Cough

[prue1956]

Hi I was just wondering why I've not had a cough after approx 5 weeks of giving up smoking,I thought it was to clear the tar from your lungs,please don't get me wrong it's not that I want one I was trying to find out how the lungs cleared themselves. x

[Chambs4 LONG TERM WINNER]

Hi prue1956! I didn't get a cough either and I smoked for almost 30 years!!

[jillygirl Administrator Queen Bee]

Hi Prue, not all people who quit smoking get a cough, some get a cough later on in their quit.

There is no set reason why you dont cough and some do except perhaps that your body is healthier than others.

Airborne particles first pass through the nasal passageways and/or mouth and throat and many are caught, but those that enter the lungs become trapped in mucus.

Your cilia act like a constant escalator, bringing up that mucus from your lungs 24/7. You reflexively swallow it without even realizing it. That is why when you are healthy, you might not even notice.

If you are sick (or asthma/allergies), more mucus is produced. That is when you may notice the increased quantity coming up, and may need to cough to bring more up.

If your cilia are damaged (like in smokers), then mucus does not clear well from the lungs. In this case, people must cough more in order to bring it up.

[Cato9 3 YEAR WINNER]

Hi prue

Great job on 5-6 weeks! What an accomplishment! 👏👏👏👏

For me I was so sick with quitters flu the first couple weeks but then my 6 month hacking smokers cough just went away. Gone. I was wondering the same thing as you - how do the lungs clear themselves? I assumed that the toxins were flushed out by drinking water. Someone correct me if I’m wrong.