Video series
Understanding and Calming a Chronic Cough
A speech therapist's guide, in 8 short modules
A cough that will not settle is exhausting, and being told your tests are normal rarely makes it easier to live with. This series explains what is actually going on, why the cough keeps going, and the techniques that can help calm it down.
8 modules · 34 minutes in total · With Sacha Allnatt, Speech-Language Therapist, NZSTA #12789
No account needed.
What the series covers
- What is happening in a long-standing dry, irritable cough, in plain language
- Why coughing tends to feed itself, and why a dry cough clears nothing
- Which medical checks are worth having before you start practising
- Techniques for easing the urge to cough as it builds
- Breathing and throat-release exercises you can practise at home
- Everyday habits that leave your throat less irritable
- How to track your own progress and keep the ground you gain
The running order
- 2:11
What this series is, who it is for, and the signs that mean seeing a doctor comes first.
- 4:57
What a chronic cough actually is
What is going on in a throat that has become oversensitive, and why the workup matters.
- 2:44
Why you keep coughing
How coughing feeds itself, and why a dry cough clears nothing.
- 2:11
Your medical team
The checks worth having before you start practising.
- 6:59
Catching the urge
Three things to do the moment a cough starts to build.
- 4:36
Breathing, and letting go of throat tension
Calming the baseline so the urge arrives less often.
- 5:30
Everyday throat care
The daily habits that leave your throat less irritable.
- 5:04
Making it stick
Tracking your progress, and keeping the ground you gain.
Is this series right for you?
This series is for
- Adults with a long-standing dry, irritable cough
- A cough your medical team has already checked and diagnosed
- People who have seen a respiratory physician
This series is not for
- A cough that is new or undiagnosed. Please see your GP for a referral first
- Children. This series is for adults only
Please see a doctor before anything else if you have
- Coughing up blood
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Chest pain, fever or night sweats
- Losing weight without meaning to
- A hoarse voice for more than several weeks
- Difficulty swallowing
- Any lumps in your neck
In New Zealand you can call Healthline at any time for medical advice. In an emergency, call 111 or visit your ED.
Get the full series
One payment. Access does not expire, and you can watch on any device.
Payment is handled by Stripe. We never see your card details.
Refunds
There are no refunds for a change of mind once you have access to the modules. This does not limit your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993. If a module will not play, or the series is not what was described here, email us and we will put it right.
Common questions
- Is this the same as seeing a speech therapist?
- No. This is education you work through on your own. Working with a therapist means your cough is assessed, the techniques are adapted to you, and someone adjusts the plan as you go. If you would rather do that, Sacha sees people by telehealth across New Zealand.
- How long does the series take?
- About 34 minutes of video, across 8 short modules. Most people watch it over a few sittings, with time to practise in between.
- How long do I have access?
- Access does not expire. You can come back to it whenever you want, on any device, using the email address you bought it with.
- Do I need any equipment?
- No. Somewhere quiet to sit, and a glass of water within reach.
- Will this work for me?
- That depends on what is causing your cough, which is why the series is only for a cough a team has already checked and diagnosed. The techniques are the ones Sacha uses in clinic. Nobody can promise you a result, and you should be wary of anyone who does.
- Can I watch the first module before I buy?
- Yes. The first module is free and needs no account. It explains what the series covers and who it is for, including the signs that mean you should see a doctor before trying anything here.
Would you rather work through it with someone?
A course cannot assess your cough or adapt the techniques to you. Sacha sees people by telehealth across New Zealand, and Aoife sees people in person in Wellington.
This series is education, not medical treatment. It works alongside your medical team, never instead of it, and nothing in it replaces being properly seen and assessed. Sacha has not examined you or reviewed your medical history. In New Zealand you can call Healthline at any time for medical advice. In an emergency, call 111 or visit your ED.