Depression and Chronic Cough
Chronic Cough is not gender neutral. While Chronic Cough affects men and women, it affects women more often; particularly middle-aged and older women. Chronic Cough is a debilitating medical condition with physical, mental, social, and professional consequences. Social isolation and depression are often associated with Chronic Cough.
If you or someone you know has persistent cough and symptoms of depression, contact Dr. Mandel Sher at Center for Cough: 727-393-8067.
“Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms Among Patients With Chronic Cough” by Dicpinigatis, Tso, and Banauch, published in the December 2006 issue of Chest, reported that over fifty percent of patients with chronic cough were clinically depressed. The authors pointed-out that physicians and others should be aware of the association between chronic cough and depression and recognize depression symptoms. Patients who were treated and experienced decreased cough also experienced a decrease in depression according to the authors.
Persistent cough is not normal. A cough lasting more than eight weeks should be evaluated by a Cough Doctor to identify the cause and develop a comprehensive cough treatment plan. Sometimes, cough is a symptom of a serious underlying medical problem. Sometimes, cough is THE problem. Chronic Cough can be successfully treated even in patients who have seen other doctors and failed other cough treatments.
