Why do people cough when they are sick

As the mucus passes behind your sinuses and drips down your throat, it triggers your cough reflex. It is an involuntary action that protects your lungs from breathing in anything that might harm your body. The result is a cough.

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Coughing is a reflex action meant to clear the lungs and bronchial passages. If someone has a cold, flu, bronchitis, etc. the bronchial system can become filled with excess mucus that the body trys to get rid of by coughing.

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Actually you cough to get mucus, fluid or something out of your lungs. You also cough for something as simple as your throat is irritated. Coughing helps expand your lungs and helps prevent pneumonia after surgery and during a cold.

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Related Questions Answered on Y!Answers

Why do people cough when they are sick?

Q: People always cough when they’re sick like with the common cold why is that? Also I’ve been eating a lot lately and i got sick recently could my excessive eating be linked to me getting better or something? I’m 13 so my mom thinks its a growth spurt but i’m convinced otherwise. Oh and my hands are always cold why is that?

A: People cough because there is an irritation in their lungs and the reflex to cough is an attempt to expel it.Excessive eating won’t have any bearing on you getting better if you have a cold, other than you do need to eat when you are sick to give your body the fuel to fight the illness. Cold extremities (hands or feet) is typically due to poor circulation. But it is a chilly time of year and hands and feet are often the first things to become cold as they are small (compared to other body parts) don’t have the fat to warm them like other parts of the body do.

What’s the slime people cough up when they’re sick?

Q: You know, that greenish slimy substance you cough up when you’re sick.

A: It’s basis is simply mucous which we couldn’t live without as it effects so many systems. When it turns green most often it’s a sign of infection. If you’re going to start complaining about “slimy” stuff in your body, you got a lot of complaining to do. It’s the stuff that keeps us running.There is nothing, nothing disgusting about the body. Maybe this comes from working so long in hospitals but if you break anything down to it’s component parts it isn’t all that bad. I don’t really want to gross you out but consider pus. Break it down. All it is is a result of the battle between your body and the invading bacteria. White blood cells have come to your rescue by engulfing the bacteria and rendering them harmless. So what have you got, just your own white calls and some dead bacteria that they’ve eaten and most often given their lives to protect you. I’m not saying that we should give them a ticker tape parade but don’t be so quick to judge something “slimy” or “nasty”.

Why is it that when a person is sick & they cough, sometimes there chest really hurts???

Q: I got the flu again this weekend (living in Johannesburg,South Africa, & we had a long weekend). For some reason my cheast just really hurts when I cough.

A: It is caused from all of your coughing……..it is not easy to get rid of until you quit your coughing…….Your Rib Cage is Inflamed and until you are rid of your Flu, your ribs can’t heal correctly……..I had this same thing for about 4 weeks……..I am finally rid of the coughing, but, now I am healing my ribs……they are so painful……..I have never had this before either…….I asked my doctor and he said that everyone has been complaining that their ribs hurt this year………Good Luck……………..