What is cough?

Coughing is when your body tries to clear something out of your throat or lungs by making a loud sound and pushing air out quickly.

Imagine you're drinking a really cold soda, and suddenly a piece of ice goes down your throat. That’s uncomfortable, right? Your body wants to get rid of that ice, so it starts shaking your throat and blowing air out with force. That's a cough!

Sometimes, tiny bits of dust, germs, or even mucus get stuck in our lungs or throat. When that happens, our body sends a signal to the brain saying, "Hey, I need help getting rid of this stuff!" The brain then tells your muscles to tighten and push air out, boom, that's a cough!

Some people cough just a little bit, like when they have a tiny piece of food stuck in their throat. But others cough so hard it sounds like a superhero trying to shout through a megaphone!