Having Severe Cough With Brown Sputum. On Antibiotic For Bronchitis. Not Getting Cured. Worrisome

Posted on Sat, 4 Aug 2012

Question: my partner is 25 and he has had a severe cough for about 1 month and green/brown sputum, he has been to the doctors which has given him 2 lots of antibiotics for bronchitis and he has also had an xray which shows the antibotics have worked. however his cough has got more severe where he is turning purple in the face and going really light headed almost blacking out, he is always complaining of his whole body hurting what could this be? its really worrying us now (he is a smoker)

Answered by Dr. Harish Naik (14 minutes later)

Hi,
Welcome to XXXXXXX
AS he has very severe cough you can go for pharyngeal demulcents, it sooth the throat and reduce the dry cough arising from the throat. Cough suppression with cough drops or other liquid suppressants (for example, Vicks 44, Halls, and cough syrups that contain dextromethorphan) will also help.
Even though the X XXXXXXX shows improvement i advice you to go for sputum culture and sensitivity to conform which organism is responsible and which antibiotic is effective.
Generalized body ache and weakness is common when person is having infection. drink plenty of fluids to maintain proper hydration (avoiding dehydration and humidify air); and use of acetaminophen and ibuprofen to treat fever and decrease the inflammatory response.
I think the doctor might have prescribed the cough medication, even then if it is not subsiding i advice you to see the doctor again for through examination.
Hope I have provided the information you needed.
Wish you good health. Take care.

Note: For further information on diet changes to reduce allergy symptoms or to boost your immunity, Ask here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar