A doctor has shared three common causes of a persistent cough and it’s nto the flu, covid or the cold
Sophie Buchan Money and Lifestyle Writer
12:49, 16 Apr 2026Updated 13:44, 16 Apr 2026
People taking common blood pressure medicine could get a persistent side effect, a doctor said(Image: Getty)
A GP has highlighted three possible causes of a persistent cough. And it’s nothing to do with Covid. In a TikTok video shared with his 305,000 followers, Suraj, also known as Doctor Sooj, said he frequently sees patients with chronic coughs. Listing three common reasons, he said it could give you answers as to why antibiotics are not working for you.
So if you don’t have a cold, flu, or Covid but your cough is still lingering, these could be the reasons. Always speak to your doctor if you’re concerned.
1. Medication
The first possible cause he highlighted was linked to a group of medications. The board-certified doctor explained: “There’s a class of drugs called ace inhibitors.
Your medication could be the issue(Image: Keeproll via Getty Images)
“Examples are ramipril, lisinopril, perindopril, captopril. And all of these are used to treat high blood pressure.”
He said these can irritate the airways, causing a persistent dry cough. He noted that this is one of the most common side effects of the medication, but it typically improves within the first month.
“But it might take a bit longer. So if you can persevere with it, carry on. If not, it’ll be worth having a chat with a clinician to see if you can change to something else”, he said.
2. Asthma
If you’re not taking these medications, he suggested that “the second common cause could be asthma.” The primary symptoms of asthma involve breathing difficulties, such as:
WheezingCoughingShortness of breathChest feeling tight
“Interestingly, around one in four people with a chronic cough will have asthma, and treatment is very straightforward. We just use inhalers to try and open up their airways”. Additionally, in some cases, “tablets are used on top of the inhalers” as required.
3. Whooping coughContent cannot be displayed without consent
In his third and final suggestion, he notes it could be whooping cough. The doctor, who has almost nine million likes on the video social media platform, stressed: “It’s got multiple different phases to the illness.
“The first two to three weeks is usually very similar to any other viral infection with a cough, fever, runny nose, sore throat, muscle aches and tiredness.
“But it is usually in the second phase where you start developing this really loud inspiratory whoop in between coughing fits. You’ll have a very severe coughing and you might vomit after a cough.”
He concluded: “If you are deemed to have whooping cough and you’re early in your illness, you might be given some antibiotics. If you’re not, then treatment is generally supportive with self-care, advice, and managing close contacts.”
The doctor is a fully qualified General Practitioner and a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners (UK) and a Member of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.