What is it about?
People with refractory chronic cough completed an online cough suppression therapy treatment or a healthy-lifestyle education treatment via a study website over four weeks. The people who received the cough treatment had meaningful improvements in cough-related quality of life.
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Why is it important?
This study shows how an online therapy program that required participants to read information, watch videos, and perform cough suppression in their daily lives is a treatment avenue that warrants more exploration. Results point to how cough suppression therapy may be an ideal treatment to be delivered as a digital therapeutic (with an app) that includes both tracking cough and learning how to suppress cough.
Perspectives
Refractory chronic cough is notoriously difficult to treat with medication. However, behavioral cough suppression therapy (traditionally delivered in-person or via telehealth by voice and upper airway trained speech-language pathologists) is a highly effective treatment. It is often difficult for patients with refractory chronic cough to access specialized speech-language pathologists if they live in rural areas or their healthcare providers aren't aware this service exists in their area. Long wait times at specialty clinics may also deter some patients from getting timely and effective help. Exploring online-based treatment delivery models offers a way to work around these historical barriers and connect patients with the treatment they need.
Jane Salois
University of Montana
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Internet-Based Behavioral Cough Suppression Therapy for Refractory Chronic Cough: A Randomized Controlled Trial, American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology, August 2025, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA),
DOI: 10.1044/2025_ajslp-25-00124.
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