Q: A common condition that can cause chronic coughing is post-nasal drip. This is when there is increased mucus in your nose or sinuses due to allergies or infections. This mucus drips down the back of your throat and irritates your throat, which causes you to cough reflex.  If you think this may be the cause of your cough, talk to your doctor to get treatment for the allergies or the infection. GERD, also known as acid reflux or hyperacidity, is a chronic case of heartburn where stomach acid flows back into your esophagus. This causes irritation to this area, which can make you have a chronic dry cough. Look for symptoms of GERD, such as a burning sensation in your chest that can spread along your throat, along with your cough.  If you notice these symptoms along with your cough, see your doctor about treating the GERD. This will help reduce your cough as well. Coughing can make your GERD worse, so treat your GERD as soon as you can to help make you feel better. There are a few other conditions that may cause a chronic cough. These conditions have coughing a major symptoms, but typically occur because of other medical conditions. If you fall into any of these categories, call your doctor if you have a persistent cough.These conditions include:  Chronic bronchitis, an inflammation of the bronchi which are the airways of the lungs, caused by irritants, smoke, cold air, pollution, and fumes. Congestive heart failure (CHF) caused by underlying heart problems that produces a dry, deep, persistent cough due to fluid in the lungs. People with this condition also frequently cough up mucous or sputum. The inhalation of a foreign object or chemical.  Asthma causes a chronic cough indicating that you need use an inhaler or nebulizer treatment. There are some infections that cause chronic coughing including Tuberculosis, pneumonia, whooping cough, and bronchitis. Please see your physician as soon as possible if you suspect any of these. If you are a smoker, then you may develop a cough as a result of smoking. This is a chronic condition that would need to be evaluated by your physician if the character of the cough changes. Try to quit smoking if you are a smoker. If you experience a less severe cough or have less severe cough symptoms than those described, you may be able to treat your cough at home before you call your doctor. These home remedies help treat underlying causes of coughs, such as colds or common respiratory disorders, as long as you don't have any serious symptoms. However, if these home remedies do not work after five to seven days, you should see your doctor immediately. Common home remedies include:   Rest Drinking lots of fluids, preferably water Over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as pain relievers, cough suppressants, decongestants, expectorants, and antihistamines
A: Recognize post-nasal drip. Notice a cough caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Check for other conditions that cause chronic coughs. Watch for smoker's cough. Consider home remedies.

Q: Every morning, take a shower. Wash your hair, brush it out, and keep it styled the way you like. Put on deodorant. Even if you’re already friends with the boy you desire, poor hygiene will hurt your chances by showing him you don’t care about yourself. A little makeup, perfume, or cologne can help. If you choose to use these, put on just enough to accentuate your features, such as a suitable lipstick and eyeliner. Don’t let makeup appear thick or perfume smell overwhelming. When you know you’ll be around him, dress to impress. Pick out your best clothes or buy some that fit your figure. The clothes you wear should not be tight, but they should fit you well. Good clothing also helps increase your confidence, which makes you appear more desirable to him. Even after you start spending time with him, make yourself look presentable as much as possible. Wearing stained sweatpants is easy but it shows you aren’t trying to look good for him. Practice walking around your room. Keep your head up and your back straight. Take small steps, neither too fast nor too slow. When you sit, maintain your posture, never slouching or hunching. Also, don’t cross your arms, or else you’ll appear closed off. Once you can do all of this in your room, go ahead and try to maintain good posture in public. Practice speaking out loud at home and to a mirror. Your voice should be loud and clear. Eliminate unnecessary pauses, as these will make you sound timid or uncertain. Know what you want to say and say it.  If you speak too fast, slow down. Add breaths between sentences and give time for others to listen and speak. Once you feel comfortable at home, try speaking confidently to friends and strangers.  Add in humor to emphasize your confidence. Don’t overdo it, but every once in awhile it’s okay to joke with the boy or someone else around you. Start out by speaking into a mirror, then move on to practicing this on friends, acquaintances, and strangers. Approaching someone is difficult, but it’s even more intimidating when you’re interested romantically. Start out by asking for or offering help, commenting on a shared experience such as a school class, by complementing, or by making an observation, such as about what the person’s eating for lunch. Examples include “I found that class really difficult. What did you think of it?” or “I see you like the sandwiches here. I’m not much of a turkey type.”.  As you get him to become more comfortable with you, progress the conversation. Learn more about him, such as his interests. Return the trust, but don’t go overboard. If you already know him, you’ll have some familiarity with him, but you’ll still need to talk and build more of a connection. By talking to him, you should be able to find out what he likes. Now connect the two of you by finding activities you can share. If you both like bowling, for instance, you’ll be able to talk about bowling and then go bowl. Don’t think of this as a date. Instead, focus on having fun together.  Being willing to try the things he likes is a good idea, but pretending to share his interests makes you look false and like you have less individuality. Go out as friends. You need to create moments that help you grow closer, which won’t happen if you come on too strong or overanalyze your interactions. Even if hiding your personality seems to be working, it’ll hurt you in the end. At some point you’ll have to show him who you are in order to work towards a relationship. Now is the best time to reveal yourself and judge whether he will get along with you. If you like pop music, clothes, romantic comedies, and video games, for example, allow this to come out naturally. Don’t hide your true self. Physical contact is a great way to make him associate the pleasant feeling of touch with you. Choose opportune times, but let your contact appear unintentional. When talking to him, touch his hand or wrist. Stand close to him in crowds. Brush against his shoulders while passing. When you’re first starting out with him, keep touch brief and not too intimate. You want to build his interest and coming on strong can make your affections seem less valuable in the long run. At opportune times, lock onto his eyes. Eye contact is difficult since it will often make you feel vulnerable, but it is powerful. At a party, pick him out of the room and meet his eyes for at least a moment. When you’re talking or doing something fun, meet his eyes and linger for a moment. The eye contact in these moments should feel intense. If it doesn’t, that’s a sign that you still have to work at getting closer to him.
A:
Clean yourself. Dress well. Correct your posture. Speak with confidence. Start conversations. Find common interests. Be yourself. Gently touch him. Make eye contact.