A nagging cough that lasts eight weeks or more in adults and four weeks or more in children is considered chronic. Coughs like these can disrupt sleep and leave a person exhausted, but it may also mean that there is a problem in the respiratory system. This may be due to allergies or asthma, but it may also be due to a lung infection, lung disease or cancer.
If you or your child has a chronic cough, consult your doctor.
