Abstract
The most frequent cause of acute cough (lasting up to 3 weeks) or subacute cough (3-8 weeks) is a viral infection, which is mostly a self-limiting disease in otherwise healthy persons. Some herbal compounds, the antitussive dextromethorphan and ambroxol are effective for symptom relief. Antibiotics are ineffective and should not be used due to resistance development. If after appropriate diagnostic procedures the cause of chronic cough, i.e. cough lasting more than 8 weeks, cannot be attributed to a well-established respiratory disease, it meets the definition of a disease in its own right, chronic idiopathic (unexplained) cough (CIH). This is caused by hypersensitivity of the cough reflex. Thus, even weak low threshold stimuli, e.g. changing temperature, extensive speaking and odors can trigger the cough reflex. In the case of nonresponse to guideline-conform treatment the definition of chronic refractory cough is met.