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Suggest Remedy For Persistent Cough And Wheezing
Question: I have a persistent cough occurring at night and in early am when I'm laying down. I have had two visits to primary care doc since XXXXXXX including negative chest x-rays. Antibiotic did nothing, Mucinex does not help, nor does cough medicine. I can actually hear rattling and wheezing in my airway at times. I am a non-smoker and quit all smoking over 35 years ago. Day time seems to be fine...I sometime work in a dusty environment although this never used to bother me. Have had no allergies that I know of. It seems as if mucus is in my throat a lot especially when laying down for a while.
Brief Answer:
Here are some thoughts and suggestions:
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I am sorry you have had a persistent cough for several months. I've noted that your chest Xray is normal and that antibiotics and Mucinex didn't help. I have a couple thoughts on what might help.
You mention that you have noticed mucus in your throat:
My first thought - is it possible you have some drainage going down your throat, creating a congested cough, particularly when you are lying down? If this is a possibility for you, you can try over the counter Flonase to see if it will help stabilize your sinus mucus membranes. Flonase will take several days to start to kick in.
My other thought is that, given the rattling and wheezing, is it possible you have developed a bit of asthma or obstructive pulmonary disease? These may not show up on chest X-ray. Treatment is corticosteroid inhalers, and if asthma, a bronchodilator inhaler, while for COPD, an anticholinergic inhaler is more helpful. Actually, the anticholinergic inhalers are recently approved as helpful for asthma as well.
I would advise you see either an allergist (even if the problem isn't strictly allergic) or a pulmonologist at this point. Either can do spirometry breathing tests which can help to see if you are having reactive or obstructive airway problems causing your night time cough.
You may also want to make sure that when in a dusty environment, you wear a good mask, and change your clothes when you come home. Perhaps you already do that. And frequently launder bedding in hot water (more than 130 degrees) to kill dust mites that sometimes bother people over night.
I hope this information helps and that you are relieved of your cough soon.
Here are some thoughts and suggestions:
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
I am sorry you have had a persistent cough for several months. I've noted that your chest Xray is normal and that antibiotics and Mucinex didn't help. I have a couple thoughts on what might help.
You mention that you have noticed mucus in your throat:
My first thought - is it possible you have some drainage going down your throat, creating a congested cough, particularly when you are lying down? If this is a possibility for you, you can try over the counter Flonase to see if it will help stabilize your sinus mucus membranes. Flonase will take several days to start to kick in.
My other thought is that, given the rattling and wheezing, is it possible you have developed a bit of asthma or obstructive pulmonary disease? These may not show up on chest X-ray. Treatment is corticosteroid inhalers, and if asthma, a bronchodilator inhaler, while for COPD, an anticholinergic inhaler is more helpful. Actually, the anticholinergic inhalers are recently approved as helpful for asthma as well.
I would advise you see either an allergist (even if the problem isn't strictly allergic) or a pulmonologist at this point. Either can do spirometry breathing tests which can help to see if you are having reactive or obstructive airway problems causing your night time cough.
You may also want to make sure that when in a dusty environment, you wear a good mask, and change your clothes when you come home. Perhaps you already do that. And frequently launder bedding in hot water (more than 130 degrees) to kill dust mites that sometimes bother people over night.
I hope this information helps and that you are relieved of your cough soon.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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