Chronic Cough Crisis: Thousands Abandoned by UK's NHS

According to a recent report, thousands of patients in the UK with chronic coughs are being "abandoned" by the National Health Service (NHS) and left to suffer for decades. Experts warn that a lack of specialist care means some are forced to travel hundreds of miles to seek help, while others go undiagnosed for years or are misdiagnosed with mental health problems.

The article highlights that an estimated one in ten Britons are affected by chronic cough, defined as a cough lasting more than eight weeks. Many endure years of sleepless nights, exhaustion, continence issues, and social embarrassment due to their condition. Frustratingly, research suggests that 90% of chronic cough cases can be managed if the underlying condition is properly diagnosed and treated.

Specialists have identified three common but often overlooked causes of chronic cough: asthma, acid reflux, and post-nasal drip. However, they also warn of a little-known condition called refractory chronic cough (RCC), which is believed to affect up to one in ten patients. RCC is driven by an oversensitive cough reflex and is particularly common in middle-aged women, but many doctors remain unaware of it.

With only eight specialist cough clinics in the UK, the article emphasizes the urgent need for better recognition and treatment of chronic cough conditions to alleviate the suffering of thousands of patients across the country.