
Suggest Treatment For Chronic Cough And Sneezing Inspite Of Quitting Smoking

I'm a 52 year old smoker. I've gone to my doctor a couple of times about this issue, and still haven't gotten it resolved. I have a chronic cough that is always accompanied with sneezing. This occurs 5 to 10 times daily. I was diagnosed once with bronchitis and sinus infections and given antibiotics. My cough subsided only a week after taking them. My second visit, I had an x-ray done as well. My lungs were clear. I was given antibiotic and albuterol inhalers. Still I cough. What on earth can this be? I quit smoking over a month ago, and still cough. It's making me miserable. HELP
may be due to post nasal drip
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Chronic cough is a cough that lasts 8 weeks or more. It can be due to 3 main causes though other causes may be responsible: (1) post nasal drip-this is the most common cause. Secretions from the nose drip into the back of the throat.
Some persons may have a silent drip. This means that they may not detect the drip and have the other symptoms normally associated with post nasal drip.
The fact that the cough is associated with sneezing may imply that post nasal drip is the cough because sneezing is also a symptom of sinusitis.
(2)asthma is the second most common cause of chronic cough. Your doctor may have suspected this because he gave albuterol inhalors
(3)GERD- reflux of acid from the stomach is another cause of persistent coughing
Typically most persons would have other reflux symptoms such as burning discomfort in the chest, bloating, nausea, acid taste in the mouth but some may only have the cough as a symptom
You may want to consider the use of topical steroid nasal sprays. There are different types such as nasonex, flonase, beconase, nasocort.
These can be combined with an oral anti histamine.
It can take a few weeks,in some persons, for improvement especially is it is related to allergies and there is still exposure to the allergen.
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any additional questions


I'll try the nasal spray. How will it react with the other medicines I take.
Lisinopril, Estradiol, Amlodipine, and Ambien.
And, should I disregard the cough syrup. (Promethazine)
no known interactions
Detailed Answer:
HI
There are no known interactions between the topical steroid nasal sprays and the medications that you mentioned.
The steroid sprays have minimal absorption and just mainly help to relieve symptoms in the ear/nose/throat such as the drip
Please feel free to ask any other questions

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