Inhaled Irritants/Tobacco
From Expert System: Cough
Chronic or acute exposure to any inhaled fine particulate or gas may irritate the lining of airways causing acute or chronic cough. This may include, among other materials, inhaled smoke, dust, or a wide variety of air pollutants in the home or workplace. A stunning example of widespread air pollution is the catastrophe of 9/11. At present some thousands of people are suing New York City , the Port Authority, and more than 100 private contractors for negligence in exposing workers to toxic dust and fumes after the collapse of the World Trade Center. Litigants waiting in the wings include over 40,000 workers who cleaned up the site after Sept. 11, and thousands of residents of lower Manhattan.
The most common inhaled pollutant, obviously, is tobacco smoke containing a variety of chemical irritants. Depending on the amount and the length of time one smokes, these irritants cause progressive damage to the airways. The most common early stages of "smoker's cough," is seen in the morning upon awakening. This may progress to a constant chronic cough, chronic bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), among other lung conditions, sometimes including cancer of the lung, bronchus, or larynx. Chronic smokers have from 15-20 times the risk of developing some type of respiratory cancer.
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