1. Cold & Flu Cough Relief Slideshow
2. Cold & Flu Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
3. Slideshow: Cold and Flu - Treating Your Child's Cold or Fever

Medical Author:

Manuel Hernandez, MD

Medical Editor:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Prevention of a cough is based on avoiding the medical problems that cause cough.

The most important aspect of prevention is to stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, particularly for people with asthma, chronic lung disease, and environmental allergies.

For people with GERD, prevention is aimed at diet modification, sleeping with the head of the bed elevated, and taking all medications as prescribed.

For any person who is on medication for a chronic lung disease, the best prevention is strict adherence to the doctor's prescribed treatments.

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