Cough is also the name of a band, see Cough (band)
A cough is a sudden, often repetitive, spasmodic contraction of the thoracic cavity, resulting in violent release of air from the lungs, and usually accompanied by a distinctive sound. A cough is usually initiated to clear a buildup of phlegm in the trachea; air may move through this passage at up to 480 km/h (300 mi/h). Coughing can also be triggered by a bolus of food going down the trachea instead of the esophagus, due to a failure of the epiglottis, although this may result in choking instead. Frequent or chronic coughing usually indicates the presence of a disease.
Although chroniccough is usually not caused by a life-threatening disorder, the frequency of this complaint as a cause for a visit to the physician as well as the patient and family's distress and concern about an underlying cause makes chroniccough an important problem.
However, cough is usually attributable to a reflex loop involving vagal afferents in the distal esophagus, and proximal reflux is unnecessary in the pathogenesis.
Cough may be the sole manifestation of disorders such as asthma, GERD or PND, with a paucity of other historical features to suggest the correct diagnosis.
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