For asthma unresponsive to corticosteroids, when should I seek a consultation with a respiratory physician?

Thank you for your question. Coughing during or after a cold is often due to postnasal drip (nose mucous dripping down the back of the throat, causing irritation and inflammation of the voice box). The voice box (medical term is larynx) is a very sensitive organ. Once inflamed, minor irritations of the voicebox (e. g from mucous, phelgm, saliva and in some people even a breath of dirty/cold air) will easily trigger a cough reflex. It takes time for the inflammation of the voice box to settle and often, treating conditions of the nose and acid reflux from the stomach may help.

Cough is a reflex that protects your upper airway from foreign materials and irritants. However, when persistent, it can be a troublesome symptom. The cause of a chronic or prolonged cough can range from conditions arising from the nose (e. g. Rhinitis and Sinusitis), stomach (e. g. acid reflux from the stomach to the throat, medically known as Laryngopharyngeal reflux or LPR) and lungs (e. g. Asthma, Bronchitis etc) to side effects from medications (e. g. blood pressure medications) and smoking.