Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Suggest Treatment For Chronic Cough
Question: My husband has a "dry" cough that bothers him day and night. He says his throat feels dry. He coughs and coughs and brings up a little bit of mucus. He has been taking Robitussin for this problem since May. It is now July. Last night I got him CoughDM (dextromethorphan polistirex) at the suggestion of the pharmacist. It did not help. Cough drops helped a little, but he was up frequently last night with this cough and it continues today. He has he feels weak in the chest area now, from all the coughing. He refuses to go to ER.
Brief Answer:
needs investigation
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Chronic cough needs investigation to determine its origin. Accompanying symptoms are very important. You haven't mentioned any, so I'll ask about some of the most important symptoms.
Does he have shortness of breath? Chest pain? Fever? Anything else?
If he only has dry cough then he should start the investigation with clinical examination and history taking to identify signs of sinusitis. This is very common cause of chronic cough.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is another cause.
Other important causes include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tumors, infections, etc.
A chest x-ray is very important to identify or exclude various causes.
Depending on the symptoms other tests will be needed.
I hope I've given you a place to start with. Contact me again if you'd like to share more info or ask for clarifications.
Kind regards!
needs investigation
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Chronic cough needs investigation to determine its origin. Accompanying symptoms are very important. You haven't mentioned any, so I'll ask about some of the most important symptoms.
Does he have shortness of breath? Chest pain? Fever? Anything else?
If he only has dry cough then he should start the investigation with clinical examination and history taking to identify signs of sinusitis. This is very common cause of chronic cough.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is another cause.
Other important causes include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, tumors, infections, etc.
A chest x-ray is very important to identify or exclude various causes.
Depending on the symptoms other tests will be needed.
I hope I've given you a place to start with. Contact me again if you'd like to share more info or ask for clarifications.
Kind regards!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
He promises to go to the doctor tomorrow, with a print-out of your answer.
Thank you for your help!
Thank you for your help!
Brief Answer:
a nice decision
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome. He took the right decision. A cough of this duration should be investigated.
Best wishes!
a nice decision
Detailed Answer:
You're welcome. He took the right decision. A cough of this duration should be investigated.
Best wishes!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
