10 Reasons Why Your Cold May Not Go Away

3. It may be a side effect of your medication

According to doctors, coughs are usually the last symptom to go away from a cold. Now, if yours lasts for more than two weeks, it may be due to your medications. “A chronic dry cough may be a side effect of ACE inhibitors such as ramipril, lisinopril, and benazepril,” says Kristine Arthur, a doctor at the Orange Coast Medical Center in California.

“ACE inhibitors are a type of blood pressure medication that is known to possibly cause a dry, tickly cough in 10% to 35% of people who take it,” she added. However, there should be no additional symptoms such as nasal congestion, sinus pressure, or a sore throat. If you take one of these medications and have a lingering cough, talk to your doctor about possibly changing them.