Verdict: FALSE.
A cough can have many origins
After a viral infection, it is not uncommon for a cough to persist for several weeks. The airways remain irritated and sometimes take time to return to normal functioning.
But this explanation is not the only one.
A chronic cough can also be linked to gastroesophageal reflux, asthma, certain allergies or even smoking.
Certain medications are also known to cause a persistent cough.
Signs that should alert
A cough accompanied by blood, severe shortness of breath, unexplained weight loss or chest pain requires rapid consultation.
Likewise, a cough that does not improve despite several weeks of progression deserves a medical check-up.
Why you shouldn’t wait too long
A prolonged cough is not necessarily serious, but it is a symptom which sometimes requires additional examinations to determine its origin.
Treatment depends entirely on the cause identified.
What to remember
Not all prolonged coughs are due to a simple cold. When they persist, they must be evaluated to understand their origin.
Advice from Dr Gérald Kierzek
In a smoker, a chronic cough warrants a medical assessment with at least a chest CT scan. In non-smokers, a chronic cough mainly suggests a runny nose, GERD, asthma or eosinophilic bronchitis, and also requires medical advice if it persists.