Any cough present for 3 months or less is considered to be an acute cough; one often due to an acute infection or an acute allergic reaction. A cough that lasts longer than 3 months is designated as a chronic cough, such as the cough caused by smoking, chronic bronchitis, chronic postnasal drip, asthma or chronic acid reflux.
The first step to controlling or eliminating your cough should be, to determine the cause of the cough and then apply the appropriate therapy for that cause. Wheezing is a non-specific sign, in most instances caused by either constriction of one’s bronchial tubes or by mucus in those same bronchi. You will not be able to resolve this yourself. I recommend that you arrange to see your primary care physician (PCP) and, if he/she can’t find the cause that you request consultation with a lung specialist, also known as a pulmonologist. You should do whatever is necessary to determine the cause of your cough, both for your daily comfort and to eliminate the scare it has given you.
Good luck.
