well.