
Suggest Remedy For Severe Cough And Wheezing

I used to be a light smoker with no prior coughing, wheezing problem or mucus. I quit 6 months ago and have always had clear chest xrays. I got a cold which became acute bronchitis and lasted for 2 weeks. Never had before but was pretty standard in symptoms and duration. Even though that is long gone I have been left with a wheeze and tickle in throat. As I said I never had any problem and doctors said I had no indication of smoking damage when I quit. At time of acute bronchitis I had xray which said mild airway inflammation and peribronchial wall thickening which I was told was normal for acute bronchitis.
Anyway GP said lungs sound clear but the wheeze is faint on inhaling and exhaling so not in lungs. I think it is my throat as I have tickly cough and loud wheeze if I exhale hard. I have tried all medication and nothing stops the wheezing. What is causing this only following bronchitis? I don't know if it is normal or suddenly I got a smoking disease on the day I got a virus? Surely no lung disease would literally start one day from a virus yet no sign the day before (3 GPS listened to my chest after xray and said sounds normal) so it can't be serious especially only began with bronchitis.
One other thing which may be useful is that all my life I have never been able to exhale much. I couldn't swim, blow balloons, candles, sing, blow a musical instrument and much more. This was from a toddler to now (42) and is clearly unrelated to smoking as basically born like that. I have been told it is due to breathing incorrectly (rapidly, shallow) so I have never had a great peak flow but all other breathing scores are normal only exhaling. When I was 10 my gp at the time also said I breathe incorrectly. Not sure why I did that all my life and it wouldn't have any bearing on new wheeze as didn't wheeze before.
Possibility of stridor is more.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
If your chest sounds clear (no crepitations, no rhonchi) and you still have wheezing sound then possibility of stridor due to upper airway pathology is more.
Fixed obstruction in upper airways can cause wheezing sound with clear chest.
So better to consult ENT doctor and get done endoscopic examination of larynx to rule out this.
Sometimes viral infection (bronchitis) can cause inflammatory reaction in larynx. And this inflammation can stays long and cause wheezing.
Can you please tell me
1. Do you have wheezing on exertion only or is it there throughout the day?
2. Do you have any difficulty in swallowing?
3. Are you taking any drugs at present?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.


What was your last PFT report?
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
So you had asthma in childhood.
Possibility of worsening or relapse of asthma is also there.
Sometimes we can not hear anything abnormal but asthma can still be there. Asthma is small airway disease and this can be missed on auscultation by stethoscope.
So better to consult pulmonologist and get done clinical examination of respiratory system and PFT (Pulmonary Function Test).
Please let me know
1. What was your last PFT report?
2. It is of which date?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.


Yes, bronchitis can trigger asthma.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
Yes, bronchitis can trigger asthma.
This is mostly temporary but if not treated properly this can stays long.
And sudden onset is mostly due to either viral infection or exposure to some irritants like pollens, dust, chemicals etc.
All these cause bronchitis and bronchitis triggers asthma.
So better to consult pulmonologist and get done clinical examination of respiratory system and PFT (fresh).
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.


If asthma are there any other symptoms?
And you definitely do t think a smoking disease would suddenly occur like this or following bronchitis?
Smoking history makes you more vulnerable to all these.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your follow up question on HCM.
I can understand your concern.
Other symptoms of asthma are night time coughing, wheezing, breathlessness etc.
And I don't think smoking is directly related to this.
Smoking is indirectly related to all these.
Smoking actually reduce the lung defense. So smokers tend to catch infection immediately. Infection also lasts longer in smokers.
Same is true for irritants also.
Along with smoking habit, you also had asthma in childhood.
This also contributes more towards your symptoms. Actually your lungs are more prone to such insults like infection, irritants XXXXXXX to smoking and asthma.
Please let me know
1. Do you have any kind of chest pain?
2. Have you ever consulted pulmonologist?
3. Do you have sound sleep? Do your symptoms worsen in night?
Please reply me answers of above asked questions, so that I can guide you better.
I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.

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