Patients and public engage around cough research at ‘Combat my Cough’
Supported by the NIHR Manchester BRC and CRF, the ‘Combat my Cough’ event on 7 November 2017 at Wythenshawe hospital provided the opportunity to engage with patients and the public around cough research; through talks, workshops, advice sessions and activities.
- Coughing has a significant impact on quality of life for patients with respiratory conditions.
- Approximately 12% of people in the UK have had a chronic cough.
- Cough is the most common condition for which patients see their doctors, but currently there are very few treatments that improve cough.
Professor Jacky Smith Manchester BRC Rapid Translation Incubator Cross Cutting Theme Lead/Improving Respiratory Symptoms Programme Lead also heads the chronic cough clinic, based at Wythenshawe, which ran the evening event. The clinic currently treats over 200 new patients each year.
Research conducted by Manchester BRC will help to better understand how changes in the neuronal (nervous system) processing of respiratory sensations contribute to cough and identify new drug targets.
I've spent my career seeing patients in my specialist clinic for the investigation and treatment of chronic cough, and conducting clinical research aimed at finding therapies for those patients whose cough is resistant to treatment.
Professor Jacky Smith
While giving people from the local community and beyond the chance to meet other people living with chronic cough the evening also explained how they can become involved in helping to shape chronic cough research, and to find out about the cutting edge chronic cough research taking place in Manchester and across the UK.
I’ve had chronic cough for a long time… I want to try and find out if there are any effects to my long term health and to be a participant in the research if there is any around that.
Event participant
For further information about getting involved in our research contact: PublicProgramme@mft.nhs.uk or call 0161 276 6614