In general, if a person is not sick, what triggers the body to make the person cough?
917552
Anything which irritates the throat or respiratory system triggers the nerves lining the throat and connected to the brain and diaphram.  The reactions are involuntary muscle spasms designed to blow the irritant back up and out of the body, through the mouth and nose.  Cough medications work on the "cough center" of the brain to desensitize it and help prevent the muscle spasms being triggered, or by soothing the throat to remove the itchy sensations that will also set it off.   In ordinary circumstances, though, you wouldn't want to take it, since you really want the body to reject irritants.
81004
Cough and Deep Breathe.
1134763
I would venture to guess that it is because your tubes in your lungs get smaller when you are cold.  This forces whatever mucus in your lungs be more in the way of your breathing, so you have to cough.
901381
JP is right.  Without knowing what is making you cough, it is difficult to prescribe something. Best to go to the doctor. \n\nHaving said that, the most common form of persistent cough is caused by post-nasal drip. Post-nasal drip is mucous that drips onto the back of the tongue, causing the throat tickling and sympathetic coughing.  Less common types of coughing come are bronchial, based on inflammation of the lungs. \n\nTo combat post-nasal drip, it is easiest to just take a ephedra-based antihistimine pill like pseudoephedrine.  If you insist on drinking something, then you can take ma-huang.  However, only take it in the morning because ma-huang contains ephedrine - which will juice you up like a caffeine. \n\nIMHO, best to just pop the pseudofed.  Harmless if it doesn't work. Cheap. Works quickly.
399008
People with pneumonia often have a cough that produces greenish or yellow sputum, a high fever, shaking chills, and shortness of breath. Sometimes they also have chest pain, a sharp or stabbing pain, either felt or worse during deep breaths or coughs, and they may cough up blood, have headaches, sweaty and clammy skin, loss of appetite, fatigue, blueness of the skin, nausea, vomiting, and joint pains or muscle aches.
1175161
NO its not a disease thus its not contages\nWhat do each of these individuals have in common: First, aneighteen-year-old suddenly develops wheezing and shortness of breath whenvisiting his grandmother who happens to have a cat. Second, a thirty year oldwoman has colds that "always go into her chest," causing coughing anddifficulty breathing. Lastly, a sixty- year-old man develops shortness of breathwith only slight exertion even though he has never smoked. The answer is thatthey all may have asthma.\nThese are some of the many faces of asthma. Most researchers believe that thedifferent patterns of asthma are all related to one condition. Other researchersfeel that separate lung conditions exist. There is currently no cure for asthmaand no single exact cause has been identified. Therefore, understanding thechanges that occur in asthma, how it makes you feel, and how it can behave overtime is vital. This knowledge empowers you to take an active role in your ownhealth care.
66057
A general answer is Chemicals\nCertain chemicals trigger certain chemicals in your body
84163
Main symptoms consist of cough, productive of dirty phlegm, fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, or any or all of the above.
1101351
Coughing increases the intra-abdominal pressure.\nThe Dr doesn't 'cup' the scrotum while he does this..he either watches for what we call an Expansile Cough Impulse or he palpates the inguinal area to check whether a hernia is direct or indirect.....among other things.....
504968
There is a couple of ways that mold can make you sick (I assume you're talking about inhalation of mold).  Certian molds release substances that are toxic to the body, breathing them in introduces the toxins to the body and can make one very sick.\n\nThe second, and probably most common way molds make you sick is by causing an allergic reaction when inhaled.  Like pollen, dust, and other allergens, this reaction can range from mild to very severe.
445704
It's a nerve reflex which is unique to you. Some people are ticklish on a specific place on their bodies which triggers a laugh response while others aren't. The same goes for your ear/s, you have a unique nerve ending which triggers a cough response!
242164
Pneumonia..........usually cough, sometimes dry cough or sometimes with sputum production. Could also have shortness of breath. Could have increased body temperature.
876997
Why would you want to have a medicine to make you cough?\n\nTry ipicac....it makes you puke, but you usually cough before you puke.
414409
well...I think that`s because when you sneeze, cough or laugh hard...your diaphragm contracts and the body is concentrated very hard on that muscle.When you cough..sneeze etc. you blow out CO2 and your body tries to get rid of it with the help of every space that leads from your body outside your body, for example : when you sneeze you have tears coming out of your eyes...that`s because it`s a sensitive tissue that produces water and has to get out fast from your body in case of emergency ... like crying(because of the nerves that must relax), laughing hard etc... I hope the answer helps..and you also must consider the answer above...with the weak muscles
459601
Cold water probably washes away some of the lubrication (phlegm, I guess) from your throat and can make a tickle worse or make a cough drier and more persistent. Something that coats your throat would make a cough go away, and water, as great as it is, does just the opposite.
179692
do you have a heavy cold or chesty cough,it could be a food alergy or even stress,if it continues see a doctor
163850
Asthma is a disease of the human respiratory system in which the airways narrow, often in response to a "trigger" such as exposure to an allergen, cold air, exercise, or emotional stress. This narrowing causes symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing, which are the hallmarks of asthma. Between episodes, most patients feel fine.\n\nfor more information: \nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asthma