What Type of Cough Do I Have Quiz
Questions: 15 · 10 minutes
1. During a typical coughing spell, how would you describe what comes up?
Mucus comes up during most spells
A small amount sometimes comes up
Usually nothing comes up, although the cough may feel slightly damp
Nothing comes up and the cough feels distinctly dry
2. Which health or exposure context most closely fits this cough?
I know of no major exposure or relevant lung, heart, or immune condition
I have a relevant condition, but the cough is mild and close to my familiar pattern
I have significant lung or heart disease, a weakened immune system, or pregnancy, and this cough is new or worsening
The cough followed major smoke or chemical exposure, or accompanies sudden facial or throat swelling
3. How has your breathing been affected since the cough began?
My breathing feels unchanged
I am briefly winded after a strong coughing spell but recover normally
Breathlessness is limiting ordinary activity or is present between spells
I am struggling to breathe, becoming confused, or noticing blue or gray lips
4. Across an ordinary day with this cough, how often do you bring up visible mucus?
Never or almost never
Once in a while
During several coughing spells
During most coughing spells
5. When material does come up, which description best matches the usual amount and texture?
There is no visible material
There is only a thin trace or tiny amount
There is a noticeable but limited amount
There is a substantial, thick, or repeatedly produced amount
6. Which statement best describes blood or pain associated with the cough?
There is no blood, chest pain, or unusual chest discomfort
My chest or abdominal muscles feel sore only after repeated coughing
I have noticed a small blood streak or chest pain that is not clearly muscle soreness
I am coughing up more than streaks of blood or have severe pressure-like chest pain
7. What sensation most often appears just before you cough?
A deep feeling of chest congestion
No consistent warning sensation
An occasional tickle or dry patch in my throat
A repeated scratchy, tickling, or burning irritation
8. Which description best matches the course of your cough?
It began recently and is clearly improving
It is recent and about the same, without rapid worsening
It has lasted more than three weeks, keeps returning, or is gradually worsening
It worsened suddenly after choking or I may have inhaled an object
9. Suppose you have a productive coughing spell. What tends to happen afterward?
The spell does not bring anything up or create a clearing sensation
There may be a slight sense that something shifted
Bringing up mucus gives temporary relief
I repeatedly need to clear mucus before my chest or throat feels easier
10. Alongside the cough, what is happening with fever, hydration, and alertness?
I have no feverishness, hydration problem, or change in alertness
I feel mildly feverish or tired but can drink normally and remain alert
Fever persists, or reduced drinking and urination suggest dehydration
There is confusion, fainting, extreme difficulty waking, or inability to keep fluids down
11. When you first get up after sleeping, what usually happens?
My cough is no more mucus-producing than at other times
I occasionally need to clear a small amount
I often spend a short period clearing mucus
Clearing noticeable accumulated mucus is a major part of my morning
12. After a longer coughing spell, what do you notice most?
Clearing mucus leaves my chest feeling easier
There is no consistent change afterward
My throat sometimes feels more irritated than before
A raw or tickly feeling remains and quickly triggers more coughing
13. Imagine you have been talking for several minutes, laughing, or breathing cold air. How likely is this to set off your cough?
It commonly starts a coughing spell
It sometimes prompts a few coughs
It rarely affects my cough
It does not seem connected to my cough
14. Which description is closest to the sound and feel of your cough?
Loose, bubbling, or clearly wet
A mixture of wet and dry sounds
Hard to classify, but usually not obviously wet
Sharp, hacking, or consistently dry
15. Between coughing spells, how does your chest or airway tend to feel?
There is no sense of mucus moving or collecting
I notice a faint congested feeling occasionally
I sometimes feel or hear mucus shift when I breathe or cough
A rattling, bubbling, or loaded feeling is frequently noticeable