Doctor Sooj, who is a board-certified medical doctor, revealed exactly what could be the reason behind a persistent cough that won’t go away. In the video that was posted to TikTok, the doctor lists the three reasons that could be behind the chronic coughing that people are facing.
“I have seen so many people with a chronic cough recently,” he began in the video. He went on to share how he has observed some of his patients coughing for weeks and some even for months. Dr. Sooj noted how antibiotics and X-rays also “haven’t made any difference.”
The doctor made a surprising revelation in the video when he shared that four common medicines might be the reason behind the persistent cough. The cough could side-effect from a class of drugs called “ace inhibitors” used to treat high blood pressure.
“Examples are ramipril, lisinopril, perindopril, captopril,” Dr. Sooj could be heard saying in the video. He noted that the class of medicine is often prescribed to patients with high blood pressure.
He then delved into the side effects of the medicines, the most common being an irritated airway. An individual who is taking these medicines can often experience irritation of the airway, which might lead to a dry cough. The dry cough can also end up being chronic, according to the doctor.
Dr Sooj notes that the side effect usually settles down within a month. “But it might take a bit longer, so if you can persevere with it, carry on,” he adds. The doctor advises individuals to have a chat with their clinician if the side effect persists.
Another reason a person could be facing uncontrolled coughing could be asthma. “The second common cause could be asthma,” Dr. Sooj says in the video. The first sign of asthma could be breathing-related issues. Shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, and tightness in the chest could be other symptoms.
Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition marked by airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness, leading to bronchoconstriction— the narrowing of the airways that causes wheezing, shortness of breath, and coughing. pic.twitter.com/lOCXr46r8D
— Respiratory Therapy Zone (@RespiratoryZone) April 17, 2025
“Interestingly, around one of four people with a chronic cough will have asthma, and treatment is very straightforward,” the doctor with 237,000 TikTok followers noted. He explained how inhalers are the most effective method to open up an asthma patient’s airway. In some more dire cases, tablets are prescribed in addition to the inhaler.
A third possibility, if your cough persists, could be whooping cough. The NHS classifies whooping cough as a highly contagious disease. The infection is known to affect the lungs and airways and can cause long-term damage. It is necessary for babies, young children, and pregnant individuals to get vaccinated to protect themselves from the disease.
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a contagious infection of the respiratory system caused by Bordetella pertussis bacteria. Learn about the signs & symptoms of pertussis, treatment options, and more from our experts: https://t.co/EODKanfmlg pic.twitter.com/LaOln2s5kR
— Nemours Children’s Health (@Nemours) April 2, 2025
Dr. Sooj explained how the disease has “multiple different phases.” In the initial weeks, a patient with whooping cough has symptoms like a cough, fever, runny nose, muscle aches, fatigue, and sore throat.
“But it is usually in the second phase where you start developing this really loud inspiratory whoop in between coughing fits,” the doctor shares in the video. He noted how patients also develop a more severe cough and then might start vomiting because of it.
