Chronic tussis in otorhinolaringological routine

INTRODUCTION: The chronic tussis sometimes shows up as a nonspecific, but of great significance as for the disgnostic as for the prognostic. In an otorhinolaryngologic approachment, we can count several illness that can go to constantly with it, included 2 or 3 main chronic tussis' causes. OBJECTIVE: To identify the main otorhinolaryngologic diseases that present chronic tussis as one of their demonstrations. METHOD: It was done a literature revision inseveral scientific articles, specialized books and consultation in data banks of Birene and Scielo. LITERATURE'S REVISION: The tussis production in the superior aerial ducts usually is associated to an inflammatory reaction for sensitive receiver's stimulus of these areas or mechanic stimulus. The main cause of the chronic tussis in the otorhinolaryngology daily is the pos-nasal dripping, entity that rejoin by itself 02 of the most common disease: rhinitis and sinusitis. Laryngitis as consequence of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) occupies a detached position in the chronic tussis aetiology index, but it does not present with proportional severity to GER. Neoplasms are also often causes of tussis and the difficulty in diagnose the tussis'cause is common in these groups. Motricity disturbance, laryngeal irritation persistence, parasites and injuries by toxic produtcts' inhalation were also found as tussis motive for more than 03 months. CONCLUSION: Chronic tussis is a frequent finding and important in otorhinolaryngology and can not be underestimated, being a careful anamnesis the best way to determine the aetiology and to do a correct work for the patient's disease.

tussis; gastroesophageal reflux; rhinitis; sinusitis; otorhinolaryngologic