There are likely to be other possible causes, so ask your doctor about your symptoms. 1  Diverticulosis. 2  Ischemic colitis. 3  Inflammatory bowel disease.  Colon 1  cancer. Intestinal worm infestation.  Mesenteric artery 1  ischemia. Proctitis.  Ulcerative colitis.
If you guessed about a week, you are average, but you are wrong. In a new study, doctors who reviewed medical studies found that acute cough, sometimes called acute bronchitis, lasts an average of nearly 18 days.
Note also the considerable overlap of these diseases. In a patient without allergies and asthma, a cold is typically a mild illness lasting no longer than 2 weeks. But some colds can be severe and last up to 6 weeks. In patients with allergies, nasal symptoms can last considerably longer than 6 weeks after a cold. In patients with asthma, colds can exacerbate the asthma for a long time, and produce much prolonged cough. Finally, untreated nasal allergies are a common cause of uncontrolled asthma. Great question.